Games and Simulation in Healthcare:Past, Present, and Future

Eric B. Bauman, PhD, RNUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

Alex Games, PhDMichigan State University

9th Annual International Nursing Simulation/Learning Resource Centers ConferenceJune 17, 2010. Las Vegas Nevada

The Evolution of EducationalGames: A Broad Context

1970’s (Free Bird, Love Keep us Together, Night Fever)

• The DOD funds the PLATOSystem at the University ofIllinois, they develop the earliestexperimental educational gamesaround computer science issues

• Oregon Trail is developed at theUniversity of Minnesota, andbecomes one of the earliesteducational games adopted inthe classroom

• Early educational videogamesenter the home in nascent gameconsoles

1980’s (Livin’ on Prayer, When Doves Cry, Crazy Train)

• The home PC firstenters householdsdriven in large part by ahobbyist videogameproduction culture

• Seminal simulationtitles set the stage forintegrating traditionaleducational content ineffective game format

1990’s (Smells Like Teen Spirit, Vogue, Enter Sandman)

• The first “edutainment”bubble raises and bursts asbook publishers make aslew of poorly designededucational games

• The exception was Wherein the World is CarmenSandiego, whichsuccessfully enteredclassrooms, culture, andspawned a whole mediaphenomenon.

2000’s (Hey Ya!, Yellow, War Child, Small Town Vice)

• Interest in “serious games” arises in industry, education, andpublic policy.

• In Healthcare, Simulation-based learning begins to accelerate.– This gives rise to the Simulation versus Game discussion

What is the Difference betweenGames and Simulation

This is always an easy question to answerbecause when we talk about higher ordersimulation, elements of good game designalso apply to simulation-based learning…

Higher order simulation includes andintegrates behavioral components intodesigned experiences existing within

created spaces, whether those spacesexist in a fixed or virtual environment…

Designed Experiences

• A Designed Experience is engineered toinclude structured activities targeted tofacilitate interactions that drive anticipatedexperiences. These activities are created toembody participant experience asperformance.

Squire 2006

Created Environment

• An environment that has been specificallyengineered to accurately replicate an actualexisting space. Bauman, 2007

Ecology of CulturallyCompetent Design

Bauman, In Press; Games and Bauman, In Press

• Addresses the rigors and challenges ofaccurately situating culture within virtualenvironments using a four-element modelthat emphasizes the importance of activities,contexts, narratives, and characters.

LudologyThe study of games and other forms of play

Does higher order simulation constituteLudology?

Narrative Interactivity

System of Rewards

Engagement

ConsequenceHigh Scores Leader Board

So what’s out there…

Cherry Ames – Nursing Game 1959 Parker Bros.

Trauma Team - Atlus U.S.A

Game with ‘realistic’ clinicalsituations involving diagnosis,triage, surgery , and forensicmedicine. User performsprocedures

Pulse!!

Breakaway Games - Texas A&M-Corpus ChristiTraining Healthcare workers in clinical skills

Hospital Hustle - Time Management Game(simulation/game) 2008

“Help Nurse Sarah save Lives”

3DiTeams-Healthcare

Team Training ina Virtual

Environment

Jeff Teakman, et al

Duke UniversityMedical Center

http://projects.hsl.wisc.edu/healthcaregames/

Contact InformationEric B. Bauman, PhD, RN

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Email: ebauman@wisc.edu

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbbauman