Sterile Processing Technician

HCA Healthcare•San Antonio, TX

About The Position

The Sterile Processing Technician cleans, decontaminates, assembles, sterilizes, and stores reusable surgical instruments for patient care, and provides instruments for surgery and other hospital departments. The role applies aseptic principles and follows patient-safety, infection-control, universal-precaution, hospital, and OSHA requirements. It monitors surgical schedules and prepares instruments, trays, packs, and case carts for scheduled procedures. The technician controls the sterilization process, including receiving, decontaminating, preparing, packaging, sterilizing, documenting, and storing instruments and supplies. The role operates and maintains sterilization equipment, reprocesses flexible endoscopes as needed, audits trays and loaner equipment, maintains inventories and records, and responds to instrument needs during surgical cases. It also monitors department environmental parameters, attends required in-service presentations, and performs other duties as assigned.

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 aseptic principles and follow infection-control, patient-safety, universal-precaution, hospital, and OSHA requirements.
Monitor daily surgery schedules and identify general, specific, and potential instrument needs for cases.
Inspect, assemble, and test general and specialty instruments; identify tray types and replace or report missing or malfunctioning instruments.
Assemble, wrap, seal, and accurately label instrument packs and trays for sterilization.
Manage the sterilization process, including receiving, decontaminating, preparing, packaging, sterilizing, documenting, and storing supplies, instruments, and equipment in accordance with applicable standards and recommended practices.
Operate and maintain autoclaves, ultrasonic washers, cart washers, and other sterilization equipment; document required processing, testing, and environmental information.
Decontaminate, reprocess, and maintain flexible endoscopes as needed.
Prepare, assemble, and package instruments for surgery and other hospital departments; prepare surgical sets and trays according to prescribed procedures.
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 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.
Create and maintain accurate inventory, instrument-set, sterilized-goods, biological-test, sterilization, and washing records for infection-control practices.
Maintain department temperature, humidity, and air-pressure parameters.
Attend in-service presentations, including those covering 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 coverage.
Free counseling and referral services.
Paid time off and 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.
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.
Preferred banking partnerships, retirement-readiness tools, rollover support, and financial-wellbeing counseling.