Build your own educational escape room
Without spending hours designing it alone. A complete framework, an escape room architect to assist you, and ready-to-use puzzle templates.
You want to try an escape room. You also have 10 care plans to grade and need to prep for that committee meeting.
You don't know where to start
You've seen escape rooms work in other classrooms and maybe even saved a few Pinterest posts. But sitting down to actually build one for your content feels like a project you don't have time for.
You're worried it won't tie back to your objectives
Fun is one thing. Defensible learning is another. You need the escape room to map to your course objectives and build the clinical reasoning your students will need on the floor, not just keep them busy.
Puzzle design is not your day job
You're a clinically experienced nurse, but escape room design seems tough. Coming up with puzzles that actually connect to pathophysiology, pharmacology, or assessment data feels overwhelming.
You barely have time to prep for next week
Between lesson planning, grading, emails and everything else on your plate, a brand-new activity feels like a project for "someday."
What if you had a framework, a thought partner, and templates, all in one place?
Most educators trying to build an escape room start with a blank document and a vague idea. By the time they figure out the storyline, the puzzles, and the props, the semester is half over.
This course changes that. You start with a 7-step framework that walks you through every decision and clearly outlines your action steps. Then, you use the Escape Room Architect to get a custom station plan built for your content, based on your student level and time limit.
By the end, you have an educational escape room that is ready to go, a debriefing structure that builds clinical judgment, and success certificates ready to hand out.
Video lessons.
Complete workbook.
Escape room architect.
Everything is laid out for you. The course includes the video lessons for each module, a complete workbook, the puzzle templates, the escape room architect (your assistant to bring your ideas to life). You supply the nursing content you want to teach. We bring the scaffolding so you're not staring at a blank page at 9pm on a Sunday.
practice run
workbook
What's inside the course
01Write learning objectives
Before any storyline or puzzle, you'll write learning objectives your educational escape room is built to teach. You can tailor these to fit the specific content that you teach.
02Generate a storyline
Walk through how to build a narrative that fits your topic, from ED triage to community outbreak. You'll leave with a storyline that gives you a strong foundation to build your puzzles.
03Map out your stations and puzzle flow
Build a mind map of your escape room so every puzzle connects to the next and back to your objectives. This is the step that separates a well-crafted educational escape room from a pack of disjointed worksheets.
04Build the props
Use the included puzzle templates, gather what you need from the lab supply closet, and assemble props that look intentional.
05Run the practice round
Test your escape room before it's live. You'll learn what to watch for, where to plant hints, and how to adjust the difficulty so students don't get stuck.
06Structure the debriefing session
Use the included debrief framework to walk students through what they did and how it connects to clinical practice. This is where clinical judgment gets reinforced.
07Generate success certificates
Use the included success certificate templates to recognize completion. A small touch with a big impact for students.
What you'll walk away with
Your complete educational escape room
Built on your content, with your student population in mind. Includes stations, puzzles, props, and an answer key.
1.0 continuing education credit
Watch the recording of the live workshop and submit your artifacts (learning objectives, storyline, mind map) to earn 1.0 CE credit. Real progress on your professional development requirements while building a teaching tool you will use.
A repeatable teaching tool
Once you've built it, you can use it again and again, semester after semester.
Puzzles that build clinical judgment
Puzzles that are designed around the kind of reasoning the NextGen NCLEX is asking your students to do, such as recognize cues, analyze data, prioritize action.
A complete debriefing guide
The debrief is where the learning lives. You'll get a structured debriefing session you can use after every run to connect the puzzles back to your objectives.
This might not be for you if…
You're looking for a single PDF you can drop into class tomorrow with zero customization. This course teaches you to build your own.
You want a curriculum overhaul. This is one active learning tool. You'll be great at designing educational escape rooms, but it will not redesign your course.
You're not teaching nursing or health sciences students. The framework can adapt, but every puzzle template and example is built specifically for nurse educators teaching nursing students.
You're looking for someone to build the escape room for you. This course teaches you to build it yourself. It includes a ton of support along the way, but the creative work is yours.
Everything you need to build
and run your educational escape room
- All 7 course modules with step-by-step video walkthroughs
- 1.0 CE credit for completing workshop and submitting your artifacts
- Access to the 📐 Escape Room Architect (custom station plan, video reference guide, build checklist, and answer key for your topic)
- Library of puzzle templates you can adapt to any nursing content
- Success certificate templates ready to print
- Debriefing session framework for tying the game back to clinical judgment
- Customizable templates for worksheets and puzzles
- Lifetime access to the course and any future updates
The 14-day satisfaction guarantee
Check out the first few modules. Try the Escape Room Architect. If it's not what you were hoping for, email me within 14 days of enrolling, and I'll refund you, no questions asked.
Hi, I'm Martha.
I'm a nurse educator and the creator of BreakoutRN. I started designing escape rooms after years of trying to keep students engaged through three-hour lectures. Now, I help other nurse educators move toward active learning classrooms, one activity at a time.
Questions before you get started?
When can I access the course?
Right away. Immediately after you enroll, you will set a password and have access to the workbook, video modules, and the Escape Room Architect. You can start right away or save it for your summer break.
How long does this take?
Most educators can complete an educational escape room in about 4 to 6 hours of focused work, spread over a week or two. The first three modules (the ones tied to the CE credit) take about 60 minutes total.
Do you have a refund policy?
Yes. Go through the course, give it a real try, and if it didn't give you a path forward, email me within 14 days, and I'll refund your purchase.
I'm super busy. The semester is starting soon.
Then start with the Escape Room Generator. Plug in a topic and you'll have a station plan, video guide, and build checklist in one afternoon. Polish it later.
Can I run this virtually?
Yes. The framework works for in-person, hybrid, and fully virtual classrooms. Module 5 covers prop alternatives for digital settings so nothing breaks online.
I've never done active learning. Will I be lost?
Nope — the course is built for educators starting from scratch. We start with learning objectives and walk through every step, in plain language, with examples.
Do I need a big budget or fancy supplies?
No. The puzzle templates are designed around supplies you already have in your lab or can buy cheaply. The build checklist tells you exactly what each puzzle needs, and most educators run their first escape room for under $30 in materials.
Can I use this for clinical, lab, or simulation? Not just lecture?
Yes. The framework works for any setting where you have a defined time window and a content area. Educators have used it in lecture, post-clinical conference, sim lab debriefs, and orientation.
Unlock your own educational escape room.
Enroll today and have your activity ready before the next term starts.
Enroll for $47Lifetime access · 1.0 CE Credit · 14-day refund
Questions? Email martha@breakoutrn.com