Faculty members at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville have been awarded UF’s W. Martin Smith Interdisciplinary Patient Quality and Safety Award. Thomas Beardsley, MD, and Colleen Kalynych, EdD, received the award for their proposal titled, “Utilization of an Escape Room for Teaching Patient Safety.” Beardsley and Kalynych will receive nearly $20,000 to conduct this project on the Jacksonville campus at the Center for Simulation Education and Safety Research, or CSESaR.

By creating an active learning environment, the escape room aims to improve residents’ ability to identify and report patient safety hazards. The simulated escape rooms will incorporate active learning, gamification and adult learning theory across specialties and professions. It will use CSESaR’s high-fidelity manikins, capable of simulating a variety of human physical conditions, to provide real-life scenarios for trainees. 

“It is an honor to have received this award, which will educate trainees at our enterprise on best practices and additional ways to improve the quality of care patients receive,” said Beardsley, an assistant professor of emergency medicine. “Patient safety continues to be our top priority. Our hope is this will improve resident confidence in identifying patient safety hazards and ensure familiarity with their institutional online event reporting system.”

The award program, co-sponsored by the UF College of Medicine Continuing Medical Education and UF Self-Insurance Program, provides startup support for faculty and staff to design and implement projects focused on reducing the likelihood of adverse events or claims or patient safety and clinical process improvements.

“We are confident this project will be an asset for all residents and fellows who will have the escape room as a resource,” said Kalynych, director of educational development and research at UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “Our goal is for trainees to know how to properly respond to patient safety events, as this is a critical part of our curriculum.”

The full team of investigators includes Beardsley; Alexandra Mannix, MD; Linda Edwards, MD; Kalynych; Timothy Bryant, MBA, CPPS; and Carmen Smotherman, MS, MPH.

“Congratulations to our incredible faculty on this achievement,” said Edwards, senior associate dean for educational affairs. “We look forward to having this project on our campus as another high-quality educational tool for residents, fellows and faculty.”

This grant supports the development and refinement of the project over a 24-month period. A pilot of the escape room will be ready in fall 2021 and will be fully operational in spring 2022.

Featured Faculty

3386

Thomas D. Beardsley, MD

Assistant Professor
Medical Director, Simulation Education & Safety Research

1029

Linda R. Edwards, MD

Associate Professor
Dean, College of Medicine - Jacksonville

1962

Colleen J. Kalynych, EdD

Master Lecturer
Assistant Dean for Medical Education

3272

Alexandra L. Mannix, MD

Associate Professor
Assistant Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency; Medical Director, UF Center for Simulation and Safety Research