Sterile Processing Technician - FT Various Shifts

How would you like to work in a place where your contributions and ideas are valued? A place where you can serve with compassion, pursue excellence and honor every voice? At Wellstar, our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve. We are proud to have become a shining example of what's possible when the brightest professionals dedicate themselves to making a difference in the healthcare industry, and in people's lives.

About the Role

The Sterile Processing Technician provides a key service to ensure equipment consistently meets the highest quality and safety standards. The individual in this role must be skilled in following protocols with a high level of attention to detail. This position receives and processes incoming supplies and equipment, including performing cleaning and sterilizing duties. Responsibilities include handling, properly processing, and storing crucial medical instruments, monitoring sterilizer equipment for adherence to performance specifications, and preparing packs of supplies, linens, and instruments.

Responsibilities

• Collects, receives, cleans, disinfects, and decontaminates instruments, supplies, and equipment according to hospital policies and procedures, AORN recommendations, AAMI guidelines, and JCAHO requirements.
• Collects dirty instruments and equipment from departments throughout the hospital.
• Receives dirty instruments and scans barcodes on equipment from the operating room.
• Disassembles and inspects instruments and selects appropriate cleaning tools and detergents to manually decontaminate instruments and equipment.
• Operates washer-decontaminator, cart washer, and ultrasonic cleaner to mechanically decontaminate instruments and equipment.
• Inspects surgical instruments and medical equipment to detect the need for repair or replacement and checks for cleanliness.
• Assembles, wraps, or containerizes instruments and equipment:
  • Unloads washer and scans barcodes on surgical trays.
  • Inspects instruments and equipment to ensure they are in proper working order and clean.
  • Scans barcode to select the appropriate count sheet for the tray and ensures each instrument is accounted for.
  • Selects appropriate chemical indicators for inside and outside of the package based on the mode of sterilization.
  • Selects appropriate wrapping method or container.
  • Assesses problems with trays and contacts O.R. resource staff and supply coordinator as needed for resolution.
• Sterilizes instruments, equipment, and supplies as required; handles and stores instruments, equipment, and supplies appropriately:
  • Appropriately selects the mode of sterilization for instruments and equipment.
  • Loads and unloads sterilizer and documents accordingly.
  • Selects biological indicator test pack if necessary for implantables on load.
  • Operates steam, gas plasma, and peracetic acid sterilizers.
  • Appropriately handles, scans barcodes, and stores sterilized items in predetermined locations for future use.
  • Scans barcode and delivers sterile supplies, instruments, and instrument trays to units throughout the hospital.
• Monitors sterilizers and equipment mechanically, biologically, and chemically in accordance with quality assurance standards and performance improvement standards:
  • Inspects sterilizer before use by checking for proper operating order, power supply, emptying drains, cleaning, and adding register tape as needed.
  • Performs daily biological and diagnostic tests and documents appropriately, factually, and legibly.
  • Informs leadership in the event of a positive biological indicator.
  • Selects appropriate chemical indicators internally and externally according to the mode of sterilization and documents results.
• Maintains established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, quality assurance program, safety, environmental and infection control standards, patient rights and ethics, performance improvement, management of information, management of human resources, and leadership.
• Follows established policies and procedures for Bloodborne Pathogens and Standard Precautions to identify and reduce the risks of infections among patients, employees, etc.
• Handles all department, patient, and hospital information in a confidential manner.
• Makes suggestions for improvement, accepts constructive feedback, assists, and accepts assistance from staff members.
• Documents accurately and legibly.
• Maintains a safe, functional, and effective environment for patients, staff, and other individuals.
• Promotes an environment for an interdisciplinary team approach to achieve the mission/goals of the hospital.
• Makes decisions that reflect knowledge of facts and demonstrates good judgment when functioning as a team member or team leader.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Requirements

• High School Diploma / GED (required).
• Graduation from an accredited sterile processing curriculum (preferred).
• Minimum 1 year of central supply/sterile processing experience (required).
• Must be able to retain knowledge of identification and necessary handling requirements of surgical instruments and medical supplies and equipment.
• Must be able to understand, speak, and write English well to communicate with nursing, technical, and medical staff.
• Basic computer skills are required.

Qualifications

All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.