Sterile Processing Technician, Certificate

Function

Requirement

Examples of Tasks for

Vision

Adequate to ensure the safety of self and others in the classroom and clinical settings.

• Students must be able to identify fine-tipped instrumentation from two feet.
• Demonstrate sufficient visual ability to identify possible cavitation in micro instrumentation with or without corrective lenses and while wearing protective eyewear.

Hearing

Adequate to allow effective communication with patients and others in person and by electronic means, and to ensure the safety of self and patients.

• Students must be able to differentiate demands from the surgical team while there is background monitors, equipment, and other conversations within the operating room or sterile processing department without the use of reading lips due to PPE mask requirements.
• Hear and understand muffled or low-pitched communication without visualization of the communicator’s mouth/lips and within 20 feet.
• Hear activation/warning signals on equipment.

Tactile Sensory

Adequate to allow effective evaluation and therapeutic intervention related to patient care, and to ensure the safety of self and others in providing care.

• Students must be able to pick up, attach, and deliver instrumentation single-handedly. Sterile processing requires students to become ambidextrous and use their non-dominant hands without breaks in asepsis.
• Detecting odors sufficient to maintain environmental safety and patient needs.
• Be free of reportable communicable diseases and chemical abuse.
• May need to demonstrate immunity to measles, rubella, rubeola, tuberculosis, and hepatitis A/B, or be vaccinated against these diseases, including the influenza vaccination during the season if required by the facility.

Gross motor strength and coordination

Adequate to ensure the safety of self and others in class, and lab sessions and clinical activities.

• Pass the assessment test of donning surgical attire, understand the requirements for such attire in the sterile processing department, is tolerable of the attire for 15 minutes while standing.
• Students must be able to stand without breaks or use assistive devices for 6-hour increments or longer. Students must also be able to lift and hold instrument trays that can weigh up to 30 pounds over a ten-foot area.
• Stand, bend, stoop, and/or sit for long periods of time in one location with minimum/no breaks.
• Lift a minimum of 30 pounds.
• Refrain from nourishment or restroom breaks for up to 6 hours.
• Ambulate/move around without assistive devices.
• Assist with, and/or lift, move, position, and manipulate, with or without assistive devices, the patient who is unconscious.

Fine motor strength and coordination

Adequate to allow mastery of activities requiring detailed movements.

• Students must be capable of holding laparoscopic cameras, titanium microscopic instrumentation, and visualizing lumens for cavitation or contamination.
• Manipulate instruments, supplies, and equipment with speed, agility, and good eye-hand coordination.

Critical Thinking ability

Adequate to allow mastery of basic course content and to demonstrate sound judgment in simulated and real-life surgical situations.

• Demonstrate physical dexterity using surgical instrumentation and equipment. 
• Students must think quickly when a washer or sterilizer malfunctions. Students must also understand the required equipment, supplies and instrumentation necessary to gather for surgical procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to anticipate and function while in stressful situations.
• Possess short- and long-term memory sufficient to perform tasks such as, but not limited to, mentally tracking surgical supplies, and performing anticipation skills intraoperative.
• Make appropriate judgment decisions.

Interpersonal skills

Adequate to allow the establishment of effective working and/or therapeutic relationships with patients, surgeons, and professionals.

• Sterile processors must be able to negotiate stressful and critical conversations in times of stress without losing focus on the needs of the patient and surgical team.
• Demonstrate the use of positive coping skills under stress.
• Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.
• Exhibit positive interpersonal skills in inpatient, staff, and faculty interactions.

Communication

Adequate to allow completion of course work and effective verbal and written communication with patients, families, communities, peers, and others.

• Students must have the ability to communicate quickly and professionally with the surgical team to relay needed items for effective and safe patient care.
• Communicate and understand fluent English both verbally and in writing.