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Primary Purpose: Decontaminates instruments, performs the assembly of surgical trays and sterilizes instrumentation.

Formal Policy-Setting Responsibilities: No formal responsibility.  The policies associated with the job’s purpose and essential responsibilities are set by others.                                          

Routine Decision Making: Determines causes of operating errors and decides what to do about it. Must be able to examine and detect imperfections in instruments and malfunctions with sterilization equipment. Must be able to use relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations or standards. Must be able to prioritize instrument sterilization with surgery’s daily cases.

Formal Supervisory Responsibility: No formal supervisory responsibility.                                              

Unusual Working Conditions: Working with sharp surgical equipment; risk of blood and/or body fluid contamination.                                               

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

Retrieve and Decontaminates instruments, per manufacturer’s instructions and departmental policies and procedures. (30% of time)                                                          

• Wears appropriate personal protective equipment at all times while on duty.
• Retrieves contaminated supplies and delivers sterile supplies to where needed
• Handles instruments carefully preventing damage to delicate instruments.
• Identifies broken or damaged instruments and removes from service. Reports to Surgery Manager/Director for repair or replacement in a timely manner.

Prepares and assembles instruments per method of sterilization. (45% of time)

• Selects and uses appropriate packaging and wrapping materials and container systems for method of sterilization and aseptic presentation.
• Ensures filters are properly installed in container systems prior to sterilization at all times.
• Maintains thorough and accurate sterilization documentation and record keeping by maintaining permanent records and test results.
• Labels sterilized items and container systems to b sterilized with proper sterilization information and initials of preparer at all times.
• Sets correct cycle parameters and utilizes correct process indicators per steam or chemical sterilization.
• Loads, operates and unloads ultrasonic washer and washer sterilizer according to manufacturer’s instructions at all times.
• Performs correct biological monitoring and testing per method of sterilization.
• Recognizes positive and negative test results of biological monitoring. Communicates failed monitoring in a timely manner to Surgery Manager/Director.
• Unloads and distributes sterilized instruments, daily.

Operates and maintains Steris Equipment; keep records of loads completed, items of loads and maintenance procedures.  Inspects equipment and instruments to detect leaks, worn or loose parts or other indications of disrepair. (10% of time)                                               

• Observes gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions with every load.
• Reports defective sterilizer equipment to appropriate staff and manager at initial review.
• Monitor and maintain appropriate records to remain compliant with applicable regulatory agencies, as well as reporting if needed.
• Inspects and cleans sterilizers on a routine basis. Ensures to remove all waste matter from equipment and carts.

Ensures department policies and procedures are followed. (15% of time)

• Run Bowie Dick test in sterilizer daily and place results in notebook.
• Run attest in sterilizer daily and incubates and reads in 24 hours, documenting results in the logbook.
• Performs other Central Services or Surgery duties as assigned by Surgery Manager/Director.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Medium Work:  Lifting 100# maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25#.                                                               

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Lifting:  Raising or lowering an object from one level to another (includes upward pulling).            
• Carrying:  Transporting an object, usually holding it in hands or arms or on the shoulders               
• Pushing:  Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force (including slapping, striking, kicking, and treadle actions).                                                     
• Pulling:  Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking).
• Climbing:  Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, ropes, and the like, using the feet and the legs and/or hands and arms.                                                      
• Balancing:  Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching, or running on a narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces; or maintain body equilibrium when performing gymnastic feats.
• Hearing:  Ability to determine audible communication.                                                  
• Stooping:  Bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist.                  
• Kneeling:  Bending the legs at the knees to come to rest on the knee or knees.                                   
• Crouching:  Bending the body downward and forward by bending the legs and spine.                      
• Crawling:  Moving about on the hands and knees or hands and feet.                                                        
• Reaching:  Extending the hands and arms in any direction.                                                            
• Handling:  Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with the hand or hands (fingering not involved).                                                           
• Fingering:  Picking, pinching, or otherwise working with the fingers primarily (rather than with the whole hand or arms as in handling).                
• Repetitive Motions:  Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.           
• Feeling:  Perceiving such attributes of objects and materials as size, shape, temperature, or texture by means of receptors in the skin, particularly those of the fingertips.                        
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.  Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.                                               
• Seeing:  Obtaining impressions through the eyes of the shape, size, distance, motion, color or other characteristics of objects.                                                                                            
• Acuity, far - clarity of vision at 20 feet or more.                                                  
• Acuity, near - clarity of vision at 20 inches or less.                                                             
• Accommodations - adjustment of the lens of the eye to bring an object into sharp focus.
• Color vision- the ability to identify and distinguish colors.              

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Inside:  Worker spends approximately 75% or more of time inside.                                                           
• Wet:  Contact with water or other liquids.                                                            
• Humid:  Atmospheric condition with moisture content sufficiently high to cause marked bodily discomfort.                                                               
• Hazards:  Situations in which the individual is exposed to the definite risk of the bodily injury.      
• Infectious Disease:  Risk of exposure to biohazardous materials, blood, body fluid contamination.              

Education and Certification/ Registration Required for the Position: High school diploma or equivalent required. 1 year of sterile processing or operating room technician experience preferred.

Required Knowledge: Knowledge of sterilization supplies, equipment and instruments.

Required Skills and Ability: Use of sterilization equipment and instruments, arranging instruments in surgical trays, following written instructions and performing multiple tasks, ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others. Attention to detail and excellent planning skills.