Distinguishing Characteristics
Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 1: non-competitive; entry level; under direct supervision performs routine sterilization, maintenance, and repair functions for medical instruments and equipment; delivers and stores medical instruments, supplies, and equipment.
Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 2: non-competitive; full performance level; may supervise Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technicians 1.
Related Classes
Teaching Hospital Surgical Technologists act as a scrubbed or sterile member of the surgical team who provide instruments and equipment to the surgeon during operations. Incumbents identify and plan the proper instrumentation and implementation for operative procedures; ensure proper sterile and aseptic techniques within the surgical environment; and assist the surgical team by setting up and passing sterile instruments and equipment.
Illustrative Duties
Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 1
• Cleans, assembles, performs minor repairs, and wraps trays for surgical instruments, equipment, and specialty supplies for sterilization.
• Disassembles, sorts, cleans, inspects, and processes medical instruments and equipment.
• Ensures that medical instruments, equipment, and supplies are replenished as needed.
• Collects reusable items from and dispenses supplies to the needed areas of the hospital.
• Maintains, stores, and inventories medical instruments, equipment, and supplies.
• Operates equipment such as ultrasonic and utility washers, and performs specified daily maintenance tasks on the equipment.
• Operates sterilization equipment and performs specified daily maintenance tasks.
• Performs record keeping duties of the sterilization process for JCAHO requirements and any other mandated requirements.
Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 2
• Performs all the duties of Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 1.
• May determine the priority of tasks for assigned area; assign and delegate daily work and train other Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technicians.
• Monitors the completion of daily tasks in the assigned area.
• Prepares and updates sterile stock inventory and related records to ensure that adequate supplies are maintained.
• Keeps records of devices that are sterilized and quarantined.
• Responds to requests for malfunctioning instruments and equipment and provides a response for repairs on those devices.
• May refer major repairs of equipment to other areas of the hospital as needed.
• Assists in developing, implementing, and maintaining policies and procedures for the storage and distribution of sterile material.
• Confers with nursing staff regarding problems in sterile supplies issuance and/or distribution, resolving problems as appropriate.
• Oversees and applies principles of aseptic techniques in the work area.
• Oversees and operates autoclaves according to established procedures and monitors quality control program for the same.
• Reviews all trays and operating room case cart components for accuracy.
Qualifications
Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 1
1. Successful completion of a nationally accredited central service exam for central service technicians AND current certification by a nationally accredited central sterile technician credentialing organization as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician, Central Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician, or a substantially equivalent credential. OR 2. Ability to obtain required certification within 18 months of hiring date.
Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 2
Successful completion of a nationally accredited central service exam for central service technicians, AND current certification by a nationally accredited central sterile technician credentialing organization as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician, Central Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician or a substantially equivalent credential, AND either one year of permanent service as a Teaching Hospital Sterile Supply Technician 1 or one year of experience in cleaning, sterilizing, and maintaining medical supplies and equipment in a healthcare facility.
Substitution: Applicants who do not hold a current central service technician certification may be considered if they possess one year of central service experience in a healthcare facility between January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2015.