CS Technician I - Non-Certified

Mercycare; Cedar Rapids (IA); Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercy in Cedar Rapids is seeking a Central Sterile Technician to support patient-centered care by ensuring reusable medical devices are properly decontaminated, assembled, sterilized and distributed. The role requires adherence to safety standards and accurate documentation of sterilization processes.

Experience in healthcare sterilization is preferred. High School Diploma or equivalent is desired, with CRCST or sterilization training being a plus.

Qualifications

• Must read, write, speak, and comprehend English fluently.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks with frequent interruptions.
• Basic computer knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Decontaminate, assemble, wrap, label and inspect instruments.
• Operate and troubleshoot department equipment and report repairs.
• Document sterilization loads and perform biological tests.
• Transport and store sterile supplies and instruments safely.
• Understand and operate steam, gas plasma, and other sterilizers.
• Manage inventory and instrument tracking in the system.
• Maintain clean, orderly work area and follow safety guidelines.
• Assist new hires and support CS Aides as needed.

Skills

English fluency

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Education

High School Diploma

CRCST certification/exam

Sterilization course

Job description

Job Description

Work Shift Evening Shift Scheduled Weekly Hours 40 Summary This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing exceptional, quality services. Central Sterile supports many areas of the organization whose schedule is based on emergent needs and while rare, it may be required to work hours outside of your regular schedule. This position is responsible for ensuring that all reusable medical devices throughout the organization are properly tracked, decontaminated, assembled, inspected, packaged, sterilized or high-level disinfected (HLD), stored, and distributed in a quality and timely manner.

Job Duties/Essential Functions

Decontamination

• Identifies and uses appropriate methods and solutions to sort, disassemble, decontaminate, rinse, and disinfect instruments and reusable medical devices.
• Operates and troubleshoots equipment in the department and follows appropriate steps in reporting equipment for repair.
• Appropriately handles garbage, linen, and biohazardous materials.
• Maintains safety standards.

Preparing Instruments

• Consistently uses count sheets to correctly assemble, protect, wrap containerize and/or peel package and label instruments.
• Identifies and inspects instruments for cleanliness and functionality.
• Provides attention to detail when assembling and inspecting instrumentation.
• Ensure proper assembly, lubrication, inspection points and substitutions and counts are completed.
• Ensure appropriate instruments are in the sets and reviews Instructions for Use as needed.

Sterilization Process

• Selects appropriate sterilization methods and parameters.
• Knows and follows correct principles for sterilization.
• Utilizes Instruction for Use database and instrument tracking system to ensure all devices are properly sterilized.
• Properly document and verify sterilization loads and biological tests to determine the efficacy of the sterilization or disinfection process.

Transportation and Storage

• Properly handles and stores sterile supplies, equipment, and instruments.
• Ensures all standards are being followed when transporting both contaminated and processed reusable medical device.
• Tracks medical devices to the customer in a timely manner.

Equipment Use

• Understandss, uses, maintains, and operates the equipment specific to the department, i.e. steam, gas plasma and ozone sterilizers; cart washers; washer/disinfectors, ultrasonic cleaners, incubators, AER as well as a variety of testing devices and controls.

Inventory Control

• Knows and uses the processes involved in ordering, receiving, stocking, rotating delivering and monitoring usage of supplies and instrument tracking in the tracking system.
• Communicates supply issues to appropriate personnel in a timely manner.

Environmental Standards

• Maintains clean orderly work area.
• Completes assigned housekeeping duties.

Other Duties

• Performs other related job duties as required.
• Tracks progress and compliance to training, staff meeting and in-service education.
• Helps answer questions and assist new hires at CS Aides as necessary.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job specific safety duties and responsibilities.
• and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Must read, write, speak, comprehend English fluently. Perform simple math. Able to work with frequent interruptions and handle multiple tasks. Basic computer knowledge. Good interpersonal skills. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and the ability to receive and give constructive feedback. Good verbal and written communication skills as needed for the job, being concise by phone, intercom and in person. Self-motivated, able to work independently with little or no supervision while maintaining integrity. Able to learn concepts and apply them to his/her work. Follows Mercy´s safety guidelines, carries out job specific safety duties and responsibilities. and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents, and injuries.

Professional Experience

6 months of sterilization in a healthcare setting preferred.

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent strongly preferred. Completion of provisional Certified Registered Central Sterile Technician (CRCST) Exam or Sterilization course preferred.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

Current valid driver´s license, valid auto insurance, own transportation required.

Physical Requirements

Medium: Exert 20-50 lbs. of force occasionally and/or 10-15 lbs. of force frequently.

Pay Rate Type Hourly

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil unions status, paternal status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Talent Tuesdays

An open-house hiring event, every Tuesday.

Useful Links

• Benefits
• About Us
• Life at Mercy
• Life in Cedar Rapids