Sterile Processing Technician III

Banner Health is committed to advancing healthcare by providing exceptional patient care and fostering innovation. Central Sterile Processing is an ancillary department supporting the Operating Rooms, responsible for decontaminating, processing, sterilizing, storing, and distributing medical/surgical supplies and equipment in a sterile lab setting.

About the role

This position is an integral part of the OR team, ensuring operating room readiness with limited supervision. The role involves managing sterile surgical instrumentation and disposable supplies, including decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and distribution for PeriOp Services, hospital departments, and clinics.

Schedule

Weekend night shift: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 4:00 PM – 4:30 AM. Includes a $1/hour weekend shift differential and an 18% night shift differential when applicable.

Responsibilities

• Provide decontamination and sterile processing support to PeriOp Services, ED, ICU, hospital-wide departments, clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers.
• Manage sterile surgical instrumentation and disposable patient care supplies, including decontamination, assembly, sterilization, storage, case cart support, OR core tech support, and high-level disinfection.
• Decontaminate, assemble, and package surgical instruments following established protocols, instructions for use (IFU), and quality assurance standards.
• Maintain sterilization logs and quality assurance records for all decontamination, high-level disinfection (HLD), and sterilization equipment.
• Interpret surgical schedules and medical terminology to ensure timely preparation of sterile instrumentation and supplies.
• Address emergent calls from the Operating Room, prioritize instrumentation requests, and communicate special needs to minimize delays.
• Differentiate between surgery-owned, consignment/loaner, hospital department, surgeon, and clinic instrumentation, and track instruments leaving the area.
• Report and replace surgical instruments to maintain inventory and readiness of sets.
• Operate specialized equipment for decontamination, high-level disinfection, and sterilization, including steam and hydrogen peroxide sterilizers, automated washers, ultrasonics, flush pumps, and cart washers.
• Use quality assurance testing equipment for flexible endoscopic scopes, transesophageal ultrasound probes, and electro-surgical insulation defect detectors.
• Operate heat detection devices to safely release steam-sterilized instruments and demagnetizers for ophthalmic and cardiac surgical instruments.
• Inspect inner channels of lumened surgical instrumentation and flexible scopes using borescope devices.
• Maintain a clean and safe environment by adhering to Standard Precautions and Infection Control practices, including proper donning of PPE.
• Maintain flexibility to rotate shifts, adjust hours as needed, and uphold professional attendance and appearance standards.

Requirements

• High school diploma/GED or equivalent working knowledge.
• Minimum one (1) year of experience as a Sterile Processing Technician.
• National certification as an SPD Technician (CSPDT) or Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), or relevant experience qualifying for the certification exam.
• Mechanical aptitude for disassembling, cleaning, lubricating, and reassembling moving parts, as well as problem-solving incomplete trays or missing instrumentation.
• Effective organizational, communication, and human relation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with instrument management tracking systems.
• Additional related education and/or experience.

About the location

Banner - University Medical Center Tucson is nationally recognized for exceptional patient care, teaching, and groundbreaking research. It is a Level 1 Trauma Center and consistently ranked among the nation’s top hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital has earned Magnet Recognition for nursing excellence and is the only such hospital in southern Arizona. Its physicians are full-time faculty of the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. Specialty services include comprehensive heart and cancer care, advanced neuroscience techniques, and a multi-organ transplant program. Diamond Children’s, located on the same campus, provides specialized pediatric services.