Lights, Camera, Action! Behind the Scenes in Sterile Processing with Incision Academy
Incision · · 5 min readThe road opens up. An SUV packed with cameras and film lights roars past, kicking up a cloud of red dirt into the blazing afternoon sun. An intrepid team of Incision educators and filmmakers are braving the Midwestern heat in search of content … Sterile Processing content, to be precise.
With the launch of Incision’s Sterile Processing Program fast approaching, we’re inviting you to join us on a whirlwind behind-the-scenes tour into the making of this highly anticipated program. So buckle up, lean back, and prepare to delve into the high-octane, safety-critical and much-misunderstood world of the Sterile Processing Department…
Crafting the Vision
Long before cameras could roll, the wheels were turning to plan both the content and the logistics of this new program. A rigorous process of research, consultation, scriptwriting and storyboarding underlies the preparation of any Incision film shoot. This process is an essential element in creating the kind of intuitive, reliable content that has earned our place in the international surgical community — providing countless teams across the world with the tools they need to perform, every day.
For those not yet in the know, Sterile Processing (SP) is the professional focus of a brand-new training program for Incision Academy. More precisely, we have developed 21 multimedia courses specifically for new SP professionals undergoing their hospital onboarding (in the Sterile Processing Department, or SPD). Planning this one-of-a-kind program was no mean feat.
“The idea was to give new SP professionals the best possible start in their new career” explains Aimee Space, BSN, RN, Content Lead Extraordinaire, former Director of Sterile Processing and Advisory Group Member of Beyond Clean.
After years of being criminally underserved in healthcare, we saw and heard that SPDs were desperate for a structured program to onboard new staff … reflecting both the increased complexity of the job and increased certification in the field. We wanted to make something that is trustworthy, practical and interesting!
Ready to Roll
Shooting clinical footage comes second nature at Incision, just ask any of our video editing team. This super-specialized process of recording professional-quality video in an active clinical environment (often the operating room itself) is something our team have honed and distilled down to a fine art — one that is genuinely and world-leadingly unique. This particular shoot, however, was a bit different, explains Sacha Odufré, Head Honcho in Video and Editor in Chief at Incision.
This was the first time we’ve ever shot in the US, and our team did a great job sorting out the logistics and permissions needed to film in US hospitals. All in all, it was quite the production!
Lights, Camera, Hair Nets..?
With all preparations finalized — every I dotted and every T crossed — our team of content superstars boarded their private jet from Amsterdam to the US (courtesy of KLM economy) to begin filming. Cameras and lights were rented, loaded into a General Motors rental, and this very peculiar type of road trip was finally underway! Arriving at the first of the two SPDs where filming would take place, the first challenge is to set up the shoot. In a new hospital, let alone in the unique environment of the SPD, this proved a totally unique experience.
“The aesthetics of an SPD are very cinematic” reveals Arne Noot, Lead Camera Operator and Future Academy-Award-Winning Video Editor and Producer at Incision.
Everything is metallic and reflective, making it a bit of a challenge. Working out exactly how to position the lights and the camera, how to frame the shots and capture the action was something that felt familiar, but also a little different this time … And, of course, none of it would have been possible without the amazingly patient and generous SP folk we shot with!
Fix it in Post
Back across the Atlantic … gears are now grinding and reels of film litter the cutting floor (figuratively). The shoot was a resounding success, but there's still a ton of work to be done! Focus switches from capturing the footage to turning it into a learning experience. Subject Matter Experts work in tandem with eLearning Specialists: brainstorming, testing, creating, developing, perfecting. Hannah Spencer, Subject Matter Expert, Veteran Educator and Battle-Hardened RN from the UK (and problem-fixer-in-Chief of our traveling film crew) explains.
The experience of the learner is always the focus. The key is being able to integrate the guidelines they need to learn into something that is accessible and fun… framing this in new and exciting ways is something that really separates us from the crowd. As well as the video side, a lot of our work is in 3D. I’m super excited to see the final result!
October 9, 2023… Save the Date!
Hopefully, you’ll have gotten a flavor of what our new program is all about. Through the stellar efforts of our content team, the steadfast oversight of our supervisors, the continued support of our collaborators, and the wonderful work of all involved, we are proud to announce that the Incision Academy Sterile Processing Onboarding Program will go live on October 9 (just in time for the HSPA’s Sterile Processing week …). Save the date and join the party!
To find out more about the program, you can leave your details here.
