Sterile Processing Tech

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Sterile Processing Technician position is responsible for decontamination, assembly, inspecting, wrapping, and sterilization of surgical instruments and medical equipment for Surgical Services and all ancillary departments which includes working in conjunction with the Operation Room (OR) staff to provide timely sterile products, trays, and case carts where applicable. The position maintains consistent and continuous workflow between the OR and Central Service Sterile Processing while practicing excellent customer service.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Communicates with staff from the interprofessional health care team concerning patient safety to improve outcomes and the safe transition of care through effective assignment and shift handoffs, using a structured format. Communication to promote both work efforts and problem resolution is clear and professional.

• Responds positively to requests for assistance. Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment. Makes contributions to the work effort as a whole and uses problem resolution effectively.

• Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs decontamination and assembling of basic surgical trays, individual instrumentation and equipment utilizing established count sheets. Wraps or contains items appropriately according to size and type of instrument or equipment.

• Provides timely sterile products, trays and case carts, by location, by following guidance of experienced surgical techs, in conjunction with the OR staff.

• Sterilizes instruments and surgical trays by following prescribed manufacturer instructions for use and according to institutional policies and procedures.

• Organizes workload utilizing available work time by assisting others and performing additional task as needed. Provides consistent and continuous workflow between the OR and Sterile Processing while practicing excellent customer service.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes appropriate cleaning detergents and agents by reading directions and SDS sheets.

• Utilizes all department equipment according to manufacturers' instructions for use and department policies and protocols.

• Ensures through visual inspection that trays have completed the quality process according to AAMI standards for patient use.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, cleaning the workstation at the end of each shift, and minimizing incidental overtime. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.

• Uses department resources efficiently to ensure completeness of trays, instruments and equipment according to count sheets; does not waste supplies.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Understands, applies, and demonstrates industry Sterile Processing standards i.e.,