Job Summary: Under indirect supervision, assists in distribution of sterile and contaminated supplies to nursing inpatient and clinic departments; inventories and stocks supply carts; fills requisitions as required; washes, decontaminates, checks, assembles, wraps, sterilizes, stores, and issues trays, instruments, supplies and equipment. In addition, assumes responsibility for appropriate care, processing, and sterilization of specialty instruments for varied surgical services; assists O.R. staff by sterilizing specialty equipment and/or obtaining additional or extra supplies required for procedures; assists with room preparation and/or clean-up activities to assure timely turnover of surgical suites and increase utilization of resources. Essential Responsibilities: - Segregates all used instruments, equipment apparatus, and other articles returned to CSD according to decontamination method. - Loads appropriate items in washer; washes other items in sonic cleaner or manually, using approved detergent. - Wipes dry; washes appropriate items in cart-washer; changes graph paper of processing equipment. - Assembles instruments; sets-up variety of general and special trays. - Wraps and seals items in wrappers according to established procedures in preparation for sterilization. - Inspects surgical instrumentation for proper function. - Runs sterilizer test packs according to policy; incubates and interprets biological indicator; notifies supervisor immediately of any abnormal results. - Performs sterilization procedures in accordance with sterilization standards and departmental policies and procedures. - Practices universal precautions and infection control procedures; ensures safe sterilization. - Detects any malfunction of equipment. - Checks equipment indicators before, during and after each load to ensure proper equipment settings. - Applies load identification label to each package after sterilization process complete; shelves appropriately. - Demonstrates working knowledge of surgical equipment and supplies, including special care and sterilization procedures. - Assumes responsibility for appropriate care, processing, and sterilization of specialty instruments for varied surgical services, (e.g. bronchoscopes, laser, midas rex, laparoscope). - Assists O.R. staff by sterilizing specialty equipment and/or obtaining additional or extra supplies required for procedures. - Assists with room preparation and/or clean-up activities to assure timely turnover of surgical suites and increase utilization of resources. - Adheres to all aspects of sterility control, universal precautions and infection control practices. - Participates in departmental meetings, inservice programs and quality assurance activities to keep abreast of current trends. - Researches methods and processes to maximize effectiveness and reduce wastage of resources. - Recognizes own learning needs and seeks knowledge to increase skills and abilities. - Receives and prepares items requiring gas sterilization; ensures proper packaging; arranges for transport and return of items to outside facility. - Ensures all return items have been sterilized; verifies all items sent out are returned. - Ensures provision of manufacturer documentation for gas sterilization by requesting department. - Reviews and maintains sterilizer load indicators; files reports; completes log; recalls positive biological products from user departments. - Inspects color of tapes on newly autoclaved items and on stored sterile packs on all supply shelves. - Sends outdated supplies for reprocessing or replacement; restocks shelf items as needed. - Cleans and performs minor daily maintenance of equipment; reassembles and tests equipment after decontamination. - Reports equipment failures or errors immediately to maintenance and notifies supervisor/lead. - Prepares repair requisition for equipment or other items returned due to malfunction. - Checks, organizes, and restocks supplies on shelves; pulls outdated articles. - Receives and checks quantities of supplies from warehouse. - Takes and fills orders for supplies; refers to appropriate person as needed. - Prepares, checks and organizes requisitions and supply cart issue forms. - Ensures accurate charges to facilitate data entry. - Inventories and restocks departmental supply carts and specialty carts. - Records issues for each cart restocked; completes required records. - Assists in obtaining supplies/equipment from other facilities when necessary. - Uses supplies with close attention to cost containment and reduction of costs. - Assists in evaluating new supplies. - Maintains daily inventory of all equipment; inputs inventory data in computer as assigned. - Files completed requisitions and forms; updates replenishment area profiles as necessary. - Enters counts; prints and issues picklists. - Participates in cyclical and annual inventory procedures. - Removes all questionable and outdated supplies from supply areas. - Inspects sterility of supplies and makes arrangements for re-sterilization or reordering as needed. - Rotates stock as necessary. - Assists with ordering and receiving departmental stock and non-stock items. - Assists in stocking and restocking surgical supply areas; maintains inventory supply listings of instruments. - Maintains itemized list of standard instrument trays and contents. - Cleans and maintains neat and orderly work areas according to department standards. - Wipes and straightens shelves, tables and equipment. - Wipes shelves, carts and drawers, while restocking. - Logs surgical specimens and sends to pathology at appropriate time. - Checks and orders formalin daily for O.R. specimens. - Checks and logs blood refrigerator temperature daily; reports variances. - Transports blood form blood bank to O.R.; returns unused blood following procedure. - Monitors O.R. environment to assure safety of patients, staff and visitors. - Reviews departmental safety policies and procedures. - Demonstrates understanding of safety policies and procedures in daily duties. - Keeps abreast of current trends in sterile processing and inventory control. - Uses effective communication skills to collaborate with other team members and interact with other departments. - Accepts and gives constructive feedback. - Demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to provide culturally sensitive care and/or service. - Performs other duties and accepts responsibility as assigned.