Learning Lab RN

January 30, 2026

Cracking the Code: A Fundamentals Fluid & Electrolyte Escape Room

<h2>🎙️Cracking the Code: A Fundamentals Fluid &amp; Electrolyte Escape Room</h2><p><br></p><p>In this episode of the Learning Lab RN podcast, Martha chats with Hannah Pope, a fundamentals nursing educator, to talk about the realities of active learning and the creative journey that led her to build a highly engaging fluid and electrolyte escape room for her classroom.</p><p><br></p><p>They discuss the trial-and-error process of designing effective activities, why it's okay for things to flop, and how embracing incremental improvements is often the best path forward. Hannah walks us through her class’s transition to a competency-based curriculum, and how deliberate practice and repetition are shaping student skill development.</p><p><br></p><p>The highlight of our conversation is Hannah’s detailed breakdown of her escape room activity, where students solve case-based puzzles to apply their knowledge of electrolytes, IV fluids, and ABGs, all while working collaboratively under a tiny bit of time pressure. Escape room activities continue to be a fun way to reinforce complex content.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><h3>🔑 Key Takeaways:</h3><p><span style="background-color: rgb(250, 251, 255);">Active learning doesn’t always go as planned.</span></p><ul><li>Not every activity will land perfectly the first time, and that’s part of the process. Each attempt gives you valuable insight you can refine semester after semester without starting from scratch.</li></ul><p>Canva is a powerful tool for designing visually engaging and organized materials.</p><ul><li>Hannah frequently Canva to create student activities and worksheets. With simple templates and drag‑and‑drop design, Canva makes it easier to create polished, student‑friendly activities that support learning without adding hours of prep time.</li></ul><p>Escape room-style activities drive teamwork, engagement, and critical thinking.</p><ul><li>Thoughtful, paper-based activities allow students to connect more deeply with content without relying on tech.</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>Resources Mentioned:</h3><ul><li>Ready to use this in your own classroom? Get the Clinical Bingo Card here: 👉 <a href="https://learninglabrn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">learninglabrn.com</a></li><li>Subscribe to the show: <a href="https://learninglabrn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">learninglabrn.com</a></li><li>Join the newsletter and explore active learning tools: <a href="https://breakoutrn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">breakoutrn.com</a></li><li>Full transcript: <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9cfyb6x2fmmj70t3jq0ck/S2-Pope-Fundamentals-F-E-Escape-Room-Transcript.pdf?rlkey=lpnyvmgq1e0q0qyub0xtl6qp8&amp;st=0e5fldta&amp;dl=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HERE</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Please offer your feedback about the show by <a href="https://www.breakoutrn.com/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emailing me!</a></p><p><br></p><ul><li>If you listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to rate or review the show. This goes a long way toward helping me reach other educators! 😊</li></ul><p><br></p>

January 26, 2026

Active Learning in Action: How to Gamify a Clinical Day

<h2>🎙️Active Learning in Action: How to Gamify a Clinical Day</h2><p><br></p><p>In this episode of Learning Lab RN, host Martha welcomes an old friend, Mary Jadin, a BSN educator, DNP student, and soon-to-be mom of three, to talk about balancing work and life while still bringing innovation to the classroom and clinical.</p><p><br></p><p>Mary shares how her journey through teaching and graduate school has fueled her passion for active learning. She reflects on her own educational experiences, the challenges of implementing a flipped classroom model, and the importance of shifting responsibility for learning back to students. From starting with hesitant clinical students to creating engaging tools like a Clinical Bingo Card, Mary’s insights offer practical and inspiring ways to bring engagement and confidence into nursing education.</p><p><br></p><h3>🔑 Key Takeaways:</h3><p><strong>Start Small with Flipping</strong></p><ul><li>Mary's early attempt at fully flipping her classroom taught her to take a hybrid approach—short videos and simple prep help students ease into self-directed learning.</li></ul><p><strong>Let Go of “Covering Everything”</strong></p><ul><li>Mary encourages educators to share the responsibility of learning with students by guiding them to utilize available resources like Nursing Reference Center Plus.</li></ul><p><strong>Gamify Clinicals</strong></p><ul><li>The Clinical Bingo Card helped hesitant students gain confidence by encouraging interaction, collaboration, and exploration in clinical without micromanagement.</li></ul><p><strong>DNP Project Spotlight</strong></p><ul><li>Mary is working on a quality improvement project to streamline student access to healthcare and clinical onboarding, emphasizing real-world impact in nursing education.</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>Resources Mentioned:</h3><ul><li>Ready to use this in your own classroom? Get the Clinical Bingo Card here: 👉 <a href="https://learninglabrn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">learninglabrn.com</a></li><li>Subscribe to the show: <a href="https://learninglabrn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">learninglabrn.com</a></li><li>Join the newsletter and explore active learning tools: <a href="https://breakoutrn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">breakoutrn.com</a></li><li>Full transcript: <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x6r3fr45ubifen2mq2n64/S2-Smith-Unfolding-ACLS-Case-Study-Transcript.pdf?rlkey=smfrkmdfsgi7b5anzk48tew00&amp;st=4bp8pu0v&amp;dl=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HERE</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Please offer your feedback about the show by <a href="https://www.breakoutrn.com/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emailing me!</a></p><p><br></p><ul><li>If you listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to rate or review the show. This goes a long way toward helping me reach other educators! 😊</li></ul><p><br></p>

January 9, 2026

Building Community with Icebreakers in Online Nursing Education