Surviving the shift: A web-based serious game for intensive care decision-making training

Intensive care physicians face high-stakes decisions that directly impact patient outcomes. Traditional educational methods do not fully reproduce the complexity and time pressure of real Intensive Care Unit (ICU) scenarios. This paper presents Surviving the Shift , a web-based serious game designed to enhance clinical decision-making training in ICU settings. The software simulates realistic patient scenarios requiring sequential procedural decisions, under time constraints, providing immediate feedback and personalized learning resources based on user performance. Built with Laravel and Vue.js, the system features a modular architecture supporting scenario customization and real-time performance analytics. A pilot evaluation demonstrated enhanced student engagement and provided educators with actionable insights into knowledge gaps. The software is publicly available under the GNU GPL v3 license, offering a reusable resource for medical education institutions worldwide.