Endo-Sterile Technician

Job Opportunity

This position performs delegated tasks in assigned work setting to assist with ENDO/OR room turnovers, patient care, and inventory stocking. Cleans/processes endoscopes, specialty scopes, and accessories according to manufacturer's instructions and hospital policies including performing high level scope disinfection. Cleans, decontaminates, and sterilizes reusable patient care equipment, instrumentation, and supplies. Disassembles, inspects, inventories, and assembles procedural trays. Records and maintains required high level disinfection and sterilization records required by regulatory agencies. Utilizes knowledge of infection control principles, ensures work areas are maintained in such a manner as to promote patient/employee safety, and covers processing technician call as needed to meet departmental operational needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

1. High school diploma or equivalent.

2. Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) through the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) OR Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (CSPDT) through the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) within 12 months of hire.

3. Obtain certification in Basic Life Support within 30 days of hire.

Experience:

1. One (1) year experience in a patient support role.

To be completed as established by department: (Administered at Department level)

1. Complete Endoscopy Technician training/orientation program.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

1. Successful completion HSPA course for SPD ENDO/OR assignment.

2. Obtain CER, CRCST within two (2) years of employment.

Experience:

1. One (1) year of instrumentation, equipment, or endoscopy experience.

Core Duties and Responsibilities:

The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

1. Cleans, decontaminates, assembles, and processes reusable patient care equipment, instrumentation, endoscopes, and accessories according to manufacturer' instructions (IFU's). Follows departmental policies and procedures, infection control standards, and state/federal regulations. Discerns and distinguishes colors to identify bio burden on instruments, scopes, and equipment.

2. Operates all sterilization, high-level disinfection, and decontamination equipment in accordance with departmental policies and procedures safely and efficiently to maintain adequate inventory levels of ENDDO scopes, accessories, instruments, and supplies.

3. Restocks accurately procedural carts/work areas with scopes, accessories, instruments, and supplies. Inventories and maintains adequate levels of disinfectants and scope/instrument cleaning solutions utilized in work areas.

4. Checks the expiration dates (or hang times of scopes) of instrumentation, accessories, and supplies. Restocks accurately with unexpired products. Inventories and maintains adequate levels of scopes, accessories, instrumentation, and supplies.

5. Stages and delivers procedural carts, stocking carts, and equipment. Places or returns scopes, instrumentation, supplies, or equipment to designated storage locations. Maintains egress corridors.

6. Assembles, cleans, and tracks procedural carts, scope containers, and transport bins.

7. Records and maintains required sterilization records and QA logs such as manometry catheter processing log. Performs and maintains records of daily quality assurance checks on endoscopy and specialty scopes/instruments/equipment.

8. Utilizes computer software to track scope and instrument processing.

9. Reports and records missing and or damaged scopes/accessories/instruments to leadership team.

10. Performs delegated tasks to assist with ENDO/OR room turnovers. Room turnovers may include pre-cleaning of scopes at point of use, post-case cleaning, and cleaning of equipment/environment. May perform point of care testing and quality processing cleaning audits within the scope of support role.

11. Assists with patient transfers under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. Cleans transport devices.

12. Utilizes appropriate aseptic technique to open sterile supplies for patient use or for sterile field. Performs designated daily, weekly, and/or monthly cleaning tasks including scope cabinets, storerooms, procedural rooms, computers, monitors, warmers, carts, and autoclaves.

13. Transports non-controlled substances at the request of a licensed care provider. May transport patient with a PCA/Epidural pump.

14. Transports specimens and blood at the request of a licensed care provider. Promptly runs errands as directed.

15. Transports linens, trash, and bio hazardous materials according to established policies wearing PPE and ensuring correct signage is in place prior to transport.

16. Assists in routine unit operations as directed/needed to assure smooth communication and function of the unit. Relays accurate telephone, visitor, patient, and healthcare provider messages to appropriate persons in a timely manner.

17. Daily maintains work area(s) in a clean, neat, and orderly fashion. Cleans work area prior to end of shift in preparation for the oncoming shift.

18. Attends regularly scheduled in-services and staff meetings. Participates in training to enhance care and handling of new scopes, Instruments, equipment, accessories, and supplies.

19. Covers ENDO/OR processing technician call as needed to meet departmental operational needs.

20. Other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Must be physically capable of prolonged periods of standing and walking.

2. Must be capable of lifting up to 60 pounds and pushing loaded carts weighing in excess of 200 pounds.

3. Must process visual, hearing, and oral acuity to perform work functions such as reading IFUs to process Instrumentation and scopes as well as to communicate with other healthcare providers and business associates.

4. Must be able to discern and distinguish colors.

5. Possess manual dexterity to perform technical tasks.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Must be able to work in a high stress/volume environment wearing surgical attire and PPE appropriate for work areas.

2. Must be able to enter a patient care environment during surgical or procedural case.

3. Must be able to handle chemicals, disinfectants, and other solutions used for sterilization and high level disinfection.

4. Exposed to communicable diseases, body fluids, and chemicals.

5. Work area supports the activities of multiple healthcare providers.

6. Weekday, weekend, and holiday call as needed.

Skills and Abilities:

1. Must be able to operate computer programs with training such as instrument tracking system and scope cleaning software,; able to use

2. Must have the ability to follow written and verbal directions.

3. Team-centered professional communications with physicians, nurses, technicians, and other customers.

4. Knowledge of infection control principles applicable in hospital/clinical/care environment setting.

5. Abilities to perform multi-step procedures and prioritize work tasks.

6. English verbal and written proficiencies to utilize high level disinfection/sterilization IFU's.

Additional Job Description:

This position is to work in both Sterile Processing and Endoscopy Processing and requires training at UHC.

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Shift: Varied (United States of America)

Exempt/Non-Exempt: United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Company: WVUH West Virginia University Hospitals

Cost Center: 1506 WVUH FMT Surgical Services

Address: 1325 Locust Avenue Fairmont West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal,