Sterile Processing Technician Lead

At STERIS, we help our Customers create a healthier and safer world by providing innovative healthcare and life science product and service solutions around the globe.

Position Summary

To provide on-site support, training, and communication regarding the reprocessing of surgical instruments and trays to contracted facilities in compliance with the Department of Health, TJC, OSHA, CDC, AAMI and AORN standards and facilities goals and policies.

Provides clinical operations support to customer facility pertaining to contracted management service and assists Manager, Sterile Processing to lead daily operations in the Sterile Processing Department.

Duties

Supports daily operations of all activities that relate to the reprocessing of reusable medical supplies and instrumentation including decontamination, cleaning, assembly, wrapping, sterilization, and storage processes within all set professional standards and regulations.

Assists Manager I, Sterile Processing to ensure proper operational procedures are followed by all members of the Steris IMS team.

• Collaborates with STERIS IMS Manager I, Sterile Processing for scheduling new STERIS IMS employee orientation, on-the-job training, in-service education and STERIS IMS or facility quality assurance programs when needed.
• Understands and promotes concepts of the Lean work environment as demonstrated through the proper use of the STERIS IMS Production Board.
• Responsible for directing department workflow based on Lean concepts.
• Schedules daily staff assignments.
• Supports and adheres to STERIS IMS policies and procedures and supports policies and procedures of facility.
• Refers all decisions beyond personal scope of responsibilities to STERIS IMS leadership.
• Reports broken instrumentation and equipment and communicates low par levels of SPD consumable supplies.
• Communicates to STERIS IMS leadership all non-compliance with regulatory and safety issues.
• Leads and participates in in-services and educational offerings provided by STERIS IMS in the facility.
• Promotes best demonstrated practices with co-workers through open communication and continuous improvement of skills.
• Maintains a professional relationship with all facility departments to ensure effective, efficient support to the patient caregivers.
• Answers and responds to calls from the OR and other end-users during assigned shift.
• Demonstrates and ensures proper care and handling of all hospital property including instrumentation, durable medical equipment and disposable supplies.

Duties - cont'd

• Assists in providing timely resolution to facility issues or concerns.
• Established ability to complete complex tasks based on applied knowledge under minimal supervision
• Able to work on complex and very critical processes and react to urgent needs to ensure OR needs are met ability to delegate to technicians appropriately
• Able to perform assembly on all instrument trays and sets with proficiency.
• Possess a detailed understanding of instruments and department equipment including special / complex set components.
• Ability to troubleshoot missing instrument replacements and anticipate tray needs for specials cases / unplanned cases.
• Completes documentation required by STERIS IMS related to Standard Operating Procedures or facility policies.
• Acts as a mentor / coach to Sterile Processing Technicians and may provide on-the-spot performance related feedback, when applicable.
• Must be able to assist with training of new employees and / or re-training for specific Standard Operating Procedures.
• Use established policies and procedures to complete work assignments
• Clearly communicate work flow in the department with technicians and leadership
• Communicate gaps / needs in department (staffing levels, trays, instrument, supply needs to leadership)
• Assist in gathering and interpreting data for metrics

Education Degree

High School Diploma or GED

Required Experience

• 2 - years’ experience demonstrated proficiency in Sterile Processing
• CRCST Certification and additional certification (CIS, CHL, FCS and / or Endo) required
• Basic computer skills and aptitude. Must be capable of learning software programs and / or hardware as required.
• Extensive knowledge of instrumentation. Proven ability to act as a resource for staff in both SPD and OR regarding identification and assembly of specialty instrument trays.
• Demonstrated proficiency with all areas of sterile processing including decontamination, cleaning, assembly, wrapping, sterilization, and storage processes within all set professional standards and regulations.

Computer Skills

Basic computer skills and aptitude.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

CRCST Certification and additional certification (CIS, CHL, FCS and / or Endo) required

Other Skills and Abilities

Medical instrument knowledge. Knowledge of sterilization and processing equipment.

Other Qualifications

Ability to work daily in a fast-paced, high pressure Healthcare Service environment.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands and reach with hands and arms.

The employee is frequently required to sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk, see and hear. The employee must frequently lift and / or move up to 50 pounds, push and / or pull up to 300 pounds on a cart or carriage.

Preferred Experience

Completion of a Sterile Processing / Surgical Technologist program preferred.

Skills

STERIS is a leading global provider of products and services that support patient care with an emphasis on infection prevention.

WE HELP OUR CUSTOMERS CREATE A HEALTHIER AND SAFER WORLD by providing innovative healthcare, life sciences and dental products and services.

STERIS is a $5 billion, publicly traded (NYSE : STE) company with approximately 17,000 associates and Customers in more than 100 countries.

STERIS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and the use of affirmative action programs to ensure that persons are recruited, hired, trained, transferred and promoted in all job groups regardless of race, color, religion, age, disability, national origin, citizenship status, military or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

We are not only committed to this policy by our status as a federal government contractor, but also we are strongly bound by the principle of equal employment opportunity.

The full affirmative action program, absent the data metrics required by 60-741.44(k), shall be available to all employees and applicants for employment for inspection upon request.

The program may be obtained at your location’s HR Office during normal business hours.