Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Job Title

Sterile Processing Technician

Duties

The position is assigned to the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) under the Chief of SPS at the Washington, DC, VA Medical Center. SPS is the central point within the Medical Center, providing the technical supply functions of collecting, processing, and decontaminating soiled supplies, instruments, and equipment; preparing and sterilizing instruments; maintaining medical equipment; and receiving, storing, and distributing medical and surgical supplies, instruments, and equipment. The section comprises four main areas of responsibility: decontamination, preparation, case carts, and endoscope reprocessing.

The duties include:

• Completely and thoroughly disassembles and positions all parts of reusable medical devices to ensure the removal of bioburden, proper cleaning, and disinfection prior to sterilization.
• Performs leak tests on endoscopes to ensure that the watertight integrity of the scope is intact before initiating the cleaning and high-level disinfection process or terminal sterilization.
• Operates decontamination equipment such as washer decontaminators, sonic washers, irrigators, automatic cart wash and tube dryers.
• Interprets mechanical printouts and biological indicators to validate that sterilization of reusable medical devices is within acceptable parameters.
• Assembles minor and complex tray sets and instrumentation packs used for a variety of general and specialized medical and surgical procedures.
• Performs high-level disinfection using appropriate hospital-approved solutions according to the manufacturer's guidelines, documents, and validates that chemicals are tested and meet requirements to ensure that disinfection has occurred.
• Follows established safety practices, including proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Conducts manual or automated high-level disinfection using facility-approved disinfectants and prescribed exposure times.
• Assists with pre-cleaning of reusable medical equipment in accordance with written SOPs and manufacturer instructions.
• Performs quality assurance activities including but not limited to monitoring biological and chemical indicators and integrators, Bowie Dick tests, time and temperature logs, and ensures appropriate reusable medical device checks are documented after sterilization or reprocessing.
• Performs other quality assurance activities, including verifying the accuracy of labeling, contents, cleanliness, working order, and sterilization parameters.
• Evaluates gathered data and, based on findings, makes recommendations to improve effectiveness or processes.
• Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload.
• Assists with internal audits using systematic reviews and quality assurance protocols in SPS, adhering to strict compliance with all established policies and regulations as well as compliance with HSPA, AAMI/ANSI, TJC, OSHA & VHA requirements.
• Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material, instrumentation and documentation.
• Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes, and task completion.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: 7:00 am - 3:30 pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full-time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 688-26261F, 26262F, 26263F, 26256F

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized