What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sterile Processing Lead Tech position at Billings Clinic Health System?
This position is responsible for ensuring that all surgical supplies, instruments, and equipment are properly maintained, decontaminated, assembled, inspected, packaged, sterilized, stored, distributed, and tracked in a quality/timely manner throughout the hospital. Serves as a resource for sterile processing customers, both on Main Campus and in the Region.
Essential Job Functions
• Decontamination: rendering contaminated instruments and medical services safe for handling. Demonstrates consistent utilization of PPE and standard precautions. Demonstrates appropriate handling of instruments and appropriate use of equipment. Disposes of trash and used linens in an appropriate manner.
• Instrument assembly: assembling instrument sets for surgery and specialty trays for use where required. Adheres to appropriate count sheets, instruments checked for function and cleanliness, and count sheets are adjusted as necessary and are signed and dated appropriately. Containers are prepared, labeled and locked. Sets are recorded. Adheres to quality control standards of three (3) errors or less per month.
• Packaging: Responsible for proper wrapping or peel packaging of items for sterilization, utilization of tip protectors as needed, and use of appropriate chemical integrator and tape. Labeling is accurate and legible. Adheres to quality control standards of three (3) or less per month.
• Sterilization: container prep, wrapping, logging, equipment operation, monitoring by charts, grafts, biological and chemical monitor interpretation and required recording. Sterilizer carts are loaded per established standards; inventory is documented, biological monitor use as required. Accurate sterilizer monitoring for parameters. Loads information on stamps and demonstrates appropriate handling of sterile items.
• Picking Cases: Utilizes the computer for printing surgery schedules and pick sheets. Demonstrates ability to use appropriate size case carts and to follow supply list accurately. Adheres to quality control standards of two (2) or less errors per month.
• Variety of essential tasks: computer use for all surgery cases, preparing surgery case carts from print lists, transporting carts to surgery, retrieval of specialty trays and medical devices from user areas, responding to frequent phone requests, etc.
• Identifies needs and sets goals for own growth and development; meets all mandatory system/departmental requirements.
• Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency environmental, employee or patient safety standards relevant to job performance.
• Participates in process improvement activities and utilize performance improvement principles to assess and improve quality and safety.
• Notifies Clinical Coordinators of new or unfamiliar equipment to determine proper cleaning and sterilization procedures.