Sterile Processing Technician

HCA Healthcare • San Antonio, TX

5d

About The Position

The Sterile Processing Technician cleans, decontaminates, assembles, sterilizes, and stores reusable surgical instruments and provides instruments for surgeries and other hospital departments. The role supports infection prevention and patient safety by following asepsis principles, universal precautions, hospital and OSHA policies, and applicable national standards and recommended practices.

The technician monitors surgery schedules and prepares instruments, trays, packs, and case carts for procedures. Responsibilities include inspecting, testing, and maintaining instruments; operating and maintaining sterilization equipment; reprocessing flexible endoscopes as needed; and documenting sterilization, washing, testing, environmental conditions, inventories, and related records. The position also responds to instrument needs during surgical cases, audits trays and processes, tracks loaner equipment, and maintains department environmental parameters.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) or Certified Registered Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (CSPDT); a two-year grace period is stated.

Nice To Haves

• One year of experience.

Responsibilities

• Apply asepsis principles to prevent infection and support optimum patient care.
• Follow patient safety initiatives, National Patient Safety Goals, universal precautions, and hospital and OSHA policies.
• Monitor daily surgery schedules and identify general, specific, and potential instrument needs for cases.
• Inspect, assemble, and test general and specialty instruments; identify trays and report, replace, or arrange repair of missing or malfunctioning instruments.
• Assemble, wrap, seal, and label instrument packs and trays for sterilization.
• Manage the sterilization process, including receiving, decontaminating, preparing, packing, sterilizing, documenting, and storing supplies, instruments, and equipment.
• Operate and maintain autoclaves, ultrasonic washers, cart washers, and other sterilization equipment.
• Maintain complete documentation of washing, sterilization, machine testing and repair testing, temperature, humidity, air pressure, early implant release, and eyewash station testing.
• Decontaminate, reprocess, and maintain flexible endoscopes as needed.
• Prepare, assemble, and package instruments for surgery and other hospital departments.
• Prepare surgical sets, instruments, and trays according to procedures and verify their correctness and accuracy.
• Pull customized case-cart sheets and prepare case carts for surgical procedures.
• Inventory, maintain, and supply operating room storage areas, specialty lockers, carts, and equipment.
• Respond to instrument needs during surgical cases.
• Audit trays and processes for decontamination, washing, assembly, sterilization, implant usage, and instrument count sheets; track loaner equipment.
• Check packaging condition before items are sent to sterile storage, the operating room, or a nursing care unit.
• Maintain records of inventories, instrument set contents, sterilized goods, biological test results, sterilization, and washing for infection-control practices.
• Maintain department temperature, humidity, and air-pressure parameters.
• Attend in-service presentations, including those on infection control, patient safety, quality improvement, SDS, and OSHA standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned and adhere to the Code of Conduct and Mission and Value Statement.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, behavioral health, and telemedicine benefits.
• Wellbeing support, including free counseling and referral services.
• Paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage, and leaves of absence.
• 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.
• Tuition assistance, student loan assistance, certification support, dependent scholarships, and a partnership with Galen College of Nursing.
• Fertility and family-building benefits and adoption assistance.
• Life insurance and supplemental health protection plans.
• Auto and home insurance, legal counseling, identity theft protection, and consumer discounts.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED