Sterile Processing Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Prepares for next day schedule by assisting in stocking areas as needed or as instructed by nursing staff or RN scheduler.
• Assist nursing staff with transfer of patient from OR beds to gurneys.
• Demonstrates appropriate dress, according to policy, at all times in the patient care areas.
• Transports lab specimens, blood, to SVHHC lab or pathology as needed.
• Assists in disinfecting, cleaning and preparation of rooms in preparation for new patients.
• Assists with inventory control and stocking of supplies; complies with cost containment monitoring.
• Assists visitors, staff and physicians, utilizing good guest relations.
• Acts as a resource person to other members of the staff.
• Adheres to all infection control policies including OSHA guidelines for Universal Precautions for exposure to blood and body fluids, utilizing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and sharps handling.
• Assists in orientation of new personnel, students, and approved programs.
• Participates in the Quality Management.
• Attends and participates in in-service programs, communication groups, and staff meetings.
• Prioritizes job responsibilities to facilitate optimum patient care and utilization of resources.
• Demonstrates flexibility in meeting the needs of the Surgery Center and the clinical units.
• Performs effectively in an emergency situation.
• Works in a spirit of teamwork and trust; conducts self in professional manner and maintains professional boundaries in working with others.
• Acts in a way that is respectful to patients, families, and co-workers at all times.
• Stocked linen/empty dirty linen and get new bin.
• Clean areas and take garbage out
• Print OR daily schedule for ORs , Nurse Control and OR Coordinator
• Wipe down all dictation computers in the OR corridor/lead tech office/nurse control
• Fill Mop Buckets
• Check sub-sterile areas for linen needs
• Check all Rooms with cases to see if there are any needs
• Assist with patient when they enter the room

• Warm Blanket
• Monitors
• SCDs
• Bair Hugger
• Any needs of the RN or Scrub Tech
• One last check before leaving the room

• Assist with room turnovers and setting up for next cases
• Print off cases and assist with picking supplies for tomorrow’s cases downstairs
• Assist with patients at the end of case and assist with transfer to the patient cart
• Stock the 3L Normal Saline Bags in the blue cart at the end of the hall
• Take garbage out when necessary
• Stock linen in the sub sterile areas and blankets in the warmers
• Run cultures and specimens as necessary
• Ensure there is a clean cart outside each OR for patients
• Know how to turnover and set up the anesthesia machine between cases and how to fill the gases
• Retrieve any supplies needed during cases that are kept downstairs
• Assist with retrieving difficult intubation supplies and setting up as needed
• Take full laundry cart down to end doorway and get empty as needed
• Empty dirty mop buckets between sub-sterile areas when rooms are completed
• Fill sub-sterile warmers
• Stock linen in sub-sterile areas
• Terminate rooms and assist with set up for the next day
• Assist with stocking rooms at end of the day
• Inform Vicki or Jill in materials of any equipment or supply needs as needed
• Assist Anesthesia with the placement of arterial lines
• Order pathology and lab supplies (specimen containers with formalin, specimen containers without formalin in various sizes, culture swabs, and requisition forms for both)

Education, Experience, licensure/certification requirements:

• High School diploma or equivalent

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit, climb or balance and stoop, crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision and ability to adjust focus.

• Normal hospital environment with exposure to chemical odors, cleaning solvents, and other hazardous materials.
• Exposure to possible injury when working with electrical equipment and lasers which requires care and following proper safety procedures.