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Sterile Processing Technician-Non Certified

Shift: FT Day

The Sterile Processing Technician within the ENT WellStar Medical Group provides a key service to ensure equipment consistently meets the highest quality and safety standards. The individual in this role must be skilled in following protocols with a high level of attention to detail.
This position receives and processes incoming supplies and equipment including performing point of care cleaning, transporting equipment from exam/procedure rooms, cleaning, leak testing, high level disinfecting and sterilizing duties. He / she is responsible for handling, properly processing and storing crucial medical instruments. He/she is responsible for high level disinfection and sterilizer equipment monitoring for adherence to performance specifications, including inspection and documentation. He/she prepares packs of supplies, linens, and instruments in the assigned medical group office as directed.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Collects, receives, cleans, disinfects, and decontaminates instruments, scopes, supplies and equipment according to WellStar policies and procedures, AORN recommendations, AAMI guidelines and JCAHO requirements.
* Collects dirty instruments, scopes and other equipment from ENT Practice exam or procedure rooms.
* Disassembles and inspects instruments, scopes and other equipment and selects appropriate cleaning tools, detergents to manually decontaminate instruments and equipment, Performs leak tests as needed per manufacturer instructions.

Inspects surgical instruments and medical equipment and detect need for repair or replacement and inspects for cleanliness, assembles, wraps or containerizes instruments and equipment.
* Inspects instruments and equipment to ensure in proper working order and for cleanliness.
* Selects appropriate chemical indicator and biological indicator for inside and outside of package based on mode of sterilization.
* Selects appropriate wrapping method or peel pack.
* Performs daily, weekly and 28 day sterilization autoclave requirements and documents appropriately. Assesses problems with trays and abnormal results for chemical and/or biological indicators and contacts office manager or supervisor and supply coordinator as needed for resolution.

Sterilizes instruments, equipment and supplies as required; handles and stores instruments, equipment and supplies appropriately.
* Appropriately select mode of sterilization for instruments and equipment.
* Loads and unloads sterilizer and documents accordingly to manufacturers instructions.
* Selects biological indicator test and chemical indicator per manufacturers instructions.
* Operates autoclave sterilizer per manufacturers instructions
* Appropriately handles and stores high level disinfected and sterilized items in predetermined locations for future use.

Monitors sterilizers and equipment mechanically, biologically, and chemically in accordance with quality assurance standards and performance improvement standards.
* Inspects sterilizer before use by checking for proper operating order by checking power supply, emptying drains, cleaning, and adding register tape as needed.
* Performs daily biological and diagnostic tests and documents appropriately, factually and legibly.
* Inform leadership in the event of positive biological indicator.
* Selects appropriate chemical indicators internally and externally according to mode of sterilization and documents results.

Maintains established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, quality assurance program, safety, environmental and infection control standards, patient rights and ethics, performance improvement, management of information, management of human resources and leadership.
* Follows established policies and procedures for Blood Borne Pathogens and Standard Precautions to identify and reduce the risks of infections among patients, employees, etc.
* Handles all department, patient information in a confidential manner.
* Makes suggestions for improvement, accepts constructive feedback, assists and accepts assistance from staff members.
* Documents accurately and legibly.
* Maintains a safe, functional and effective environment for patients, staff and other individuals.
* Promotes through action an environment for an interdisciplinary team approach to achieve the mission/goals of the WellStar.
* Makes decisions that reflect knowledge of facts and demonstrates good judgment when functioning as a team member of team leader.
Performs other duties as assigned
Complies with all WellStar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

Required Minimum Education:

High school graduate Required or equivalent Required
Basic computer skills are required Required and
Graduate of an accredited sterile processing/central service curriculum Preferred

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.

• Basic Life Support-Preferred or BLS - Instructor-Preferred
• Cert Reg Central Service Tech-Preferred within 1 Year or Cert Sterile Proc & Distribution Tech-Preferred within 1 Year

Required Minimum Experience:

Minimum 1 year of central supply/sterile processing experience in a hospital or outpatient practice setting Required or
graduate from an accredited sterile processing/central service program Preferred

Required Minimum Skills:

Must be able to retain knowledge of identification and necessary handling requirements of surgical instruments, ENT fiberoptic and rigid scopes and medical supplies and equipment.
Must be able to understand, speak, and write English well to communicate with the nursing, technical, staff and Infection Prevention.

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