Sterile Processing Technician

Aspire Medical Staffing is currently seeking a dedicated and experienced Sterile Processing Technician to join our team at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. As a Sterile Processing Technician, you will play a critical role in ensuring the cleanliness and sterilization of surgical instruments and equipment, contributing to the safety and effectiveness of surgical procedures.

You will be responsible for decontaminating, cleaning, assembling, and sterilizing instruments and equipment according to established protocols and infection control standards. You will also be responsible for maintaining accurate records and inventory of supplies.

If you have a strong attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and a passion for patient safety, we invite you to join our team at Aspire Medical Staffing.

Location:

650 East Indian School Road

Phoenix, AZ 85012

Schedule:

Sterile Processing Service Technicians shall be available Monday-Sunday with five possible schedules:
i) Tour 1 – 6:00am – 2:30pm
ii) Tour 2 – 8:00am – 4:30pm
iii) Tour 3 – 2:30pm – 11:00pm
iv) Tour 4 – 3:30pm – 12:00am
v) Tour 5 – 9:00pm – 5:30am
d) Sterile Processing Service Technicians may rotate shifts as needed.
e) There is no work in excess of 8 hours permitted per day.

General Need to Know:

1)    Shall rotate assignments among the various sterilization, process, decontamination, surgical/ dental tray assembly, flexible endoscope reprocessing, reusable inventory, medical equipment processing, and quality assurance functions.

2) Sterile Processing Service Technicians may be required to workdays, evenings, nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

Requirements

Qualifications:

Sterile Processing Services Technician staff must meet one (1) or more of the following requirements.

• i)      Certification as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) or higher by the International Association of Healthcare Central Ser vice Material Management (IAHCSMM/HSPA).
• ii)    Graduation from a nationally recognized CRCST training program with a minimum of 2 current years of documented work in the field.
• iii)   Graduation from a nationally recognized Operating Room Technician training program with a minimum of 2 current years of documented work experience in a Sterile Processing Service environment.
• iv)   Graduation from a US military training program for Surgical Technicians with a minimum of 2 current years of documented work experience in a Sterile Processing Service environment.
• v)    VA Level 2 certification with a minimum of 2 years of current work experience in the SPS environment.
• vi)   Non-Certified technicians with documented and verifiable SPS hands-on work experience for a minimum of 5 years
• BLS Certification

Duties and Responsibilities:

a)    Must be competent and have a functional level of understanding and ability to apply these knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications to daily work practices.

i)     Must have practical knowledge of theory, principles, practice, and techniques of asepsis to prevent the spread of infection.

ii)    Must have practical knowledge of microbiology and the principles as they apply to surgical supply operations as they relate to the resistance of microorganisms to external destructive agents such as heat, and chemicals used for sterilization and High-Level Disinfection (HLD).

iii)   Must have a working knowledge of standard procedures for steam autoclaving including, but not necessarily limited to:

(1)  Biological testing of sterilization efficacy utilizing commercially available

incubated biological test vials.

(2)  Chemical indicators, internal and external, used for identifying steam sterilization exposure.

(3)  Use, purpose, and correct interpretation of the Bowie-Dick test.

(4)  Interpretation and proper recording of results of all sterilization tests.

iv)   Must have a working knowledge of standard procedures for use of chemical sterilization such as Sterrad, including, but not necessarily limited to:

(1)  Biological testing of sterilization efficacy utilizing commercially available incubated biological test vials.

(1)  Chemical indicators, internal and external, used for identifying sterilization exposure.

(2)  Processes for routine operator maintenance, including replenishment of sterilant cartridges.

(3)  Interpretation and proper recording of results of all sterilization tests.

ii)    Must have a working knowledge of standard procedures for use of HLD systems such as Medivator Advantage, Trophon, and manual HLD utilizing Cidex OPA.

(1)  Must be aware of and capable of performing on a routine daily basis all testing and quality assurance procedures associated with the use of these devices and chemicals.

iii)   Must have a good working knowledge of the availability, economics, use, operation, maintenance, assembly, and disassembly of the full range of surgical supplies, instruments, equipment, and the specific cleaning, sterilizing, and storage requirements of each.

iv)   Must possess a very broad knowledge of all types of surgical and clinical instrumentation. This knowledge must include sufficient working knowledge to be able to identify damaged or broken instruments and be able to find a suitable replacement item if available.

(1)  Knowledge of surgical specialty instrumentation must include a minimum of the following specialties:

(a)  General; including laparoscopic instrumentation.

(b)  Gynecology; including laparoscopic and hysteroscopic instrumentation.

(c)  Orthopedics; including arthroscopic instrumentation, total joint arthroplasty, fracture fixation, and soft tissue procedures.

(d)  Microscopic surgical instrument care and handling; for example, eye cataract instrumentation.

v)            Must have a thorough familiarity with surgical procedures performed in a hospital

Operating Room.

vi)   Must have knowledge of medical and surgical terminology, human anatomy, and physiology.

vii)  Must have a thorough knowledge of aseptic principles and techniques including characteristics of various types of detergents, and cleaning techniques.

viii)              Must have knowledge of the proper handling, cleaning, and reprocessing for use of flexible endoscopes such as colonoscopes and gastroscopes.

ix)   Must be able to follow detailed, step-by-step instructions provided by the

manufacturer for the handling, cleaning, and sterilization or HLD processing of a large variety of surgical and clinical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME).

x)            Must be capable of performing all physical demands of the SPS department

including but not limited to:

(1)  Prolonged standing, frequently as much as 8 hours per duty day with normal rest and meal breaks.

(2)  Frequent lifting of instrument baskets weighing up to 25 pounds and occasional lifting of objects up to 50 pounds.

(3)  Frequent pushing and pulling of carts weighing several hundred pounds.

(4)  Frequent and repetitive bending to floor level. Frequent and repetitive lifting above the shoulders, with occasional lifts above the head.

xi)                  Must be able to read, write, and understand the English language.

xii)       Must be capable of working in a loud environment with occasional very loud noises.

xiii)               Must be capable of wearing required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for 8 hours of a duty day with normal rest and meal breaks.