Sterile Processing Liaison, Evening shift.

About the role

Come lead with us at Houston Methodist West Hospital. The Sterile Processing Liaison provides direct service‑line specific support to a designated specialty (e.g., Neuro, Plastics, General) within the OR Suite. Responsibilities include reviewing weekly and daily OR schedules and instrument reports from the electronic tracking system, forecasting instrument needs, resolving tray conflicts, setting assembly priority, and completing the needs list for the next day’s cases. The liaison works closely with the OR Charge Nurse or Service Line Manager, performs daily rounds, and serves as a fully functional sterile processing technician when needed, demonstrating advanced knowledge of sterilization techniques, surgical instruments, and interdepartmental relationships.

People Essential Functions

• Serves as the primary representative/liaison of the Sterile Processing department through a collaborative working relationship with Operating Room (OR) staff to identify process improvement needs for SPD to share with management.
• Assumes charge responsibility in the absence of the SPD Coordinator.
• Demonstrates teamwork by responding positively to requests for assistance.
• Collaborates to foster healthy work relationships in the work environment.
• Seeks guidance from the interprofessional health‑care team when needed and applies feedback to improve workflow outcomes.
• Works collaboratively with OR staff to provide timely sterile products, trays, and case carts based on previously identified needs, ensuring consistent and continuous workflow between the OR and Sterile Processing.
• Drives recommendations for improvement of department scores for employee engagement.

Service Essential Functions

• Serves as the content expert by performing decontamination and assembling complex surgical trays, individual and customized instrumentation, utilizing established count sheets.
• Consistently wraps or contains items appropriately according to size and type of instrument or equipment.
• Performs, documents, and maintains all immediate‑use steam sterilization cycles run within the OR suite.
• Monitors, reads, documents, and interprets all parameters for all types of sterilizers (Steam, ETO, Low‑Temperature Hydrogen Peroxide) to ensure proper function.

Quality/Safety Essential Functions

• Implements effective workflow with interprofessional team members concerning patient safety to improve outcomes and ensure safe transition of care through structured shift handoffs and regular communication.
• Ensures the effectiveness of the sterilization process by using internal, external, and biological monitoring systems in accordance with department protocols and manufacturer instructions.
• Utilizes appropriate cleaning detergents and agents by reading directions and MSDS sheets.
• Operates all department equipment according to manufacturers’ instructions and departmental policies.

Finance Essential Functions

• Utilizes department resources, such as the tracking system, to ensure completeness of trays, instruments, and equipment according to count sheets.
• Provides a daily location point of sterilized items ready for OR use.
• Serves as primary contact for items needing repair by OR staff and coordinates with instrument repair technicians or coordinators.
• Collaborates with the OR preference‑card team or account sheets to identify changes needed to preference cards, preventing unnecessary items from being processed.

Growth/Innovation Essential Functions

• Presents areas of innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations using manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFUs) to the Sterile Processing team, in collaboration with the SPD educator as applicable.
• Serves as the key resource for understanding and implementing the surgical equipment requirements of the applicable service line.
• Represents the OR by supplying SPD‑related information to the Shared Governance Committee and department management.
• Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an ongoing basis.

Qualifications

Education: High School diploma or equivalent (GED, homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post‑secondary education, etc.).

Experience: Four years of Sterile Processing experience in an acute‑care hospital. Service‑line experience preferred.

Licenses and Certifications: Required Sterile Processing certification (CRCST or CSPDT) and Certified Instrument certification (CIS or CSIS) within one year of hire.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, as determined through ongoing assessments and performance evaluations.
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential functions, especially those impacting patient or employee safety.
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, physicians, families, and co‑workers using a customer‑service focus and positive language principles.
• Independently demonstrates required skills and competencies, confirmed by ongoing assessments.
• Follows Universal Precautions by wearing appropriate protective attire while working in the decontamination area.
• Advanced knowledge of infection control, decontamination, and sterilization techniques.
• Knowledge and ability to operate, troubleshoot, and train staff on departmental equipment (sterilizers, washers, ultrasonic washers, cart washers, etc.).
• Proficiency with basic computer programs such as Microsoft Office and the electronic instrument tracking system.
• Ability to manage time effectively, completing assigned work and cleaning the workstation at the end of each shift.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of sterilization techniques and surgical instruments.
• Completes departmental and institutional competencies within established timelines.
• Reads the OR schedule proficiently.
• Works independently, self‑guided, and motivated.

Supplemental Requirements

• Work attire: Uniform – Yes; Scrubs – Yes; Business professional – No; Other (department approved) – No.
• On‑call: Not required.
• Travel: No travel required within the Houston Metropolitan area; no travel required outside the Houston Metropolitan area.