Sterile Processing Technician

Job Description

Job Summary:

• Promotes improved quality and patient safety in the OR by ensuring the efficient flow of the Sterile Processing department.
• Performs routine tasks relating to the decontamination, processing, sterilization, and distribution of instruments, equipment and sterile supplies.
• Responsible for general operating and monitoring of sterilization equipment.
• Maintains records in compliance with AAMI, AORN, Joint Commission and OSHA standards.
• Demonstrates awareness and understanding around what is at stake with patients in the OR.
• Facilitates the department’s preparation of staff to pass survey/regulatory assessments.
• Sterilizes supplies and instruments using the prescribed method (e.g. steam, gas plasma (Sterrad).
• Operates washer/decontaminator per department policy and procedure.
• Understands the basic principles of all sterilization equipment used in the department.
• Demonstrates knowledge of how items to be sterilized should be packaged in a manner that promotes successful sterilization.
• Follows manufacturer’s recommendations (IFU’s).
• Assures cleanliness of decontamination, sterilization, and equipment areas.
• Validates the proper functioning of all equipment using established mechanical and biological monitors.
• Assures that sterilized supplies and instruments are correctly labelled and stored in a manner to ensure sterility and understands that all storage areas are to be in compliance with any applicable regulatory guidelines.

Roles & responsibilities:

• Ensures that all quality, infection prevention, regulatory, and Joint Commission Standards are upheld at all times.
• Demonstrates technical skills needed to establish and maintain High-Level Disinfection (HLD) processes.
• Able to utilize features of computerized tray/instrument tracking system, if applicable.
• Applies knowledge of the dress code related to Standard Precautions and consistently wears appropriate personal protective  equipment (PPE).
• Reports any life safety issues, environmental concerns or process deviation to immediate supervisor.
• Develops awareness and understanding around what is at stake with patients in the OR. Facilitates the department’s preparation of staff to pass survey/regulatory assessments.
• Maintains a customer friendly rapport with peers and internal/external customers.
• Ability to provide on-call coverage outside of standard scheduled hours per department and/or facility policy.
• Records reflect work activity as prescribed by department policy.
• Assist in the transportation of sterilized instrumentation to the operating rooms as needed.
• Verifies that required instrumentation has been sterilized and is available for next-day, call or weekend cases.
• Assists in removing soiled case carts or un-sterile instrumentation from the operating room department.
• Respond so problem calls from Surgery during regular business hours.

Skills Required:

• 6 months of experience, preferred. Computer skills, required.

Float Requirements:

• Floating may be required to any Client location within sixty (60) miles of the original assignment location or Client-identified “float zone”.
• Float assignments may include duties outside of original assignment job requirements (including skill set) in accordance with Client policy.