Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare with escape room: a scoping review

Interprofessional collaboration is an essential competency for healthcare professionals, and escape rooms have emerged as an innovative strategy to enhance teamwork and communication. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and summarize how escape rooms are used in the teaching and enhancement of interprofessional collaboration skills. We conducted a scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A search of five databases, Scopus (R), Web of Science (R), CINAHL Complete (R), MEDLINE (R) and PsychINFO (R) was conducted for all articles until 1 January 2024. The review included 15 studies, mostly from the USA, involving a total of 2,434 participants across various healthcare professions. Key findings indicated significant improvements in group cohesion, communication, understanding of team roles, and interprofessional skills. Escape rooms can be an effective pedagogical tool in enhancing interprofessional competencies among healthcare students and professionals. Further research is needed to explore the sustainability of skills gained over time through escape rooms and to refine assessment methods.