Lead, Sterile Processing Technician

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Lead Responsibilities:

• Ensures that daily tests on all autoclaves have been done and checks sterilization parameters to verify that the autoclaves are ready for use.
• Ensures that regular maintenance and cleaning has been performed on all SPD equipment.
• Provides best-practice recommendations as requested by the OR Manager for the planning of departmental operations.
• Assists the OR Manager in establishing and monitoring Quality standards for the department.
• Trains Sterile Processing staff on guidelines set forth by industry standards to ensure patient safety.
• Assists the OR Manager with daily monitoring of workflow and process improvement.

Technician Responsibilities:

• Decontaminates and sterilizes instruments, medical supplies, and equipment, and assembles, wraps, and sterilizes trays of instruments. Follows proper Standards Precautions while in decontamination and sterilization areas.
• Monitors biological and chemical wash solution to ensure quality and consistency for decontamination of instruments and medical equipment.
• Sorts mismatched sets of instruments, trays, and medical equipment and makes them available to sterile processing customers in a timely manner.
• Restocks, labels, and maintains inventory, submits requisitions, collects, and distributes instruments, trays, and facility medical equipment.
• Performs environmental maintenance duties and assists in maintaining inventory levels in sterile processing, the operating room, and in equipment storage areas.
• Verifies that equipment functions properly, requisitions for equipment maintenance, repair, or replacement, and removes defective equipment.
• Maintains a clean work area.
• Assists with maintaining established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, and quality improvement, safety, and environmental and infection control standards.
• Recognizes and anticipates the needs of the surgical team assuring instrument availability.
• Recognizes abnormal functioning of autoclave equipment, Steris system, and notifies appropriate person or company regarding company.
• Reviews par levels of supplies and equipment, to ensure that the resources necessary for patient safety are available.
• Assumes other related responsibilities as required and assigned.

EDUCATION

• High school diploma/GED is required.

EXPERIENCE

• Three years of Sterile Processing Technician experience is required.

REQUIREMENTS

• Current national certification as a Sterile Processing Technician, Certified Registered Central Service Technician, or Surgical Instrument Processor, or obtained within 1 year from the date of hire is required.
• Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) is required.

KNOWLEDGE

• Must be knowledgeable of guidelines and techniques for cleaning and sterilizing equipment, as well as aseptic technique.
• Must have mechanical aptitude with the ability to break down moving parts, clean, lubricate and reassemble, problem solve incomplete trays and missing instrumentation and have effective organizational communication and human relation skills.
• Knowledge of basic Sterile Processing and Standard Precautions.

SKILLS

• The job holder must demonstrate current competencies for job position.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing and the skill to listen.
• Must maintain clinical and skills competencies per position requirements, participating in growth through in-service and continuing education.
• Skills required to provide excellent customer service not only to our patients, but physicians, visitors, and other health care teammates, promoting a positive work environment.
• Demonstrates delegation and coordination of schedule, equipment, and personal process.
• Demonstrate effective communication between departments.

ABILITIES

• Must have a strong attention to detail and physical stamina to handle long arduous work hours.
• Ability to work in an environment that frequently produces a high level of stress and mental fatigue, and a willingness to maintain a flexible work schedule as needed.
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple work priorities and support to teammates.
• Ability to establish a clear vision, motivate direct reports and take accountability for issues that arise.

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS

• Normal and emergent clinical environment. Patient care environment with potential exposure to unpleasant odors, blood and body fluids, infectious disease and to chemical or electrical hazards.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

• Good visual acuity, accurate color vision. Ability to transfer patients more than 100 pounds. Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl. Ability to reach, grasp, use fine finger movement and feel fine sensation to discern temperature, texture, size, and shape. Ability to speak and hear.

ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• HOPCo Mission, Vision and Values must be acknowledged and adhered to

• OSHA Requirements and training to include:
• Annual Safety Training

This description is intended to provide only basic guidelines for meeting job requirements. Responsibilities, knowledge, skills, abilities and working conditions may change as needs evolve.