Raising Awareness Through Gamified Learning

The Company:

American College of Chest Physicians

chestnet.org

The Supplier:

ELB Learning

elblearning.com

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in one or two weeks, but the virus can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.

Due to the rising rates of RSV in the US, the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) sought to create an interactive training solution to bring awareness surrounding RSV pathophysiology, risk factors, impact and potential complications, and the role vaccines play in the prevention of RSV in adults.

CHEST is the professional home to more than 22,000 pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine clinicians. The organization advances health outcomes for patients with lung disease through education, advocacy, research, and philanthropy.

Let the games begin

The e-learning game, called Unveiling RSV, takes clinicians on a whodunit quest. Players take on the role of a detective whose task is to identify, treat, and contain a mysterious illness that spread during a recent ball. Featuring an elaborate backstory, Unveiling RSV takes place at the Chateau Goldwater, a mansion whose owner, Lady Guinivere Goldwater, enjoys hosting events for nearby townspeople.

During the introduction, players receive the game's objectives:

• Identify vulnerable parties.

• Uncover transmission modes.

• Gather samples from the mansion to produce a vaccine.

• Use the findings to prevent another viral outbreak.

Players also receive an inventory with items to help them on their mission as well as hints about objects they will need to locate throughout the mansion. The game contains branching dialogue, interactive spaces, dynamic characters, and a deep storyline to keep users immersed in the learning experience.

To locate the objects and solve the mystery, players must explore the mansion's rooms and interact with the staff to gather information. The more the players interact with workers, the more information and objects they uncover, which maintains the storyline's progression and enables learners to check off game objectives.

After players acquire the necessary items and information, the next phase is to create a vaccine. They do so by completing mini games to identify how someone becomes infected with RSV and how the body fights the virus. Players also must pinpoint a proper vaccine mechanism to fight the virus. They use their findings of vulnerable parties from earlier in the game (based on age and known medical history) to create a list of recommended vaccine recipients.

Instruction-filled adventure

In Unveiling RSV, the fun and familiar elements of point-and-click adventure games pair with detailed instructional feedback to engage users with the content, ultimately leading to increased knowledge retention surrounding RSV.

The game has received positive survey responses, participation rates, and qualitative feedback, affirming its relevance and effectiveness. Those insights validate the approach, and CHEST will use the feedback to guide future iterations and enhancements to better meet the audience's needs.

By educating clinicians on critical learning objectives related to RSV pathophysiology, the role of emerging vaccines, and more, CHEST is equipping them with up-to-date information to better understand, diagnose, and manage RSV infections. The immediate feedback and engagement provided via the educational game plays a pivotal role in deepening comprehension and knowledge retention among learners.