Clinical Coordinator - Sterile Processing

Clinical Coordinator for Sterile Processing

Position Summary:   
The Clinical Coordinator coordinates all aspects of student clinical placement. This involves communicating and maintaining relationships with community healthcare agencies to arrange student clinical experiences to meet course clinical objectives, as well as developing a timely, effective student schedule of didactic, lab, and clinical sessions. The Clinical Coordinator also works to continuously improve scheduling and curriculum effectiveness, orients, evaluates, and mentors clinical faculty, maintains records of clinical requirements of faculty and students, and provides emergency coverage of didactic and clinical classes when the original instructor is unavailable. The Clinical Coordinator teaches in the Sterile Processing program as assigned by the Dean/Director of Sterile Processing. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Professional Behavior: 

• Demonstrates proper respect for students and has a student-friendly manner in the conduct of class. 

• Teaches the course learning objectives on an as-needed basis. 

• Works effectively as part of the overall faculty team, demonstrating positive interpersonal relations, collaborating with other faculty members to meet student needs, participating in faculty meetings and program committees, and responding to requests from management. 

• Faculty Development and Program Support: 

• Coordinates student clinical education and provides administration, organization, and supervision of student clinical experiences. 

• Ensures documentation, evaluation, and progression of each student’s clinical performance leading to proof of clinical competence. 

• Provides continuous quality review and improvement of student clinical experiences. 

• Establishes course schedules for faculty and students for each term, including clinical assignments and rotations. This includes establishing lab, simulation, and didactic schedules, if applicable. 

• Provides academic oversight, including curriculum planning and development of student clinical experiences. 

• Coordinates student and faculty orientation to sites and, as soon as possible, notifies students and/or faculty of any changes made to their assignments. 

• Assists clinical faculty in addressing students’ abilities to assume clinical assignments, including, but not limited to, education preparedness and physical, mental, and emotional behaviors.  

• Ensures orientation to the program’s requirements for the personnel who supervise or instruct students at clinical sites. 

• Attends faculty meetings and departmental meetings, and participates appropriately on program committees, communicating effectively to facilitate operations. 

• Provides meaningful input into strategic and fiscal planning. 

• Clinical Site Resource Development: 

• Promotes a positive image and reputation of the Sterile Processing program in the classroom, academic community, healthcare community, and community at large. Networks to establish contacts with employers and potential clinical partners in the community. 

• Coordinates and communicates with clinical sites throughout the community to schedule clinical experiences that fit effectively with course objectives. 

• Evaluates each clinical site for its appropriateness for meeting student learning needs, course outcomes, and program outcomes in collaboration with the Director of Sterile Processing Education and Sterile Processing faculty. 

• Conduct routine visits to the clinical sites to observe and document the clinical faculty and students to assess if objectives are being met and the clinical facility’s satisfaction with faculty and students’ performance. 

• Coordinates, plans, and implements a process of demonstrating appreciation to the clinical facility and staff for their involvement in the Surgical Technology education program. 

• Faculty Development Plan: 

• Attend workshops and in-service education aimed at earning the necessary CEUs for certification requirements and professional growth. 

• Exhibits competency in clinical skills at all levels of the program. 

• Pursues a Bachelor or higher degree (if applicable). 

• Other duties as assigned. 

• Maintains regular and reliable attendance. 

 
Skills/Competencies/Qualifications: 

• Be a graduate of an education program in Sterile Processing accredited by a nationally recognized programmatic accreditation agency 

• Possess a credential in the field of surgical technology through a national certification program that is accredited by the National Commission on Certifying Agencies (NCCA). 

• Have a minimum of three years of documented experience, either in the operating room scrub role or as an instructor in sterile technology, or a combination of both, within the past five years 

• Possess a minimum of an associate’s degree in any discipline required, concentration in surgical technology preferred; baccalaureate degree or higher in any discipline recommended; *baccalaureate may be required based on individual institution accreditation standards. 

• Possess knowledge of the curriculum 

• Ability to act as a catalyst for creative change, organizational development, and program quality/efficiency. 

• Excellent communication and organizational skills 

• Proven problem-solving ability 

• Demonstrated ability to assist and motivate students 

• Successfully completes criminal background check and drug screening, maintains required immunizations, current CPR, and/or HIPAA certifications. 

Classification: Exempt 

Work Hours: Forty hours per week, but may vary daily, evening and weekend hours may be required, depending on the staffing needs of the school. 

Travel: Clinical sites within 50 miles of campus 

Working Environment: Interior/Office