Sterile Processing Tech Lead

Seattle Orthopedic Surgery Center, a division of Proliance surgeons, has an immediate opening for a full time, experienced sterile processing technician for our busy 9 surgeon, 3 operating room surgery center. We have a team approach and pride ourselves on working together to provide excellent care to all our patients. We are centrally located in the Wallingford neighborhood within walking distance to many restaurants and coffee shops. This role does not require nights, weekends, or holidays.

We offer competitive wages. a great benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401k retirement plans. Free parking, catered lunches provided once a week, snack and beverage stocked break room, espresso machine, and additional employee perks.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefit and pay package including health coverage, 401k with match and profit share, PTO and more! Check out our main career site for more details at www.proliancesurgeons.com/careers

Be Part of Who We Are!

What We Stand For:

At Proliance Surgeons, it is our mission to be the leader in physician-led healthcare services. Each teammate contributes to our vision of Exceptional Outcomes, Personally Delivered. Our values of Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Equity and Stewardship transcend all of our relationships: our patients and their loved ones, one another as team members, our business associates and our community. Every teammate is expected to embrace and demonstrate these shared values.

Position Summary

The Sterile Processing Technologist Lead in the ASC provides leadership and support to a team of sterile processing technologists and support staff in addition responsible for decontamination, correct assembly, and sterile processing of all instrumentation used in the operating rooms, must have knowledge of universal precautions, sterilization methodologies, and biological monitoring.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to the duties and responsibilities of the sterile processing tech, the lead sterile processing tech also:

• Leads other members of the health care team to provide optimal care
• Identify best practices and develop operational improvements within the department with the ASC Director
• Assists supervisor in delegating tasks and duties
• Assists in developing staffing assignments
• Provides direct assistance to team members
• Takes an active role on committees and projects within the department
• Assists supervisor in employee performance evaluations
• Ensures equipment and devises are maintained according to policies and procedures
• Ensures department regulatory compliance with DOH, CMS and accrediting organization.

Essential Requirements include:

• Complies with Infection Control, Standard Precautions and OSHA standards for the healthcare precautions and OSHA standards for the healthcare professional
• Educated on and compliant with HIPAA regulations; maintains strict confidentiality for client information
• Able to wear personal protective equipment (e.g., face mask, goggles, latex/non-latex gloves) as needed
• Ability to work effectively within role independently and with other team members
• Ability to organize and complete work in a timely manner
• Ability to understand medical/surgical terminology

Key duties and responsibilities of the Sterile Processing Technician include:

• Demonstrates knowledge of processes, procedures, quality assurance, chemicals and medical instruments sufficient to be able to decontaminate, assemble, wrap, and sterilize equipment, supplies, and instruments.
• Demonstrates knowledge of equipment function sufficient to be able to determine operational adequacy and to distinguish between operator error and equipment malfunction.
• Demonstrates knowledge of applicable sanitary, infection control and safety standards sufficient to be able to perform all assignments within the safety parameters.
• Independently follows all cleaning checklists thoroughly and appropriately.
• Initiates cleaning and restocking of all work areas and supplies as necessary.
• Floats readily between all areas of decontamination and sterile processing.
• Maintains communication with operating room staff.
• Applies principles of aseptic technique, standard and transmission precautions.
• Assists in the procurement and maintenance of department inventory.
• Maintain a clean and safe environment.
• Maintains knowledge of all applicable regulatory standards, including but not limited to AAMI and ANSI standards.
• Collaborates with other disciplines to maximize patient outcomes and ensure a smooth flow of the surgical experience.
• Accountable for reporting occurrences through the center’s established reporting process related to employee, equipment and/or patient/visitor events.
• Fosters the developmental and educational process of self, colleagues, orientees and students (includes functioning as a preceptor).
• Participates in acceptable continuing education and skill development including meeting departmental continuing education requirements.
• Assists in managing controllable costs by the proper, non-wasteful use of resources.
• Reviews surgery schedule on an ongoing basis to determine priority of surgical instrumentation needed
• Inspects, tests, assembles, packages and labels OR surgical instruments in preparation of sterilization to ensure that instruments are ready and available when needed
• Sterilizes instruments by operating steam sterilization
• Runs biological monitoring and incubates, reads and records biological monitor results
• Decontaminates instrumentation and equipment following facility written policies and procedures
• Prepares disinfectants and other solutions and operates mechanical washers and ultrasonic cleaners for decontamination
• Recognizes safety hazards and initiates appropriate corrective/preventive measures
• Ability to receive and give direction and to identify and use proper chain of command. Demonstrate willingness to learn and accept change
• Adheres to the facility standards of business conduct and HIPAA privacy and security requirement
• Any and all other duties as assigned

Education and Experience:

• High School diploma/GED or equivalent.
• Current certification as a Central/Sterile Processing Technician
• Current certification for CPR or BCLS
• Instrument processing/Sterile processing experience preferred
• Lead or supervisor experience a plus

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Problem solving skills
• Skill in using a computer
• Knowledge of applicable specialties
• Ability to remove oneself personally from given situations, remaining objective
• Ability to exhibit cooperation, flexibility, and provide assistance when interfacing with patients, physician and staff
• Ability to multi-task
• Skill in organizing and reporting information that is accurate and complete
• Understanding of the need for and evidence of consistent respect for confidentiality/HIPAA
• Ability to maintain composure in stressful situations
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with all staff
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Consistency and timeliness in attendance

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The work environment/physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable differently abled persons to perform the essential functions.

Work may be performed in an office and clinical environment. Requires corrected vision and hearing to normal range. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to talk or hear. The associate is required to sit for long periods of time, stand and walk, bend and stretch. Use of telephone and computer is required. Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard. Occasionally lifts and carries items weighing up to 40 pounds. May requires working under stressful conditions or working irregular hours.

This description is intended to describe the essential job functions, the general supplemental functions and the essential requirements for the performance of this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and requirements of a person so classified. Other functions may be assigned and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time.