Sterile Processing Technician

Location:

The Richland Hospital -

Richland Center, WI Schedule:

1.0 FTE M-F Position Summary The Sterile Processing Technician is responsible for cleaning, decontaminating, disinfecting, and sterilizing surgical instruments and medical supplies to ensure they are safe and ready for patient use. Working under direct and/or indirect supervision, this role follows approved infection control, quality assurance, and departmental policies and procedures. The Sterile Processing Technician supports surgical services by preparing instruments, trays, and packs for hospital and clinic use and may also process instruments provided by vendor representatives for surgical cases. This position plays a critical role in patient safety and high‑quality perioperative care. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Core competency is demonstrated by the ability to successfully perform the following:

Infection Control & Safety:

Follow standard precautions, including hand hygiene, proper workflow patterns, sterility assurance, biological monitoring, dress code, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Quality Assurance:

Monitor and validate disinfection and sterilization processes, load parameters, inventory check sheets, and equipment function.

Documentation:

Accurately complete regulatory documentation related to sterilization, high‑level disinfection, biological monitoring, and staff competencies in accordance with Infection Control and regulatory standards.

Policies & Procedures:

Adhere to organizational and departmental policies and procedures. Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of regulatory standards and assist with policy development as needed.

Staff Development:

Participate in employee orientation, department meetings, in‑services, competency programs, and ongoing training.

Decontamination & Cleaning:

Inspect, disassemble, sort, clean, and process reusable instrumentation. Select and safely operate specialized cleaning equipment. Follow manufacturer guidelines for cleaning agents and equipment use and maintain adequate supplies.

Instrumentation Assembly:

Identify, inspect, and assemble general and specialty instruments, including power equipment, laser instruments, and endoscopic devices per manufacturer specifications.

Preparation & Packaging:

Select and prepare appropriate packaging materials for sterilization according to manufacturer guidelines.

Sterilization:

Select the appropriate sterilization methods. Properly load and unload sterilizers and verify that all sterilization parameters have been met prior to distribution. Maintain complete and accurate sterilization records.

Additional Duties:

Perform other related tasks and duties as assigned by the Surgical Services Director. Qualifications Education & Experience High school graduate required Successful completion of a Sterile Processing program Certification Sterile Processing Certification required Why Join The Richland Hospital? Be part of a supportive, mission‑driven rural healthcare team Play a vital role in patient safety and surgical success Work in a collaborative environment that values teamwork and professionalism