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Sterile Processing Technician
A Sterile Processing Technician (often referred to as an SPD Technician, Central Service Technician, or Medical Equipment Preparer) is a vital healthcare professional responsible for cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing surgical instruments and medical equipment. Working primarily behind the scenes in hospitals, surgical centers, and clinics, they ensure that instruments are safe, functional, and ready for use in surgeries, thereby playing a critical role in preventing infections.
The role of sterile processing technicians is to clean, sterilize, and set up all the surgical tools and medical devices used in procedures.
SPTs play an essential role in the healthcare setting, ensuring each surgical and medical instrument is sanitized and ready for safe use. These professionals significantly contribute to patient safety and increase healthcare system efficiency. Their responsibilities span across the preparation of surgical case carts, monitoring sterilization equipment, and maintaining precise records.
As expressed by Katrina Simpson, a skilled SPT and instructor, the right personality for an SPT is often an introvert, one who exhibits a strong attention to detail, appreciates cleanliness, values ongoing education, and finds satisfaction in their work.
SPTs form the first layer of defense against infectious agents through their thorough cleaning, sterilization, and assembly of surgical instruments. This includes:
- Handling a wide range of instruments
- Biological waste management and proper disposal
- Keeping up with advancements in medical technology
What is biowaste?
Biowaste includes human body fluids like blood and urine to tissues or organs removed during surgical procedures or autopsies. It also includes "sharps" - items that can cause cuts or punctures like needles, scalpels, and even broken glass. Also, within the SPT's scope of work is the management of laboratory waste, such as cultures, specimens of microorganisms. In a veterinary context, an SPT may also be tasked with handling animal waste - anything from contaminated animal remains to bedding material used by animals infected with specific diseases.
It's a role not suited for everyone - it requires a strong stomach and a commitment to perfection. However, for those who are passionate about their work and find fulfillment in a job well done, it can be a rewarding career path.
Now that we know what an SPT is and what they do, let’s dive into how to pursue a career in sterile processing and answer some commonly asked questions.
How do you get a job as a sterile processing technician?
For those drawn to the healthcare sector but enjoy behind-the-scenes roles over direct patient interaction, or for those who have a keen eye for detail and a passion for cleanliness and order, a career as an SPT may be just the right match. But what does the journey to becoming one look like? Here are the key steps to steer your path towards becoming an SPT.
5 steps to becoming a sterile processing technician
1. Obtain your High School Diploma or GED (General Education Degree): A HS diploma or GED is the minimum education requirement for almost every healthcare job, including SPTs.
2. Complete a sterile processing technician program: Graduates of a sterile processing technician program like the one Penn Foster offers learn topics like duties of an SPT, fundamental practices and procedures for aseptic technique, HIPAA privacy regulations, and more, and are eligible to sit for the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Certification exam offered by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA).
3. Work as an extern: An externship provides a valuable opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in the role of an SPT. Some certification programs require an externship, but to begin working in sterile processing, an externship isn’t required.
- Decontamination: Receiving used instruments from operating rooms, sorting them, and removing all traces of biological material using manual scrubbing, ultrasonic cleaners, and automated washers.
- Sterilization: Operating and monitoring specialized equipment, such as steam autoclaves, to sterilize heat-stable instruments. They also use low-temperature methods (e.g., hydrogen peroxide gas plasma) for heat-sensitive instruments.
- Assembly and Inspection: Inspecting instruments for damage, cleanliness, and functionality before organizing them into specific trays for, for instance, orthopedic or cardiac procedures.
- Record Keeping: Meticulously documenting sterilization cycles, biological indicator tests, and inventory to ensure compliance with standards from organizations like OSHA, CDC, and AAMI.
- Inventory Distribution: Managing the storage and delivery of sterile instruments, ensuring they are available for scheduled and emergency procedures.
- Attention to Detail: Meticulous precision is required to ensure instruments are perfectly clean and functional, as failures can lead to surgical infections.
- Physical Stamina: The role involves standing for long periods, lifting heavy instrument trays, and pushing heavy carts.
- Technical Knowledge: Understanding of microbiology, infection control, and the operation of complex sterilization equipment.
- Education: A high school diploma or GED is the minimum requirement, though many employers prefer graduates of a sterile processing program.
- Certification: While not always mandatory, certification is highly preferred and often leads to higher pay. The most common certifications are the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) from the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) or the Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (CSPDT) from the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD)
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