Featured Project
Bloodborne Pathogen Training
for Tattoo Artists
This blended learning training program is designed specifically for tattoo artists, offering a comprehensive approach to bloodborne pathogen safety. Ideal for new artists or as a refresher for experienced professionals, the course combines interactive online modules with hands-on, practical training. Participants will gain essential knowledge on infection control, proper sanitation, and OSHA compliance to ensure a safe environment for both clients and artists. This training meets all current OSHA standards and helps foster a culture of safety in the tattoo industry.
Audience
This Professional Development course is for both new tattoo artists and veteran artists seeking to be recertified. According to OSHA, Bloodborne Pathogen training must be completed annually.
Responsibilities
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Curriculum Development
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Course Mapping
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Graphic Design
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Instructional Content Production
Tools Used
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Rise 360
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Canva
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Adobe Premiere Pro
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Adobe Illustrator
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Google Suite
Addressing Learning Needs
Problem Statement:
Tattoo artists are at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens due to the nature of their work, which involves direct contact with blood and bodily fluids. Despite the importance of infection control, many tattoo artists may not have received formal, up-to-date training on bloodborne pathogen safety, or their training may have expired. As a result, there is a gap in knowledge and adherence to OSHA safety standards, which can lead to potential health risks for both tattoo artists and clients. This lack of compliance and understanding of bloodborne pathogen protocols exposes the industry to safety violations, legal liabilities, and reputational damage.
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Solution:
To address this issue, the Bloodborne Pathogen Introductory/Refresher Training course provides a comprehensive, OSHA-compliant training program specifically designed for tattoo artists. The course includes four key modules covering general safety standards, enforcement principles, hazard recognition, and exposure control. Using a blended learning approach with both online and in-person components, the course allows learners to engage in real-world scenarios, collaborate with peers, and apply the concepts directly to their practice. The training is structured to not only fulfill regulatory requirements but also ensure tattoo artists can apply the knowledge safely and effectively in their daily work. Through interactive assessments, group collaboration, and a final application project, learners will gain the necessary skills and confidence to maintain a safe environment for both themselves and their clients, reducing the risk of bloodborne pathogen exposure and ensuring ongoing compliance with OSHA standards.
Course & Curriculum Mapping
Learning Theory and Application
The learning theory being applied in this training is Constructivism. Specifically, it draws on the principles of active learning and experiential learning, where learners build upon their existing knowledge through real-world scenarios and problem-solving tasks. In constructivism, learners are viewed as active participants who integrate new knowledge into their prior experiences, making learning more meaningful and relevant.
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Learning Theory Rationale
This theory is employed because the content of the course requires learners to relate the material directly to their specific, real-world job context. Constructivism supports the idea that learners actively construct knowledge through experiences and interactions with content, making it highly effective for applying regulatory standards to real-life situations, such as recognizing hazards and controlling exposure in the tattooing process.
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Instructional Design Methodology
The instructional design model used is Gagné's Nine Events of Instruction.
Gagné’s model is chosen because it is structured to ensure that the learning process is systematic and addresses all aspects of the cognitive process. The nine steps—from gaining attention to transferring learning to the job—ensure that learners not only acquire knowledge but are also able to apply it effectively in their professional environment. This model is particularly suited for ensuring skill transfer, which is crucial in safety training like Bloodborne Pathogens, where learners need to understand how to apply what they’ve learned in real-world situations.
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Contribution to Learner Knowledge and Skills
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Constructivism ensures that learners actively engage with the material, reflecting on their own experiences as tattoo artists and applying the knowledge to relevant, job-specific scenarios.
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Gagné’s Nine Events provide a structured approach to instruction that supports knowledge retention and skill transfer:
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Gain Attention: Through engaging videos and a needs assessment, the course sparks interest.
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Inform Learners of Objectives: Learners are clear on what they are expected to accomplish.
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Activate Prior Knowledge: Learners reflect on their own experiences to connect with the material.
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Present Content: Content is presented through various multimedia, making it accessible and engaging.
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Provide Guidance: Learners receive support through scenario-based discussions and group collaboration.
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Practice: Real-world scenarios and assessments allow learners to apply the concepts they’ve learned.
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Provide Feedback: Formative assessments and real-time feedback ensure that learners can correct misconceptions and improve performance.
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Assess Performance: Summative assessments at the end of each module measure mastery of the content.
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Enhance Retention and Transfer to Job: The final activity requires learners to create a Bloodborne Pathogen Safety Plan, which enhances the transfer of knowledge to their daily work.
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This combination of constructivist learning and the structured approach of Gagné's model ensures that learners not only understand the content but are also equipped to apply it in their specific work context (tattooing) to ensure safety.
Course Objectives and Alignment
Course Objectives:
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Learners will be able to apply general safety standards related to Bloodborne Pathogens to their professional setting.
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Learners will be able to apply enforcement principles related to Bloodborne Pathogens to their professional setting.
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Learners will be able to apply hazard recognition principles related to Bloodborne Pathogens to their professional setting.
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Learners will be able to apply exposure evaluation/control principles related to Bloodborne Pathogens to their professional setting.
Alignment with Activities and Assessments:
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Module-based scenarios: Learners are provided with real-world scenarios that require them to apply the concepts (general safety standards, enforcement principles, hazard recognition, and exposure control) in context. This helps ensure that learners can directly link the content to their professional practice.
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Formative and Summative Assessments: After each module, learners will take quizzes and participate in group discussions to reinforce key concepts. The summative assessment checks for mastery of the content, ensuring they can apply the knowledge with at least 80% accuracy.
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Final Course Assessment: At the end of the course, learners will create a Bloodborne Pathogen Safety Integration Plan. This final task requires them to apply everything they've learned in the course to design a practical safety plan for their work, directly connecting knowledge to their professional practice.
The assessments and activities are carefully aligned with the objectives to ensure that learners can demonstrate mastery of each area of Bloodborne Pathogen safety. The active learning activities (e.g., scenarios, collaborative problem-solving) allow learners to practice applying the principles in a low-risk environment before implementing them on the job.
Storyboarding
For this training, the storyboarding process began by breaking the course into four key modules: safety standards, enforcement, hazard recognition, and exposure control. For each module, I outlined the learning outcomes and planned the content, multimedia elements (videos and slides), and interactive activities (such as scenario-based exercises and quizzes). I also mapped out the timing for each section and the integration of assessments, ensuring a clear progression from introduction to practice. Storyboarding is essential because it allows me to visualize the entire course before development, helping to identify any gaps or redundancies and ensuring the course remains cohesive, learner-centered, and aligned with the objectives. It also makes the development process more efficient by providing a roadmap and helps avoid unnecessary revisions later. Ultimately, storyboarding ensures a structured, engaging, and effective learning experience, while meeting regulatory standards and saving both time and resources.
Course Building
To build the course, I used Articulate Rise 360, which allowed me to create an engaging, mobile-friendly learning experience. Following the storyboard and the structure from Gagné's Nine Events of Instruction, I designed each module to be learner-centered, with clear learning objectives aligned to specific learning outcomes. The course features a mix of multimedia elements, including narrated videos and interactive scenarios, allowing learners to apply concepts like hazard recognition and exposure control to real-world situations. I incorporated formative assessments such as quizzes, along with practice activities to reinforce learning. The use of progressive assessments ensures that learners build mastery and can transfer their skills to their work environment. By leveraging Rise’s capabilities, I created a course that is interactive, aligned with regulatory standards, and optimized for both engagement and knowledge retention.
Instructional Video Production
I designed instructional videos for this training course, incorporating contemporary design trends and cognitive load theory to maximize engagement while avoiding overstimulation. To ensure the content was visually appealing yet straightforward, I organized it with clear, sequential visuals that directly correlated to the auditory explanations, minimizing on-screen text to focus attention effectively. This approach reduced extraneous cognitive load, allowing learners to process the material more efficiently.
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Additionally, I embedded a QR code at the conclusion of the video, offering a flexible option for learners in a blended learning environment to access the formative assessment via their phones. This adaptability ensured the training could seamlessly integrate into various instructional models, providing convenience and supporting diverse learning contexts. The result was a professional, user-friendly training experience that balanced engagement with clarity, aligning with best practices in instructional design.
Results & Takeaways
Takeaways, As the Designer:
Results:
Creating this training course was a rewarding process that deepened my understanding of how to design an effective, learner-centered training program. By applying instructional design principles like Gagné's Nine Events of Instruction, I ensured the course was structured in a way that guided learners through the material step-by-step, fostering both engagement and mastery. Using Articulate Rise allowed me to integrate multimedia elements seamlessly, making the course interactive and accessible. The formative and summative assessments helped me evaluate and refine the content, ensuring that learners could apply their knowledge to real-world situations. Additionally, this process reinforced the importance of storyboarding—having a clear blueprint helped me stay focused and organized, ultimately resulting in a more cohesive and streamlined course.
Takeaway:
As an Instructional Designer, the biggest takeaway from creating this course is the significance of learner application and active learning. I learned how crucial it is to balance content delivery with interactive, real-world practice. Seeing how assessments are woven into the learning process to reinforce key concepts highlighted the value of scaffolded learning, where knowledge is built progressively. Ultimately, the experience reinforced how well-designed training can not only meet regulatory standards but also genuinely enhance learners' ability to perform tasks confidently and safely in their professional roles.
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Takeaways, As the Learner:
In this training, learners will gain a clear, structured understanding of how to prevent bloodborne pathogen exposure in the tattooing environment. Through interactive scenarios and real-world examples, the course ensures that learners find the content highly relevant to their daily practice. Formative assessments are integrated to allow learners to gauge their understanding and address misconceptions before advancing. Then, summative assessments are administered in the form of scenario applications. The scaffolded learning approach helps learners build their knowledge step-by-step, fostering confidence as they progress.
The final assignment, creating a Bloodborne Pathogen Safety Plan, provides learners with a tangible and practical tool they can immediately implement in their work environment.
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Practical Application: Learners will directly see how the course material relates to their responsibilities, enhancing their ability to handle safety protocols effectively.
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Engagement and Retention: The structured, progressive assessments and interactive content keep learners engaged while reinforcing key concepts.
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Confidence and Competence: By the end of the course, learners will feel more confident in managing safety standards, ensuring their safety and their clients' safety.​
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This course underscores the importance of adhering to bloodborne pathogen safety standards and equips learners with the tools and knowledge to put this understanding into action.