Case Study
Journey of a Surgical Instrument
Project Data
Responsibilities: Needs Analysis, Instructional Design, eLearning Development, and Evaluation.
Type: eLearning
Date: January 2024
Target Audience: Sterile processing technicians and managers
Tools Used: Articulate Storyline 360
Challenge: Differentiated instruction and practice for learners with diverse backgrounds and understanding.
Action: Assessed needs, designed, developed, and evaluated a solution to introduce new technicians to sterile processing and challenge managers with advanced sterilization challenges.
Results: Over 1600 people completed the course and rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Summary
This comprehensive eLearning course covers the entire spectrum of sterile processing for surgical instruments, guiding learners through each step, from point-of-use treatment to sterilization and storage. Equipping novice learners and challenging experienced managers with the necessary knowledge and understanding aims to enhance their competency in safe and effective surgical instrument processing, thereby advancing patient outcomes and elevating healthcare quality.
Challenge
The primary challenge involved designing a course that addresses the diverse needs of novice learners, who lack foundational knowledge and exhibit gaps in their understanding of science, and experienced managers, who seek advanced challenges and often cling to outdated practices contrary to industry best practices.
Action
To create an eLearning course for surgical instrument processing, I started by meeting with stakeholders to understand their needs and those of our Customers. Through discussions, we discovered the need for a course that would cater to both novice learners and experienced managers.
Recognizing the importance of addressing diverse challenges and knowledge gaps, I crafted a course that provided foundational knowledge while challenging managers to rethink their approach. Collaborating with experts, I designed engaging content and developed interactive activities designed to guide learners through a dialog with instruction, practice, and immediate feedback that serves novice technicians and experienced managers to improve patient outcomes.
With iterative design and feedback, I ensured the course met high standards. The result was a transformative learning experience that empowered learners to practice skills, excel, and use best practices in surgical instrument processing.
Results
As the new eLearning course went live, managers and infection preventionists were eager to see its impact. Managers praised the course's thorough content and interactive modules in interviews, seeing it as a valuable tool for new hires and seasoned professionals. Infection preventionists noted the course's potential to strengthen infection prevention practices. With over 1600 completions and a 4.5-star rating, the course's success is evident, reflecting its practical relevance and effectiveness in enhancing patient safety.