Sterile Processing Technician

Pay Range:$25.00 - $28.45

This position is responsible for collecting, decontaminating, disinfecting, sterilizing and packaging critical and semi-critical instruments and equipment in accordance with SEARHC (Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium) policies and procedures, manufacturer's written instructions for use and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) guidelines.

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health insurance, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

Key Essential Functions and Accountabilities of the Job

• Responsible for all steps necessary for the proper decontamination, disinfection, sterilization and packaging of instruments and equipment for Juneau Specialty Clinic and Juneau Primary Care.

• Supports decontamination, disinfection, sterilization and packaging of instruments and equipment as needed for other SEARHC services as workload permits.

• Completely and thoroughly dissembles instruments and equipment to ensure the removal of any debris, surgical soil and bioburdens prior to sterilization or high-level disinfection.

• Performs multi-step procedures to effectively reprocess various instruments, including autoclaving.

• Performs and validates all cleaning of instruments using SEARHC policies and procedure, manufacturers’ instructions for use guidelines, along with the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) guidelines.

• Maintains records for all sterilization procedures that are processed including interpretation of all biological monitoring, validation of monitoring results, and quality assurance checks to ensure sterilization parameters are met.

• Effectively communicates with providers and staff to problem solve in the event of an instrument shortage and the need to substitute and/or offer alternatives.

• Verifies that equipment functions properly, requisitions for equipment maintenance, repair, or replacement, and removes defective equipment.

• Maintains competency in sterilization reprocessing by return demonstration and participating in continuing education as requested.

• Assists in the training and certification of members of the team on SEARHC sterilization process as needed.

• Performs additional supply handling duties for Specialty Care and Primary Care at ELMC as time permits secondary to sterilization/reprocessing responsibilities. Duties include:

  • Product ordering and stocking

  • Inventory checks

  • Other basic inventory management functions as needed.

Additional Details:

Education, Certifications, and Licenses Required

• High school diploma/GED

• Current BLS (Basic Life Support) certification or obtained within 60 days of hire

• Certification in Sterile Processing and/or Technology required within one (1) year of hire date through either the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) or Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HPSA).

• Clinical Competency required within 3 months of hire and every three years

Experience Required

• One (1) year experience in a healthcare environment preferred

Knowledge of

• Knowledge of infection control preferred
• Knowledge of surgical instrumentation and care/cleaning strongly preferred
• Knowledge of sterile techniques preferred
• Knowledge of inventory management preferred

Skills in

• Strong oral & written communication skills
• Task and detail oriented
• Self-Motivated
• Ownership of project
• Advanced levels of hand & eye coordination skills
• Working level of organizational skills
• Computer skills

Ability to

• Use aggressive patient management techniques to diffuse any patient/visitor/peer volatile situations.

Position Information:

Work Shift:OT 8/40

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!