Escape, Relearn and Retain: using escape rooms as a simulation based quality improvement project to reinforce Pediatric Advanced Life Support retention at a teaching hospital

Introduction

Reliable delivery of paediatric resuscitation care depends on effective teamwork, leadership and timely application of Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) principles. In teaching hospitals, infrequent exposure to real-life paediatric emergencies can lead to variability in team performance and decline in confidence and variability in application of resuscitation principles between certification cycles. Innovative, low-cost strategies are needed to support ongoing team readiness and reliability of emergency care. Problem: At a tertiary teaching hospital, paediatric resident doctors and nurses receive formal PALS certification early in training with limited opportunities for structured reinforcement thereafter. This created a local quality gap in maintaining consistent team performance and confidence during paediatric emergencies.