Sterile Processing Tech

St Joseph Medical Center; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Tacoma, WA, seeks a Sterile Processing Professional to safeguard patient safety by ensuring surgical teams receive correct, sterile instruments. You will decontaminate, prep and pack, sterilize, and dispatch instruments with accuracy and professionalism, while expanding knowledge of standards and procedures for instrumentation.

The role requires exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and a rigorous commitment to infection control to

Qualifications

• One year of related work experience in central services or hospital environment.
• Certification as Central Service Technician within 6 months.
• Certification as Sterile Processing Technician within 6 months.
• Certification as Sterile Processing Dist Tech within 6 months.
• Certification as Sterile Processing Dist Supervisor within 6 months.

Responsibilities

• Collects, decontaminates, cleans, and tracks reusable equipment per department, manufacturer, and OSHA standards.
• Inspects, disassembles, cleans, and processes reusable instrumentation; uses specialized cleaning equipment and follows manufacturer guidelines.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Infection control

Education

Certified Central Service Technician

Certified Sterile Processing Technician

Cert Sterile Processing Dist Tech

Certified Sterile Processing Dist Supervisor

IAHCSMM Course (International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management)

Tools

Sterilization equipment

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As our Sterile Processing Professional, you will be a critical guardian of patient safety, ensuring surgical teams receive correct, fully functional, and sterile instrumentation.

Every day, you will expertly perform decontamination, prep and pack, sterilization, and dispatch with efficiency, expertise, and accuracy, delivering instruments with resourcefulness, determination, courtesy, and professionalism. You will continuously expand your knowledge of standards and procedures for surgical instrumentation.

To be successful in this role, you will possess exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and a rigorous commitment to infection control, ensuring optimal surgical outcomes with a professional demeanor.

• Collects and decontaminates and cleans reusable equipment and/or supplies and associated storage units in accordance with department, manufacturer, and OSHA standards. Collects, clean/decontaminates, checks, distributes, and tracks patient care equipment.
• Inspects, disassembles sorts, cleans, and processes reusable instrumentation and equipment; selects and operates specialized cleaning equipment; follows manufacturer recommendations for cleaning guidelines and proper use of cleaning agents.
• Identifies, inspects, and assembles, all general and specialty instruments, various power equipment, laser and endoscopes instruments per specifications and manufacturer recommendations. Assembles instruments, complex instrument sets, and other surgical items and kits by selecting the appropriate items, trays, instruments, and arrange them in the correct manner permitting effective sterilization using existing standard operating procedures and surgical case count sheets. Processes complicated procedural sets such as the ear tray, vascular tray, orthopedic specialty, cataract, and lap-cholecystectomy sets and other sets containing very specific and complex instrumentation.
• Inspects instruments for proper functioning, scissors for sharpness, box locks for tightness, towel clamps and hemostats for proper functioning jaws, rough edges on ring handles, jaws, ratchets and shanks (burrs or nicks).
• Ensures that all broken instruments are repaired and all dull instruments are sharpened properly in a timely fashion prior to submitting trays or instrument sets for sterilization. Produces an aesthetically organized, compact, logically arranged package, which is within the proper weight limits and is appropriate for assured sterilization. Inspects and selects the appropriate wrapping materials and sterilization packaging.
• Sterilizes equipment in accordance with department, manufacturer, and OSHA standards using different agents, which may include steam, hydrogen peroxide, paracetic acid, ethylene oxide, and glutaraldehyde. Selects the correct sterilizing method (steam, gas plasma, peracedic acid) according to the materials being processed and written manufacturer instructions. Identifies items to be processed with a gaseous sterilant and adjust temperature and timing mechanisms in a manner that would allow circulation and permeation by sterilizing medium; selects and prepares packaging materials for the sterilization of reusable instrumentation.

Job Requirements

Required

• one year of related work experience that demonstrates attainment of the requisite job knowledge skills/abilities, preferably in an operating room, acute care hospital or central services department preferred. and
• Certified and Registered Central Service Technician, within 6 - months or
• Certified Sterile Processing and Dist Tech, within 6 - months or
• Cert Sterile Processing Dist Tech, within 6 - months or
• Certified Sterile Processing and Dist Supervisor, within 6 - months

Preferred

• Graduation from the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management Course, upon hire

Where You'll Work

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has a rich history of providing exceptional healthcare, dating back to 1891. Building upon a legacy of compassionate care and innovation, our organization has evolved over the years through strategic partnerships and integrations to expand our reach and services across the Puget Sound area.

Today, as Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we remain deeply committed to healing the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – in the communities we serve. This commitment is strengthened by the diverse expertise and shared values brought together through our growth.

Our dedicated providers offer a full spectrum of health care services, from routine wellness to complex disease management, all grounded in rigorous research and education. Our comprehensive network of 10 hospitals and nearly 300 care sites strategically located across the greater Puget Sound region reflects our ongoing commitment to accessibility and comprehensive care.

We are proud of our pioneering medical advances and numerous awards and accreditations that reflect our dedication to excellence. When you join Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, you become part of a team that delivers top-quality, professional healthcare in modern, well-equipped facilities, and contributes to a legacy of service built on collaboration and shared purpose.