This position is eligible for $1.00 / hour pay increase after certification is obtained.

The Sterile Processing Technician is responsible for decontamination, cleaning, and sterilization of supplies, instruments, endoscopes, and equipment dispensed by all patient care departments and outpatient clinics.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a negative drug screen test*, criminal background check, reference checks, infection prevention procedures, TB test, Flu Shot, immunization records, and acknowledgement of policies.

Essential Duites :

1. Assures that the standards of operations of the department comply with the standards set by regulatory agencies such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instruments (AAMI), International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM), Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA).
2. Under the supervision of the Sterile Processing Team Leader, prioritizes, retrieves, sorts, examines, decontaminates and cleans surgical and medical items.
3. Maintains current operator level knowledge of care and handling Instruction for Use (IFU) for instruments, decontamination area equipment and cleaning agents including container levels and dilutions.
4. Utilizes appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
5. Inspects, washes and decontaminates items form all patient care units, outlying clinics, and loaner equipment and instruments.
6. Disassembles and cleans equipment following the IFU, inspects equipment with magnifying glass and /or flexible inspection scope for bioburden, integrity of instruments and tests for proper functioning.
7. Terminally sterilizes instruments, equipment and other supplies, using various types of Autoclaves, Sterrad, Ultrasonic cleaner, and Medivator Advantage Plus.
8. References OneSource, a web-based resource for Instructions for Use documents.
9. Assembles all instruments, procedure trays, packs, supply carts following prescribed manner using protocol content lists as a guide, marked items with identifying data and distribute or store in designated areas.
10. Monitors sterilization results. Awareness of quarantine process, early release form, and Immediate Use Steam Sterilization (IUSS). Reports discrepancies to the Sterile Processing Team Lead.
11. Load autoclaves in prescribed manner and set controls to specified time and temperatures according to the type of items being sterilized.
12. Performs assigned quality control tasks on autoclaves and other devices as assigned. Verifies autoclave graph and sterilizer printout requirements have been met by dating and initialing printouts. Reports any deviations to the SPD Team Leader.
13. Maintains accurate and complete quality control records and files all documents per HRRMC department policy. Maintains current inventories. Requisitions and restocks supplies. Examine sterilization and expiration dates.
14. Visually inspects inventory (peel-packs and instrument sets) for the integrity of the packs prior to storage in the central core.
15. Cleans autoclaves, ultrasonic cleaner, and washers according to the IFU. Inspects filters for debris, bone fragments, and other bioburden daily. Cleans and replaces as needed.
16. Assists surgical services nursing staff as requested.
17. Reports injuries, hazards, and defective instruments and equipment immediately to supervisor or designee.
18. Reports all concerns with vendor instrumentation.
19. Demonstrates basic computer skills such as OneSource, scanning documents, storing document in folders in user public drives. Demonstrates familiarity with various software applications: Microsoft word, Excel, Benchmark solutions.
20. Completes spreadsheets on a daily basis to ensure data is available for quarterly reports: Surgical services committee meetings, Performance Improvement committee meetings.
21. Maintains assigned work areas and equipment in a clean and organized condition to maintain required IAHCSMM, AAMI, SGNA, AORN standards for handling of sterilized, clean materials and equipment.
22. Tracks and sterilizes vital surgical instrumentation, reducing risk of infections, lost instrumentation, and incomplete trays.