Sterile Processing Tech, UofL Hospital, 6a-3:30p

Sterile Processing Technician

About UofL Health: UofL Health is a fully integrated regional academic health system with five hospitals, four medical centers, nearly 200 physician practice locations, more than 700 providers, the Frazier Rehab Institute and Brown Cancer Center. With more than 12,000 team membersphysicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and other highly skilled health care professionalsUofL Health is focused on one mission: delivering patient-centered care to each and every patient each and every day.

Job Description: The primary purpose of Sterile Processing is to assist in direct patient care by ensuring the OR staff has correct, fully functional, sterile instrumentation delivered in a timely manner consistent with the highest standards of customer service. Sterile Processing Department (SPD) Techs are asked to perform the four basic departmental functions (decontamination, prep and pack, sterilization, and dispatch) with efficiency, expertise, and accuracy. The SPD Tech will display resourcefulness, determination, courtesy, and professionalism while adhering to the standards and procedures associated with the preparation, sterilization, storage, and delivery of surgical instrumentation per Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Associates of perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and CDC guidelines.

Essential Functions:

• Answers telephone promptly and assist caller with obtaining items needed
• Assembles supplies and places into case carts for scheduled and non-scheduled procedures
• Makes rounds throughout the hospital to deliver sterile and non-sterile instrumentation, supplies and equipment, and to pick-up contaminated or credit instrumentation, supplies and equipment
• Delivers scheduled case carts to the Surgery Department
• Inventories and delivers back-up case carts to the Surgery Department and required areas
• Maintains responsibility for returned instrumentation and supplies (if applicable) that is unused, and the integrity of packaging has not been compromised
• Performs cleaning and decontamination duties, working quickly and safely and thoroughly addresses all instrumentation taking into account any unique cleaning demands
• Inspects, assembles, and packages all decontaminated reusable instruments and sets ensuring for cleanliness and functionality of all instrumentation
• Operates all processing equipment used within the department
• Performs sterilization and all associated monitoring activities
• Observes all safety and security procedures; Reports potential unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly
• Assists in keeping the department organized, neat, clean, and fully stocked while providing quality customer service to all customers, including co-workers

Other Functions:

• Performs duties in a safe manner, to prevent injury to self, patients, visitors or other hospital personnel
• Contributes to maintaining supplies and sterile items for use throughout the hospital; keeps department clean, neat, and well organized
• Prioritizes work and focuses on consistent throughput
• Performs dispatch duties
• Contributes to all official departmental business in a professional manner
• Displays behavior that is consistent with a thorough understanding of the SPD Mission, Vision, and Values
• Maintains compliance with all company policies, procedures and standards of conduct
• Complies with HIPAA privacy and security requirements to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Performs other duties as assigned

Job Requirements (Education, Experience, Licensure and Certification):

• Education: High school diploma or GED/ equivalent (required)
• Experience: One (1) year of previous experience in a healthcare setting in a clinical capacity (preferred) Previous experience in sterile processing (strongly preferred)
• Certification: Nationally recognized certification for Sterile Processing required within 12 months of hire date (required)

Job Competency: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities critical to this role:

• Effectively communicates with co-workers and all other hospital personnel
• Able to decontaminate all reusable instruments, sets, and utensils according to acceptable sterile processing standards
• Knowledgeable regarding biological monitoring
• Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect regardless of their status or position
• Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, gathering relevant data while attending to essential details; checks work for accuracy and quality.
• Must be able to problem-solve
• Must have strong relationship building skills and the ability to make and use connections throughout UofL Health to complete projects and maintain strong partnerships with other departments
• Must have strong initiative and be able to gather and analyze information skillfully and be able to brainstorm alternative resources and directions
• Must have the capacity to learn other relevant systems and databases, as needed

Language Ability: Adequate conversational English is required to ensure the individual be able to take direction from management, understand how to complete job tasks, communicate adequately with patients and co-workers as necessary, understand and follow safety guidelines, and organizational policies

Reasoning Ability: Must have ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions

Computer Skills: Working knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office programs

Additional Responsibilities: Demonstrates a commitment to service, organization values and professionalism through appropriate conduct and demeanor at all times