The Sterile Processing Technician I is responsible for properly decontaminating, assembling, and sterilizing medical equipment and instruments in order to comply with safety standards and provide quality patient care.
Essential Job Function:
- Support team members with dissembling, assembling, packaging and sterilization as needed.
- Has comprehensive knowledge of disassembling, assembling, packaging and sterilization.
- Exhibits knowledge in determining the methods to be used to care for instruments: hand washing, mechanical washing, or high-level disinfection, especially in the removal of protein and corrosion and in the sorting for repair.
- Supports team members to ensure appropriate cleaning of mobile patient equipment.
- Inspects important points in instruments and equipment to ensure they are functioning properly and there is no damage.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the function and operation of the decontamination equipment for optimum cleaning, loading, temperature and troubleshooting if malfunctions.
- Monitors quality control and identifies quality problems and proactively corrects them prior to the product leaving the department.
- Performs biological monitoring to ensure quality and efficacy of the sterilization equipment.
- Ensures all instruments and decontamination equipment are tested for bioburden residual.
- Participates in a proactive quality assurance program randomly audits sample trays following established protocol documenting failures to ensure quality on the end product.
- Ensures that all records and documentation are properly compiled and maintained (such as sterilization records, temperature recording, etc.).
- Demonstrates the ability to perform and interpret efficacy test results for the sterilization process, high-level disinfection, and washer decontaminators.
- Understand protocols for releasing instrumentation after sterilization and complete all required tests and documentation before a tray is released for use.
- Follows up if there are variations in the process.
- Accurately fills supply requests from the procedural areas and ensures items ordered are delivered speedily to the correct unit.
- Actively participates in maintaining established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, and quality improvement, safety, and environmental and infection control standards.
- Proactively works with team and other departments to ensure effective and efficient patient care.
- Demonstrates flexibility in thinking and actions, understanding team dynamics.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Education:
- Required: High School Diploma or equivalent.
- Preferred: Associate Degree.
Experience:
- Preferred: Six months of experience in a hospital environment or sterile processing department.
Licensure/Certification/Listing: