Sterile Processing Technician

PLEASE NOTE - This position may require temporarily relocation to other TONHC Facilities: Sells Hospital, Santa Rosa Health Center, San Simon Health Center, and San Xavier Health Center.

Position Summary:

Performs and participates in decontamination, cleaning, assembling, packaging, scanning, sterilization, storage and distribution of reusable surgical instrumentation and equipment.

Scope of Work:

Position is located in the TON Health Care Hospital and Clinics. The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Chief Nurse Executive or designee.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Decontaminates and sterilizes instruments, medical supplies and equipment; assembles, wraps and sterilizes trays of instruments. Follows proper Standard Precautions while in decontamination and sterilization areas.
• Monitors biological and chemical wash solution to ensure quality and consistency for decontamination of instruments and medical equipment.
• Sorts mismatched sets of instruments, trays, and medical equipment and makes them available to sterile processing customers in a timely manner.
• Inspects instruments and removes damages instruments from circulation. Orders replacement instruments.
• Restocks, labels, and maintains inventory, submits requisitions, collects and distributes instruments, trays and crash carts.
• Performs environmental maintenance duties and assists in maintaining inventory levels in sterile processing, inpatient, emergency department, ambulatory care clinics and equipment storage areas.
• Verifies that equipment functions properly, requisitions for equipment maintenance, repair or replacement, and removes defective equipment.
• Maintains a clean work area.
• Assists with maintaining established departmental policies and procedures, and objectives.
• Assists with collection of quality assurance monitors.
• Complies with safety, and environmental and infection control standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the Tohono O'odham culture, customs, and
• Knowledge of sterilization practices, equipment and techniques.
• Knowledge of inventory management practices.
• Knowledge of related accreditation and certification requirements.
• Knowledge of surgical administrative procedures.
• Skill in operating business computers and office machines, including in a Windows environment, specifically Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Skill in operating sterilization equipment.
• Skill in providing superior customer service to external and internal customers.
• Ability to perform standard clinical procedures according to established protocols.
• Ability to maintain quality, safety, and/or infection control standards.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to interact and maintain good working relationships with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate efficiently and effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or General Education Diploma, and
• One-year sterile processing experience.

Licenses, Certifications, Special Requirements:

• Must possess or obtain Central/Sterile Processing Technician certification within one year of hire.
• Must possess a current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification.
• Upon recommendation for hire, a criminal background and a National FBI fingerprint check are required to determine suitability for employment, including a 39-month driving record.
• May require possessing and maintaining a valid driver's license (no DUIs or major traffic citations within the last three years).
• If required, must meet the Tohono O'odham Nation tribal employer's insurance requirements to receive a driver's permit to operate program vehicles.
• Based on the department's needs, incumbents may be required to demonstrate fluency in both the Tohono O'odham language and English as a condition of employment.

Physical Demands:

Work requires standing for extended periods of time; sitting; walking; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee occasionally is required to climb or balance; and stand; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Work is generally performed in a hospital setting with exposure to potentially dangerous materials and situations that require following extensive safety precautions and may include the use of protective equipment and exposure to blood borne pathogens. Exposure to latex products on a routine basis. Evening and/or weekend work may be required. Extended hours and irregular shifts may be required.

This list of duties and responsibilities is illustrative only of the tasks performed by this position and is not all-inclusive.