Sterile Processing Technician

Sterile Processing Technician

Last year our HCA Healthcare colleagues invested over 156,000 hours volunteering in our communities. As a Sterile Processing Technician with Methodist Hospital you can be a part of an organization that is devoted to giving back!

The Sterile Processing Technician is responsible for cleaning, decontaminating, assembling, sterilizing, and storing all reusable surgical instruments for patient care. The Sterile Processing Technician also provides all needed instruments for surgery and outside departments.

Major Responsibilities:

• Applies the principles of asepsis to ensure the prevention of infection and maintain optimum patient care.
• Demonstrates compliance with the Patient Safety Initiatives, National Patient Safety Goals (i.e. infection control, hand washing, etc.). Follows universal precautions as required by hospital and OSHA policies.
• Monitors surgery schedules daily, identifying general, specific and potential needs for all cases.
• Inspects, assembles, and tests general and specialty instrumentation for proper functioning. Identifies tray type by contents of instrument tray. Identifies malfunctioning instruments and replaces or reports instruments that need repair or that are missing.
• Assembles instrument packs and trays for sterilization. Wraps, seals and accurately labels items that are to be sterilized.
• Controls the entire sterilization process. Receives, decontaminates, preps, packs, sterilizes, documents, and stores supplies, instruments, and equipment. Ensures compliance with national standards and recommended practices.
• Operates and maintains all sterilization equipment, such as autoclaves, ultrasonic washer, and cart washer. Maintains accurate and complete documentation of all washing, sterilization, daily machine testing, proper testing after a repair of machine, temperature, humidity, air pressure, early release of implants, and eye wash station testing.
• Decontaminates, reprocesses and maintains flexible endoscopes as needed.
• Prepares, assembles and packages all instruments for surgery and other hospital departments.
• Prepares surgical sets, instruments, and trays according to prescribed procedures, ensuring that all instrumentation is correct and accurate.
• Pulls customized case cart sheets for all surgical procedures and prepares case carts.
• Inventories, maintains and supplies OR storage areas, specialty lockers, carts and equipment used.
• Responds to instrument needs during surgical cases.
• Audits trays for decontamination, washing, assembly, sterilization, implant usage, and instrument count sheets and tracks loaner equipment.
• Checks condition of packaging prior to sending to sterile storage, operating room, and/or Nursing Care unit.
• Creates and maintains accurate records regarding inventories, instrument set content, sterilized goods, biological test results, sterilization, and washing records for infection control practice.
• Maintains proper department temperature, humidity and air pressure parameters.
• Attends in-service presentations, including but not limited to infection control, patient safety, quality improvement, SDS and OSHA standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Practices and adheres to the “Code of Conduct” and “Mission and Value Statement.”

Education & Experience:

• Required: Highschool/GED
• Preferred: 1 year of experience

Licensure, Certifications, Training:

• Required: Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) –or– Certified Registered Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (CSPDT) - Grace period: 2 years

Methodist Hospital, offers a total rewards package that supports the health, life, career and retirement of our colleagues. The available plans and programs include:

• Comprehensive benefits for medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, behavioral health and telemedicine services
• Wellbeing support, including free counseling and referral services
• Time away from work programs for paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage and leaves of absence
• Savings and retirement resources, including a 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, flexible spending accounts, preferred banking partnerships, retirement readiness tools, rollover support and financial wellbeing counseling
• Education support through tuition assistance, student loan assistance, certification support, dependent scholarships and a partnership with Galen College of Nursing
• Additional benefits for fertility and family building, adoption assistance, life insurance, supplemental health protection plans, auto and home insurance, legal counseling, identity theft protection and consumer discounts

Methodist Hospital opened in 1963 as the first hospital in the now internationally acclaimed South Texas Medical Center. With over 900 beds, Methodist Hospital offers a broad range of specialties including cardiology, oncology, bone marrow transplants, emergency medicine, neurosciences, maternity care, gynecology and orthopedics. We are proud to be the largest provider of the lifesaving ECMO Program in San Antonio, are home to the largest robotics program in the world, and our Adult Blood Cancer and Stem Cell Transplant unit has become the first program to receive FACT Accreditation in North America.

As the flagship hospital, and most comprehensive medical care facility of Methodist Healthcare, we appreciate the support and recognition we receive from the community. We’ve recently been named the No.1 Best Regional Hospital by the U.S. News and World Report for 2019-20. We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality of care possible for our patients, which is proven by our consecutive Grade A Leapfrog Hospital Safety scores. In addition, Methodist Hospital not only received a Primary Stroke Center designation from The Joint Commission, but has also received a Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification from DNV GL Healthcare, designating the facility as offering the most advanced stroke treatment available in a given geographic area.

Be a part of an organization that invests in you! We are reviewing applications for our Sterile Processing Technician opening. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. Submit your application and help us raise the bar in patient care!

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.