Sterile Processing Technician - Full Time (Evenings)

Tufts Medicine•Boston, MA

4d•$22 - $27

About The Position

This entry-level clinical technologist role supports hospital sterilization services by maintaining sterile equipment, assembling medical equipment, maintaining inventory, ordering supplies, and providing instruments for medical procedures. The position is responsible for decontaminating, assembling, and sterilizing instruments used throughout the hospital, including general surgical instrumentation. Work includes receiving and sorting surgical and clinic items, inspecting and packaging instruments and kits, selecting appropriate sterilization methods and cycles, documenting sterile processing, and accurately assigning inventory for case carts. The work follows established procedures and is closely supervised. The technician uses manual and automated cleaning equipment, instrument-tracking and asset-tracking software, and sterilizers. The role also supports surgical case-cart preparation, routine sterilizer testing and maintenance, instrument inspection, and communication of missing items or unmet supply requests. The position requires use of personal protective equipment and maintaining a clean work area. The role requires a high school diploma or equivalent and CRCST or CBSPD certification within six months of hire. Completion of a certified Central Processing program is preferred. The pay range is $21.53–$26.91, based on full-time equivalent.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Central Services Technician National Certification (CRCST) or Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) certification within six months of hire.
Efficient operation of equipment within the department.
Knowledge of general and specialty instrumentation.
Ability to listen to instructions, translate them into activities, and reproduce what is taught.
Strong conscientiousness regarding procedures and ability to follow guidelines without taking technique-related shortcuts.
Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, and handle changing environments and assignments.
Ability to communicate effectively and meet telephone and customer service standards.
Computer skills, including Microsoft Office and instrument-tracking systems.
Knowledge of hospitals, infection control, and medical terminology.
Ability to frequently lift, reach, carry, push, and pull 40–50 pounds or more.
Ability to stand and sit in combination for eight hours or the length of the assignment.
Ability to perceive object attributes by touch, hear spoken communication and equipment alerts, see clearly at near and far distances, and distinguish colors.

Nice To Haves

Completion of a certified program in Central Processing.

Responsibilities

Receive contaminated equipment, surgical instruments, scopes, and supplies from operating rooms, patient care units, and specialized areas.
Disassemble items as needed and select appropriate cleaning methods.
Identify items needing repair upon receipt and preserve relevant information throughout the cleaning process.
Use appropriate manual cleaning tools and supplies to decontaminate instruments.
Operate automated cleaning equipment, including loading washers and selecting appropriate cycles.
Document work using instrument-tracking software.
Inspect and assemble equipment, instruments, scopes, and sets according to product recipes, verifying functionality, cleanliness, and completeness.
Document missing items from instrument sets and escalate them to the SPD Supervisor or designee.
Select appropriate packaging methods and sterilization accessories, and securely attach external indicators and labels.
Transport items to sterilization as needed.
Interpret package labeling and select the appropriate sterilization method and approved cycle, such as steam or hydrogen peroxide plasma.
Inspect packages and return unsatisfactory products to the instrument room.
Load sterilizers appropriately and perform biological testing, routine sterilizer testing, and maintenance, including leak tests and Bowie-Dick tests.
Use patient-specific pick lists to gather requested surgical instruments and disposable supplies.
Document and update the case-cart build process in instrument-tracking software.
Inspect items during picking for package integrity, expiration dates, and appropriate substitutions.
Communicate unmet surgical supply requests to leadership for resolution.
Return unused supplies to their proper stock locations after procedures.
Wear required personal protective equipment at all times.
Clean work areas with antibacterial agents upon completion of work or as needed.
Document item arrival and cleaning using asset-tracking software.
Interpret and document sterilizer testing results and escalate positive results for intervention.