Supervisor, Central Sterile Processing

UPMC • Harrisburg, PA

2d

About The Position

The Supervisor, Central Sterile Processing coordinates the department’s daily operations and ensures instruments and equipment are cleaned and decontaminated, assembled, packaged, sterilized, and distributed to patient care providers. The supervisor oversees employees and serves as a resource for customers addressing service problems and questions.

This role collaborates with the manager to uphold quality standards and regulatory requirements, support quality service and cost containment, and develop a qualified and competent workgroup through coaching, scheduling, motivation, and employee development. The supervisor also coordinates instrument ordering with the Operating Room, maintains count sheets in the instrument tracking system, helps return sets with missing critical components to circulation, and supports improvements to instrument-set efficiency. The role remains visible and accessible to troubleshoot and solve problems across the OR and Sterile Processing Department.

The position emphasizes communication, patient safety, continuous quality improvement, professional development, mentoring, customer service, and collaboration. Eligible candidates may be offered a sign-on bonus of up to $5,000 based on years of experience.

Requirements

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Three years of experience in central sterile processing.
• Two years of supervisory or team-leader experience.
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, physicians, staff in other hospital departments, and outside contacts.
• Complete 10 hours of continuing education annually to remain qualified as a Central Sterile Technician.
• Ability to stand for all shift hours and lift, push, and pull up to 35 pounds.
• Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution certification or Certified Registered Central Service Technician certification through the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association.
• Act 34 clearance.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily Central Sterile Processing operations, including cleaning and decontamination, assembly, packaging, sterilization, and distribution of instruments and equipment.
• Supervise employees and serve as a resource for customer service problems and questions.
• Communicate effectively, maintain comprehensive documentation, and make recommendations for changes in unit practices.
• Apply critical thinking and incorporate professional, business-unit, and health-system goals into daily work to improve patient safety, quality, and patient experience.
• Use performance-improvement tools and techniques to improve care quality, work environment, and outcomes; share learning with other units or across the system.
• Help reduce surgical instrument errors and collaborate with department leadership on streamlined same-day instrument-processing turnaround.
• Build productive working relationships, mentor colleagues, model positive communication, and coach colleagues on cultural diversity and workplace concerns.
• Plan and complete growth-oriented and developmental activities.
• Coordinate internal and external educational opportunities that help staff maintain required knowledge, credits, and certifications.
• Support the development of patients, families, peers, and healthcare-team members through mentoring, education, and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with the manager to implement, communicate, and develop standards of care and ensure adherence to organizational, departmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Model excellent customer service and respond constructively to the needs of people encountered in daily work.
• Support departmental goals for quality service, system improvement, and cost containment by contributing to recommended changes.
• Coach, schedule, motivate, and assist in developing Central Sterile Processing employees.
• Participate in preparing annual staff evaluation documents.
• Process and sterilize equipment and instruments according to departmental standards, professional regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Coordinate instrumentation ordering with the Operating Room, update count sheets in the instrument tracking system, and ensure sets missing critical components are returned to circulation promptly.
• Serve as a resource for the instrument tracking system and help streamline and consolidate instrumentation sets.
• Remain accessible and visible to troubleshoot and solve problems across the OR and Sterile Processing Department.

Benefits

• Eligible candidates may be offered a sign-on bonus of up to $5,000 based on years of experience.

What This Job Offers

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