Central Service Tech II - North Liberty Campus

UIOWA•Iowa City, IA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

University of Iowa Health Care - Medical Center North Liberty is seeking to fill a full-time Central Service Technician position. This role will serve as a lead technician, demonstrating expertise in all central sterilization processes, identifying operational concerns, and taking corrective action. The technician will assign duties, monitor staff competency, and assist with performance evaluations. Training will be provided under the direction of CST IIIs, with documentation of employee progress. Responsibilities include decontaminating, disassembling, inspecting, cleaning, sorting, and reassembling complex surgical instrument and implant trays, as well as operating various cleaning and sterilization equipment. The role involves performing microbicidal processes, adhering to standard/transmission-based precautions, and ensuring infection prevention practices are followed. Handling large volumes of diverse medical instrumentation and maintaining a clean, safe environment are key. The technician will use computer systems and guides to assemble instrument trays, inspect instruments for function and cleanliness, and ensure quality assurance mechanisms are in place. Sterilization processes, packaging inspection, equipment operation, safety procedures, documentation, and prioritization are critical. The role requires performing duties in a high-stress environment, responding to emergencies, and managing a high volume of phone calls. Inventory management for supplies and implants, monitoring stock levels, and replenishing items are also part of the duties. Biological monitoring of sterilizers, conducting challenge tests, and performing preventative maintenance on equipment are required. Participation in department committees, meetings, projects, and in-services is expected, along with contributing to quality improvement activities and reporting deviations. Other assigned projects or tasks may be required.

Requirements

Verified experience with or documented completion of a medical terminology course
High school graduation or equivalent, with courses in the physical and natural sciences and mathematics
Must possess and maintain certification from the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) or the International Association of Health Care Service Material Management (IAHCSMM)
Two years of related experience working in a medical field that includes a sterile processing component, or,
One year of working in sterile processing and one year of experience in a functional supervision role, or;
One year of related experience in a medical field that includes a sterile processing component and one year of college level course work.

Responsibilities

Serves as lead technician by demonstrating expertise in all central sterilization processes.
Identifies operational concerns and takes corrective action.
Assigns technical duties to personnel and assumes responsibility for accurately completing shift duties.
Participates in assessment and monitoring of staff competency, provides feedback and support to assist with performance evaluations.
Under direction of the CST IIIs performs all aspects of training within their area of responsibility and documents employee training progress in training guides.
Decontaminates, disassembles, inspects, cleans, sorts, and reassembles complex surgical instrument and implant trays, operates automatic scope washers, sonic washers, mechanical washer/decontaminators, inspection equipment and sterilizers.
Performs transportation of contaminated and sterilized/ high level disinfected devices following infection prevention practices and organizational guidance.
Performs microbicidal processes, standard/transmission-based precautions and engineering and work practice controls.
Performs infection prevention processes to remove all contaminants (blood, tissue, fluids, bioburden, etc.) from surgical instruments, utensils and other surgical items.
Handles large volumes of complex medical instrumentation, flexible scopes, delicate eye instruments, power equipment and different instrument patterns.
Maintains a clean and safe environment by adhering to Standard Precautions and Infection Control practices which includes proper Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE), safe chemical handling practices, and body mechanics (i.e. ergonomics, human factors).
References materials via computer systems, follows guides and instructions to assemble high complexity and volume of instrument trays.
Inspects and evaluates instruments for proper function and cleanliness.
Confirms all quality assurance mechanisms are in place.
Performs all aspects of sterilization, packaging inspection, equipment operation, safety procedures, proper documentation, and prioritization.
Sterilizes items per manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU), verifies correct parameters used for all instruments.
Assembles instrument trays in accordance with patient/surgeon procedure specific cards within appropriate time frame and documents missing items.
Performs duties in a high stress environment, responds to emergencies and urgent add-on cases.
Receives and responds to a high volume of phone calls to provide additional items as needed.
Performs inventory management for high volume of supplies and implants.
Monitors and replenishes stock levels through use of multiple computer software programs and checks stock expiration dates.
Restocks items and adds new items to inventory.
Performs biological monitoring of sterilizers to ensure sterilizer efficacy.
Conducts challenge tests on sterilization and decontamination equipment.
Performs preventative maintenance functions on all equipment, as needed.
Participates in and contributes to department/division/unit committees, meetings and/or projects and in-services.
Participates in quality improvement activities, including waste, duplication reduction and process improvement.
Report quality and process deviations following institutional guidance.
Performs other projects or tasks as assigned.