A Sterile Processing Technician is someone who cleans and sterilizes used surgical instruments and other medical supplies/devices so that they can be safely redistributed and reused on additional patients.
Topics learned in the Sterile Processing Course needed for the field;
Sterile Processing Technicians work behind-the-scenes in Healthcare organizations including hospitals and outpatient clinics. Though you won’t work directly with patients, your job is crucial to the health and safety of every patient and Healthcare professional at your place of employment.
SPD School in the Bay Area
Learn and carry out all the sterile processing functions with surgical instruments and medical equipment. In most scenarios, a sterile processing technician will work in specific roles in order to achieve a high standard of patient care and keep the risk of hospital-acquired infection at its lowest. Central Service technician- Bay Area.
A sterile processing technician performs various functions in sterilizing and assembling all the equipment required for surgery, exams, and other medical procedures. They are also typically responsible for monitoring stock levels, taking inventory, and ordering equipment as needed.
The typical sterile processing technician job description consists of the following major duties, tasks, and responsibilities:
Special Qualifications:
In addition to minimum requirements regarding Reading, Writing, and Memorization skills, the student must, unassisted:
1. Able to make appropriate judgment decisions.
2. Demonstrate ability to comprehend and interpret written material.
3. Demonstrate the use of positive coping skills during patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
4. Follow written and oral/verbal instructions in English. Possess short-term and long-term memory sufficient to perform tasks, e.g., mentally tracking surgical supplies and performing required skills.
5. Synthesize information from written material and apply the knowledge to various situations.
Psychomotor Qualifications:
1. Hearing – normal, corrected, or aid able. Hear and understand muffled communication without visualization of the communicator’s mouth/lips and within 20 feet. Hear activation/warning signals on equipment.
2. Vision – normal, corrected. Demonstrate sufficient visual ability enough to load a fine (10-0) suture with/without corrective lenses and while wearing safety glasses. Demonstrate sufficient peripheral vision to anticipate and function while in the sterile surgical environment.
3. Touch – normal tactile sensitivity. Manipulate instruments, supplies, and equipment with speed, dexterity, and good eye-hand coordination.
4. Smell – able to detect odors sufficient to maintain environmental safety and patient needs.
Physical Qualifications:
1. Able to stand, walk, bend, stoop, and sit for long periods of time in one location with minimum/no breaks.
2. Able to lift a minimum of 35 pounds, pull 75 lbs., push 100 lbs.
3. Able to refrain from nourishment or restroom breaks for periods up to 6 hours.
4. Ambulate/move around without assistive devices.
5. Able to assist with and/or lift, move, and manipulate heavy instrument sets & equipment.
6. Walk, bend, stoop, kneel, stand, twist, sit, carry, lift, and reach hands over head.
Communication Qualifications:
1. The ability to interact and verbally communicate with others. Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills during patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
2. Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.
3. Knowledge of basic written, grammar, and spelling skills.
4. Ability to communicate and understand fluent English both verbally and in writing.
Occupational Employment & Wages, May 2017
31-9093 Medical Equipment Preparers
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
National estimates for this occupation:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation
Employment (1) - 53
Employment - 1.5%
RSE (3)
Mean hourly wage - $17.82
Mean annual wage (2) - $37,060
Wage RSE (3) - 0.4%
https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes319093.htm
Employment numbers
1. There are 50,550 instrument specialist technicians in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2. The size and type of facility, hospital, physician office, surgery center, etc., dictates the amount of people that work in the sterile processing department. Many facilities hire people based on surgical hours performed, according to Mr. Bilal. There could be one person in a sterile processing department or as many as 100 people.
3. The constant technological advancements in medical supplies/devices and instrumentation has led to a growing demand for highly trained central service technicians. According to the BLS, the job growth for instrument specialist technicians between 2012 and 2022 is at 20 percent.
Industries with the highest levels of employment of instrument specialist technicians:
· General medical and surgical hospitals — 35,100
· Outpatient care centers — 3,660
· Physician offices — 2,890
· Dentist offices — 2,380
States with the highest employment level of instrument specialist technicians:
· California — 6,540
· Florida — 4,580
· Texas — 3,100
· Ohio — 2,260
· New York — 2,230
Salary:
The mean hourly wage for instrument specialist technicians is $16.28.
The mean annual wage for instrument specialist technicians is $33,850.
Duties:
Tech Is likely perform basic duties such as delivering supplies and carts, while a Tech IV might have to put together more sets, handle biologicals or perform sterilization duties.
Sterile processing department staff play a large role in helping prevent healthcare-associated infections. Without proper decontamination, preparing and packaging and sterile instrumentation, patients could be at risk for HAIs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HAIs occurred in an estimated 722,000 patients in acute care hospitals, and caused 75,000 deaths in 2011.
Medical Equipment Preparers in California:
May also be called: Central Processing Technicians (CPT); Central Service Technicians (CST); Central Sterile Supply (CSS) Technicians; Certified Registered Central Service Technicians (CRCST); Sterile Preparation Technicians; Sterile Processing and Distribution (SPD) Technicians; and Sterile Processing Technicians
Medical Equipment Preparers are essential to the medical field. They are responsible for sterilizing, stocking, and preparing various medical tools, supplies, and equipment in health care facilities, such as hospitals, dental offices, and outpatient care centers. They may prepare operating areas with the proper supplies and equipment. Since there are contagious infections and diseases present in health care facilities where Medical Equipment Preparers work, it is important that potential spreading of these be minimized. Preparers are crucial in preventing the spread of viruses and contamination of germs and bacteria.
Annual Wages for California 2018
Low
(25th percentile) $36,434
Median
(50th percentile) $47,080
High
(75th percentile) $59,547
Skill Used in this Task:
Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
Critical Thinking
Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
Information Ordering
Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
Quality Control Analysis
Record sterilizer test results.
Written Expression
Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
Operation Monitoring
Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
Problem Sensitivity
Stock crash carts or other medical supplies.
Customer and Personal Service
Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
Near Vision
Disinfect and sterilize equipment such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
Manual Dexterity
Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
Finger Dexterity
Estimated Employment and Projected Growth:
Medical Equipment Preparers
Geographic Area - California
(Estimated Year-Projected Year) - (2016-2026)
Estimated Employment - 6,900
Projected Employment - 7,800
Numeric Change - 900
Percent Change - 13.0%
Job Openings - 10,000
Certification is not required by all employers; however, many employers may prefer to hire prospective Medical Equipment Preparers who are certified as a sterile processing technician. In order to take the exam, individuals must provide verification of 6-12 months of employment in a sterile processing and distribution (SPD) related field, depending on the specific occupation and duties performed. One may also qualify for the exam by completing a Central Service/SPD training course with a passing grade. For more information, go to the U.S. Department of Labor's Career InfoNet Web site and scroll down to "Career Tools." Click on "Certification Finder" and follow the instructions to locate certification programs.
https://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/OccGuides/detail.aspx?Soccode=319093&Geography=0601000000
Sterile Processing