CENTRAL SERVICE TECHNICIAN

Independence Health System - Westmoreland Area; Greensburg (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking healthcare organization as a Central Service Technician, where you will play a vital role in ensuring the safety and sterility of surgical instruments. This position involves a variety of responsibilities, including decontaminating and inspecting surgical instruments, maintaining equipment, and ensuring compliance with sterilization protocols. You'll work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with a dedicated team to support surgical operations. If you are passionate about healthcare and eager to contribute to patient safety, this is an excellent opportunity to grow your career in the medical field.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; higher education preferred.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Decontaminate and inspect surgical instruments for the surgery department.
• Maintain sterilization equipment and ensure proper cleaning protocols.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Organizational Skills

Critical Thinking

Communication Skills

Education

High School Diploma

GED

Higher Education

Tools

Sterilization Equipment

Cleaning Solutions

Office Equipment

Job description

Position is sign-on bonus eligible, for full-time and part-time status and available at Westmoreland and Latrobe Hospitals.

The Technician, Central Service performs a wide array of duties to provide sterile instrumentation and trays to the Department of Surgery and other hospital departments. Works under the direction of the Sr. Technician for Central Services or Operating Room Management.

Essential Job Functions

1. Decontaminates and inspects surgical instruments
   • Wears Protective Attire (PPE)- Standard Precautions
   • Transports Equipment and Supplies as needed between departments
   • Maintains equipment as per manufacturers' instructions (e.g., Checks detergent level per shift)
   • Visually inspects instruments and trays to determine if pre-soaking is indicated
   • Uses tongs or forceps to remove instruments from basins
   • Inserts proper sized brush to clean channels of cannulated instrumentation
   • Chooses proper decontamination equipment per manufacturers' or OneSource Documents instructions
   • Arranges instruments, trays, and basins to facilitate proper cleaning
   • Selects proper cycle per manufacturers' or OneSource Documents instructions
2. Cleans and decontaminates reusable patient equipment
   • Cleans all surfaces with approved solution
   • Inspects electrical cords for fraying or other safety hazards
   • Ensures component parts are returned with equipment
   • Removes any damaged equipment requiring safety checks for use
   • Reassembles equipment and places in proper storage area
3. Visually examines instruments for remaining debris
4. Visually examines instruments for functionality
5. Arranges instruments to allow sterilant penetration
6. Ensures instrument tray is complete
7. Orders instruments as needed
8. Tapes instruments
9. Wraps instrument tray or places instruments in proper sterilization container
   • Uses proper size and type of sterilization wrap
   • Inserts chemical indicator/integrator in tray
   • Performs proper wrapping and taping technique
   • Records pertinent information on autoclavable tape/form
   • Places paper filter properly in sterilization container
   • Affixes load sticker to wrapped tray or container
   • Prepares all rerun instruments for the day
10. Loads sterilizer rack in a manner to allow sterilant penetration and moisture removal
11. Records load contents on sterilizer card/form
12. Places biological indicator in required sterilizer loads
13. Selects proper cycle per manufacturers' or OneSource Documents instructions
14. Examines sterilizer printout to ensure mechanical parameters of sterilization are met
15. Signs full name to sterilizer printout
16. Allows adequate time for proper cooling of sterilizer contents prior to removal from chamber
17. Unloads sterilizer contents and places in proper storage area
18. Performs biological monitoring and recordkeeping of sterilization cycles (steam, eto, sterrad)
    • Interprets and logs biological results in a timely manner
    • If applicable, records information on Implantable Load Form and returns form to Department of Surgery
    • Organizes all paperwork daily for end of month or other regulatory reporting
19. Manually cleans case carts after use
    • Places cart on hydraulic lift (where applicable by location)
    • Cleans interior and exterior sections of cart with approved solution
20. Transports clean carts and instruments as needed between departments.
21. Other duties as assigned.

Specialty Functions

1. Assures adequate stock is maintained
2. Places increase/decrease orders to linen room staff.
3. Puts line away
4. Stocks warmer
5. Conducts soiled pick-up rounds throughout the hospital as appropriate.
   • Retrieves soiled/used equipment and instruments per established schedule [Minimum 3 times daily]
6. Conducts Steris System IE biological testing for SPD on a daily basis
   • Tests unit in SPD
   • Completes and maintains records
7. Prepares loan/consign instruments.
   • Receives/documents items.
   • Inspects/decontaminates instruments.
   • Assembles appropriate instrumentation.
   • Sterilizes/delivers to OR for use.
8. Delivers additional trays and supplies to O.R.
9. Performs housekeeping functions - keeps area neat and organized.
10. Retrieves soiled carts/instruments following the procedures from both the OR and Labor and Delivery
11. Uses proper etiquette when answering phones
12. Cleans sterilizer chambers and carts as set forth in policy
13. Cases
    • Pick cases including add-ons
    • Fill all needs on carts
    • Organize case supplies and equipment for use by the OR Circulator and Technician
14. Scopes
    • Reprocess and store all assigned scopes as per manufacturers' instructions
      • These will include but may not be limited to gastroscopes, colonoscopies, bronchoscopes & other flexible or rigid scopes used within the Hospital.
    • Transportation
      • Transport patients
      • Obtain blood as needed
      • Transportation of needed items across the hospital
        • These will include but may not be limited to specimens to main lab, frozen section lab, radiology, medications from pharmacy or other case-sensitive items as needed.
      • Follow chain of care for communication of issues

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma, GED or next level of higher education.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• Basic working knowledge of computers and office equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

• One (1) to three (3) years of Central Service experience.
• CRCST and/or a Surgical Technician background.

License, Certification & Clearances

• As of September 1, 2017, any new or transferred employee must currently hold or obtain within 18 months of employment one of the following certifications: Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) or HealthCare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA).
• Act 81 Compliance.
• Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.