• Practical Nurse
• Medical Assistant
• Medical Insurance and Coding Administration
• Multi-Level Patient Care Technician
• Surgical Processing Technician
• Surgical Technologist

Surgical Processing Technician

Focus on Your Success as a Surgical Processing Technician

Our Surgical Processing Technician program will prepare you with the knowledge and skills needed to receive and process supplies and equipment from operating rooms and nursing units throughout the hospital.

Become an Important Part of a Healthcare Team

The Surgical Processing Department, also known as Central Service and Sterile Processing, provides vital support to all areas of patient care, and interacts with personnel from all areas of the hospital. It is the center of all activity involving supplies and equipment needed for surgery and other patient care areas.

The program emphasizes:

• Clinical practicum
• Surgical instrumentation
• Processes for maintaining medical devices that must be decontaminated, processed, sterilized, and distributed in hospitals and surgical centers

Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Eligibility

Graduates of the Surgical Processing Technician program are eligible to sit for the CRCST examination, as the program meets the requirements of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM) and includes the successful completion of 400 hours of Surgical Processing Clinical Practicum.

The State of New Jersey now requires that Surgical Processing Technicians hold the CRCST designation to work in the field.

Clinical Experience

Exercises and demonstrations in the on-campus lab will help prepare you for your clinical experience in the real world.

Work in a Variety of Healthcare Settings

Surgical Processing Technicians can work in a variety of healthcare environments, including:

• Hospitals
• Physicians’ offices
• Outpatient care centers
• Nursing homes
• Assisted living facilities
• Veterinary offices
• Surgical instrumentation corporations, and more

A Faculty Dedicated to Your Success

Our faculty members have excellent educational and professional credentials. They will help you explore theory and practice in real-world situations and also provide hands-on guidance as you work with sterile processing equipment.

Additional Information About the Surgical Processing Technician Career Field

The US Department of Labor provides various resources for those looking to begin a new career. Each job has various tasks, tools, knowledge, etc. associated with it.

Tasks

-Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.

-Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.

-Organize and assemble routine and specialty surgical instrument trays and other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.

-Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.

-Record sterilizer test results.

-Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.

-Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.

-Stock crash carts or other medical supplies.

-Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.

-Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
Source: US Department of Labor, O*NET Online TOP

Tools

-Chemical or gas sterilizers — Ethylene oxide gas sterilizers; Gas sterilizers; Paracetic acid sterilizers; Plasma gas sterilizers

-Heat tracing equipment — Temperature tracing and recording thermometers

-Heating or drying equipment or accessories — Automatic dryers

-Steam autoclaves or sterilizers — Pressure steam autoclaves; Steam gravity sterilizers; Steam high vacuum sterilizers; Sterilizers

-Temperature regulators — Temperature monitors
Source: US Department of Labor, O*NET Online TOP

Technology

-Calendar and scheduling software — Calendar software

-Data base user interface and query software — Database software

-Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software — MEDITECH Supply Chain Management

-Spreadsheet software

-Word processing software
Source: US Department of Labor, O*NET Online TOP

Knowledge

-Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

-English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

-Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

-Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

-Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

-Chemistry — Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

-Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

-Communications and Media — Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Source: US Department of Labor, O*NET Online TOP

Skills

-Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

-Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

-Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

-Operation Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

-Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

-Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

-Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

-Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

-Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

-Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Source: US Department of Labor, O*NET Online TOP

Work Activities

-Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

-Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

-Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

-Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

-Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

-Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

-Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

-Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

-Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

-Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Source: US Department of Labor, O*NET Online TOP

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Contact Us

You can chat, email, or request additional information. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Call us at 1-866-463-6837 or text WEB to 247365.  You can also apply online.

Surgical Processing Technician 2010-2011 Program Integrity Disclosures

 

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