| Sumario: | Significance & Background: Nurses reported low confidence and comfort with accessing and managing the hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) pump used at an outpatient oncology infusion center in Manhattan. Knowledge gaps created barriers to safe, timely patient care, increased reliance on specialized staff, and heightened anxiety around this high-risk, low-frequency procedures. Innovative, engaging educational strategies are needed to build competence, reinforce critical skills, and improve nurse confidence in a supportive environment Purpose: An innovative, escape room- style educational intervention was designed with the goal of improving oncology nurses' confidence and competence managing the HAI pump. This approach aims to address knowledge gaps, promote safe and timely patient care, and increase both confidence and comfort in a low-stakes, engaging environment for practicing critical thinking and hands-on skills. Interventions: An interactive escape room was developed to simulate real-world scenarios for accessing and managing the HAI pump. Participants worked in small teams to solve puzzles and complete challenges requiring application of critical knowledge, demonstration of understanding transitions from active treatment to glycerin and back, troubleshooting common issues, and performing hands-on skills. Timed tasks, case-based clues, and collaborative problem-solving created an engaging, low-stakes learning environment. Results: Participants reported high satisfaction with the escape room format, particularly valuing the collaborative, team-based problem-solving approach. Nurses indicated increased confidence, comfort, and competence in the knowledge and skills required to safely access and manage the HAI pump. The activity was perceived as engaging, effective, and supportive for practicing critical, low-frequency procedures. Discussion: The escape room-style intervention demonstrated that gamified, team-based learning can effectively increase oncology nurses' confidence and competence with high-risk, low-frequency procedures such as accessing the HAI pump. Engaging nurses in hands-on, collaborative problem-solving supports knowledge retention, reduces anxiety, and promotes safe, timely patient care. This approach is adaptable to other complex oncology procedures and devices, offering a scalable model for innovative nursing education and ongoing professional development.
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