Level I - Sterile Processing Technician
001 - UHS Binghamton General Hospital
Binghamton, NY
5x8 hrs

Work Environment

• Must be able to lift minimum of  <50lbs
• Stand or walk for long periods of time
• Use a computer to document tasks, assemble sets, and document sterilization cycles
• Work in areas where temperatures can vary from cold to warmer
• Required to wear appropriate PPE. Hospital issued scrubs, head bonnet, beard cover, gloves, shoe covers, impervious gown, heat resist mittens, badge to monitor fume exposure
• Potential burns from high temperature steam sterilizers, loading carts and or handling of concentrated hydrogen peroxide
• Exposure to bodily fluids and other related blood biohazardous gross substances
  • Include contact, fluid and airborne infections
• Potential punctures from sharp instruments, syringes, and scalpels
• Exposure to NFPA Health Hazardous chemicals;
  • Carcinogenic and highly flammable Ethylene Oxide
  • Live bacterial spores, biological indicators
  • Concentrated hydrogen peroxide
  • Liquid chemical enzymatic detergents
• Exposure to loud equipment noise.
• Potential falls and splashing while in decontamination due to nature of assignment.
• Neoprene gloves are available to handle Ethylene oxide gas.
• Personal environment badges (8 hour and 15 minutes) required while operating Ethylene Oxide sterilizers.
• Rotated work assignments dispensing, decontamination, assembly, sterilization etc.
• Rotate work sites from WMC, ASC, BGH
• Speak fluently with nurses, surgeons, and other peri-operative personnel

Training

• Required to train under SPD Tech Lv 2 or higher until certification is obtained
  • Acquire certification upon 18 months of hire
• Training will include but not limited to
  • Sterilizer quality assurance and testing
    • High temperature steam, low temperature hydrogen peroxide, ethylene oxide sterilization,
  • Decontamination workflow and process
    • Manual sinks, enzymatic detergents, enzymatic dosing system, instrument cleaning brushes
    • Quality assurance testing on Ultrasonic baths, enzymatic dosing system, and instrument washer disinfector
  • Instrument processing
    • How to follow instrument count sheets/recipe
    • Instrument quality testing and visual inspections
    • Wrapping or containerization
    • Cannula inspection
    • Residual protein cleanliness check
  • Instrument dryer
• Instrument Tracking system
  • Sterilization documentation
  • Decontamination documentation
  • Assembly decontamination
  • Documenting department tasks
  • Documenting quality events
• Training provided on Hospital units and customers served
• Provided lesson plans, educational in-services, and training provided by SPD educator

HIPAA Roles-Based Access to Patient Information

• Coded – Access to diagnosis codes/service codes/billing information – Level 2
• Access to view Epic Perioperative Schedule to anticipate instrument needs

Staff Supervised

• None
• SPD Tech Level 1 will be supervised until certification is obtained

Essential Functions:
Essential functions are those tasks, duties and responsibilities that are performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Perform equipment quality tests including but not limited to cleaning washer screen, spray arms, and daily washer protein test; sterilizer daily maintenance checks and testing.

• Utilize mechanical washers, ultrasonic washers, high and low temperature sterilizers, Eto Sterilizers, instrument dryers, and other SPD related equipment.

• Retrieves and receives used instruments and patient equipment from the operating room, clinical departments, ancillary areas and clinics in an aseptic manner that prevents cross contamination in the hospital and to reduce the risk of injury (exposure) to workers, (OSHA standard). Demonstrates independent function in decontamination procedure in accordance with standard precautions.

• Documents reusable medical devices when received in decontamination via instrument tracking system. Demonstrates instrument or set washed and disinfected prior to assembly and sterilization.

• Utilizes industry-leading practices effectively manual cleaning using department specific enzymatic detergents, brushes, and methods. Dons appropriate PPE when in decontamination. After, loads and utilize mechanical ultrasonic baths and washer disinfectors to render reusable instruments safe for handling and assembly.

• Performs quality inspections on each instrument and instrument category. (I.e. Scissor sharpness test, Boroscope for cannulated instruments, residue protein checks for cleanliness, visual inspections for pitting or corrosion, rongeur punch test etc.)

• Ensures procedural instrumentation, power equipment, surgical implants and patient medical devices are assembled following the manufacture IFU and appointed count sheet/recipe.

• Performs quality inspections after wrapping or containerizing sets prior to sterilization.

• Ensures sterility is achieved by choosing the correct method of sterilization, the correct cycle, monitoring the sterilizer function, chemically and biologically testing sterilization equipment, and interpreting/documenting mechanical and testing results.

• Ensures sterility and aeration is achieved and safe practices are performed in utilizing the Ethylene Oxide Sterilization process. Performs, observes and assesses safe work practices, regulatory compliance and emergency procedures related to the handling of Ethylene Oxide gas. Must maintain certification (annual testing) in the safe operation of ETO sterilizers and wear personnel environment badges per policy and OSHA standard

• Performs visual inspections to check for appropriate chemical indicator color change for each set or peel packed item. Then distributes sterile instruments to respective units in an aseptic manor.

• Manually clean, disinfect, store, distribute and track reusable durable medical equipment. (I.e. IV brains, modules, PCAs, SCDs, feeding pumps, hypo-hyperthermia machines etc.)

• Maintains inventory and appropriate storage of sterile items and equipment in anticipation of distribution to various departments on request. Responds to routine and STAT requests.

• Distributes and re-stocks crash carts (adult and pediatric) and trauma carts.

• Required to learn various instrument specialties such as General, Orthopedic, Vascular, Plastic, Cardio Thoracic, Neuro, Ophthalmic, ENT, GYN, Podiatry, Gastro Urology, Cystoscopy, Dental, Dermatology, as well as how to perform quality test per each instrument’s manufacture IFU.

• View daily perioperative surgical schedule to anticipate instrument turnover needs for following procedures or next day cases.

Non-Essential Functions:
Duties the employee may perform that are not essential as defined in the job description.

• Will perform other duties as assigned

• Shadow and train under SPD Tech Level 2 or Higher until Certification is obtained.

• Take part in department continuous education with return visual demonstration or graded exam.

• Attend, take part, and acknowledge understanding of department huddles, education, and or meetings.

• Distribute ancillary supplies to requesting units

• Unbox and store supplies using the FIFO method

• Checks for outdates

Education/Experience

Minimum Requirements :

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Preferred:

• 1 year previous SPD (certified or uncertified) or Operating Room experience.
• Surgical inventory experience

License/Certification

Minimum Required:

• Certification as a Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician is required within 18 months of hire (400 hours of experience required to sit for exam)

Preferred:

• Not Applicable

Under general direction performs Sterile Processing Department duties, which include but are not limited to manual decontamination, operating mechanical washers, assembly, packaging, sterilization, operating various sterilizers, equipment and instrument quality inspections, ordering supplies and distribution of reusable surgical instrumentation and medical devices. Following UHS Sterile Processing and Infection control policies must be able to interpret, maintain and document sterilization records in the electric instrument tracking system. Provide for and track all UHS inpatient units, off site clinical areas and outpatient clinics reusable instrumentation. All to provide positive patient outcomes by meeting the needs of our customers identified as physicians, clinical units, ancillary areas, clinics and UHS affiliates.