Sterile Processing Technician I

SUMMARY The Sterile Processing Technician I is responsible for the cleaning, decontamination, inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization, storage, and distribution of surgical instrumentation, patient equipment, and supplies for surgical procedures and patient care. Follows basic safety standards when working with environmental, physical, mechanical, electrical, chemical and biological hazards. Enters and maintains accurate data for the departments computerized instrument tracking system.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO

• Commits to the mission, vision, beliefs and consistently demonstrates our core values.
• Uses established policies and procedures to perform cleaning and decontamination processes by which contaminated reusable instruments and equipment are rendered safe for handling by department personnel. Appropriate equipment, methods, and chemicals are used to perform these processes.
• Operates and displays competencies related to departmental equipment (777, Hamo, Sonic, Cart Washer, Sterilizers--Steam, Sterrad, ETO-- Incubators, and Heat Sealers) in strict accordance with manufacturer recommendations and department policies and procedures; reports any suspected equipment malfunctions to management.
• Follows safe work practices and personal protective measures; knows how to obtain MSDS information.
• Generates a content list to accurately prepare sets; inspects each instrument for cleanliness and good working condition; assembles instruments when required; includes the appropriate chemical indicator to verify the item has been exposed to one or more sterilizing conditions; chooses the appropriate packaging material to maintain sterility.
• Restocks instrument sets with designated levels of Orthopedic Implants.
• Reviews the surgery schedule to assure preference lists are developed and implemented for each surgical case; completes case cart tags for each surgical case; pulls the supplies and instruments using the printed surgeon preference list; scans bar coded sets to the case cart; logs case cart number on dispatch list and sends cart to surgery.
• Practices Universal Precautions to avoid or reduce personal exposure to blood and body fluids; understands and follows basic written safety standards related to environmental, physical, mechanical, electrical, chemical and biological standards.
• Inspects, folds, prepares, sterilizes and stores surgical linen.
• Loads the sterilizer rack correctly to ensure proper sterilization; scans/loads items and prints load content sheet; selects cycle (per computer prompts and temperature/exposure charts) and verifies parameters are correct for loaded items per manufacturer's recommendations.
• Unloads sterilized items using proper technique; checks chemical indicator to ensure sterilization has occurred.
• Verifies that all parameters have been met on the Steam, Sterrad, and ETO sterilizer cycles; performs appropriate biological monitoring on the Steam, Sterrad, and ETO sterilizers; incubates and records the results of the tests performed; initiates a recall process for a positive biological.
• Inventories and restocks specialty carts with sterile disposable supplies and instrumentation; places orders for supplies as needed.
• Performs departmental cleaning.

QUALIFICATIONS

High school diploma or equivalency required. Prior Sterile Processing or applicable hospital experience preferred.