Job Description

Kern Medical has been a community cornerstone since its founding in 1867. Today, we are an acute care teaching center with 222 beds, offering the only advanced trauma care between Fresno and Los Angeles. Kern Medical offers a range of primary, specialty, and multi-specialty services including high-risk pregnancy care, inpatient psychiatric services integrated with county mental health programs, and a growing network of outpatient clinics providing personalized patient-centered wellness care. Kern Medical cares for 15,500 inpatients and 125,000 clinic patients a year.

• Extra-help employment has a limited term (up to 9 months).
• Health Benefits coverage may be offered.
• Shift Differentials vary per classification.

Position: Sterile Processing Technician I - Temporary

Compensation:

The estimated pay for this position is $20.4894 to $27.5360. This reflects only a portion of the total compensation package for this position. Additional compensation may be available for this role through differentials, incentives, and bonuses.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

The Sterile Processing Technician I is the non-certified level of the Sterile Processing Technician series. Incumbents have knowledge or experience in sterile processing or surgical services and are expected to gain knowledge and maintain a high level of surgical conscience in professional behavior demonstrating understanding and application of principles to ensure high quality decontamination, assembly and sterilization of medical/surgical supplies and instrumentation.

Essential Functions:

• Demonstrates knowledge related to maintenance, disinfection, cleanliness, and sterilization of instruments and equipment;
• Demonstrates awareness of appropriate sterilization method needed for different instruments and equipment in accordance to manufacturer’s instructions;
• Performs tests ensuring decontamination and sterilization of equipment;
• Monitors and records required logs including but not limited to all test loads and sterilization cycles; reports any deviation from normal functioning to Leadership;
• Receives all soiled instrumentation and implements the appropriate decontamination process per manufacturer instructions;
• Practices Standard Precautions and utilizes required Personal Protective Equipment;
• Prepares the Decontamination and Clean room with supplies and equipment needed;
• Tests operational efficiency of instrumentation prior to reprocessing and reports problems to Leadership;
• Wraps trays and individual items according to established departmental protocols. Labels each item with name and processing date;
• Monitors all instrumentation for proper sterilization prior to releasing for use;
• Places sterilized instruments on appropriate shelving and rotates accordingly;
• Prioritizes and organizes instrumentation, equipment and supplies;
• Performs required quality controls e.g. Bowie Dick, DART, Biological Monitoring, Disinfecting Solution Efficacy Testing, Test Strips as indicated;
• Maintains instruments/trays/scopes inventory and associated count sheets;
• Anticipates high priority turn-around requests for specialized instrumentation to meet daily volume demands;
• Reviews schedule daily for case instrumentation needs; remains abreast of changes made in the OR schedule;
• Maintains a clean and orderly central processing area (e.g. shelves, counters, equipment);
• Utilizes supplies and resources in a cost-effective manner;
• Appropriately handles the disposal of biohazardous materials.

Essential Functions (continued):

• Must possess thorough knowledge of surgical instrumentation.
• Performs departmental environmental maintenance duties ensuring a clean and organized work environment;
• Maintains current knowledge of advances and current trends in Sterile Processing;
• Demonstrates attention to detail by ensuring that all documentation is legible, complete, accurate, and factual;
• Performs other job-related duties.

Employment Standards:

High School Diploma/GED required, OR,

Recent experience with Kern Medical as a Central Supply Assistant;

Completion of an approved Sterile Processing course or equivalent Surgical Services related experience preferred. Including obtaining certification within six months of completion of an approved sterile processing course. Certification can be from Certification Board of Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) or International Association Healthcare Central Services Material Management (IAHCSMM) as both are recognized as certification board for Sterile Processing.

Possession and maintenance of a current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) card. Appointees not possessing the BLS card must successfully complete appropriate training and qualify for the BLS card within 60 days of employment.

Supplemental:

Dependent upon assignment, applicants may be required to pass an extensive background investigation, and be fingerprinted. Disqualification for felony, misdemeanor, and traffic offenses will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

All Kern Medical employees are designated “Disaster Service Workers” through state and local laws (CA Government Code Sec. 3100-3109 and Ordinance Code Title 2 - Administration, Ch. 2.66 Emergency Services.) As Disaster Service Workers, all county employees are expected to remain at work, or to report for work as soon as practicable following a significant emergency or disaster.

If position responsibilities require driving a personal vehicle, then possession of a current valid California Driver’s License and adherence to the Kern County Hospital Authority Vehicle Use and Driving Standard Policy (ENG-EC-119) is required.

If position responsibilities require driving a vehicle owned, leased or rented by Kern Medical, then possession of a current valid California Driver’s license, a signed authorization for Release of Drivers Record Information and adherence to the Kern County Hospital Authority Vehicle Use and Driving Standard Policy (ENG-EC-119) is required.