Sterile Processing Technician

About This Role

This role is responsible for the meticulous cleaning, decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and storage of all reusable surgical instruments essential for patient care. The technician also ensures that all necessary instruments are provided for surgeries and various outside departments, playing a critical part in preventing infection and maintaining optimal patient care.

Responsibilities

• Apply the principles of asepsis to ensure the prevention of infection and maintain optimum patient care
• Demonstrate compliance with Patient Safety Initiatives and National Patient Safety Goals (i.e., infection control, hand washing, etc.)
• Follow universal precautions as required by hospital and OSHA policies
• Monitor surgery schedules daily, identifying general, specific, and potential needs for all cases
• Inspect, assemble, and test general and specialty instrumentation for proper functioning
• Identify tray type by contents of instrument tray
• Identify malfunctioning instruments and replace or report instruments that need repair or that are missing
• Assemble instrument packs and trays for sterilization
• Wrap, seal, and accurately label items that are to be sterilized
• Control the entire sterilization process
• Receive, decontaminate, prep, pack, sterilize, document, and store supplies, instruments, and equipment
• Ensure compliance with national standards and recommended practices
• Operate and maintain all sterilization equipment, such as autoclaves, ultrasonic washer, and cart washer
• Maintain accurate and complete documentation of all washing, sterilization, daily machine testing, proper testing after a repair of machine, temperature, humidity, air pressure, early release of implants, and eye wash station testing
• Decontaminate, reprocess, and maintain flexible endoscopes as needed
• Prepare, assemble, and package all instruments for surgery and other hospital departments
• Prepare surgical sets, instruments, and trays according to prescribed procedures, ensuring that all instrumentation is correct and accurate
• Pull customized case cart sheets for all surgical procedures and prepare case carts
• Inventory, maintain, and supply OR storage areas, specialty lockers, carts, and equipment used
• Respond to instrument needs during surgical cases
• Audit trays for decontamination, washing, assembly, sterilization, implant usage, and instrument count sheets and track loaner equipment
• Check condition of packaging prior to sending to sterile storage, operating room, and/or Nursing Care unit
• Create and maintain accurate records regarding inventories, instrument set content, sterilized goods, biological test results, sterilization, and washing records for infection control practice