Sterile Processing Assistant

Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm

JOB PURPOSE: 

A Sterile Processing Assistant supports daily operations and sterilization processing of reusable medical or dental instruments and equipment; ensuring that sterilization processing meets all professional standards and requirements.  The incumbent performs and completes the decontamination, cleaning, assembling, packing, sterilization, storage, and distribution of submitted medical instruments and equipment.  Additionally, in this role the incumbent may be required to fulfill varied administrative or clerical functions, duties, assignments, and responsibilities in support of assigned departmental operations.  The incumbent in this position will perform all functions and responsibilities of the position at the direction of and at a location assigned by management. 

An employee in this position works with general supervision and review, and any work problems involving departures from standard policies, interpretations, or procedures are to be presented to the supervisor for direction and resolution.

The primary goal of the El Rio Health Sterile Processing Assistant is to support El Rio's Mission of providing comprehensive, quality health care that is affordable and accessible to all who may have healthcare needs, by successfully performing the primary essential functions.

The following functions and responsibilities will contribute to El Rio Health to achieve its KEY RESULTS: 

1. World Class Experience for staff and patients
2. Healthier patients and employees
3. Positive Financial Result

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Performs all assigned duties, tasks, responsibilities, and assignments supporting departmental operations within established time frames; meeting established rates of performance for the quality and quantity of work for the position; demonstrating a level of self-initiative, quality, efficiency, and accuracy in the employee's job performance that ensures the highest standards of excellence.
• Distributes in the correct location's sterile instruments.
• Performs environmental maintenance duties in the Sterile Processing area in accordance with the CDC, OSHA, and AAMI guidelines; maintains inventory levels in Sterile Processing area.
• Performs the technical duties for the decontamination processing, sterilization, and distribution of supplies and equipment according to protocol, policies, and procedures, such as:
  • Picking up, washing and sterilizing medical instruments from the medical or dental clinics; maintaining an accurate and timely log of all autoclaved loads and verifying complete sterilization and assembling pre-pack instrument trays
    • Cleans and prepares instruments and equipment according to the manufacturers' instructions for sterilization.
    • Inspects instruments for damage or defects; verifies proper function of instruments and tray completion prior to wrapping for terminal sterilization.
    • Sorts and arranges items into proper trays according to established policies and procedures.
    • Positions items correctly in sterilizer and selects proper wash cycle.
    • Sterilizes instruments and equipment according to set standards using steam processing.
      • Correctly operates sterilizers, ultrasonic washer and other equipment for processing items.
      • Performs monitoring of sterilizers according to policies and procedures.
  • Verifies that equipment functions properly and reports deficiencies immediately to supervisor.
• Assembles, wraps and sterilizes trays of instruments in accordance with El Rio Sterilization policy and procedures, as well as CDC, OSHA, and AAMI guidelines.
  • Accurately labels each item with name and expiration date.
• Monitors and responds to biological, physical, and chemical indicators to ensure quality and consistency for sterilization of instruments and medical equipment.
  • Cleans sterilizers according to established policies and procedures.
  • Performs required biological monitoring tests on all sterilizers according to established policies and procedures.
• Maintains compliance with all local, state, federal, and accrediting agencies in regards to all sterilization activities.
• Assists with maintaining established policies and procedures, performance objectives, quality improvement, safety, environmental, and infection prevention standards.
• Maintains a clean, safe, and hygienic work environment in compliance with all Policies and Procedures including but not limited to work areas, workstations, examination rooms, hand washing, infection prevention and control etc. for this position.
• Demonstrates an understanding of and proficiency with the application of all compliance and reporting requirements respective to Joint Commission Certification (JCC) standards and reporting requirement applicable to a Sterile Processing Assistant.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• In support of the Mission and Vision of El Rio Health, will at all times represent themselves as a professional role model of El Rio Health serving as a positive informational source for members of the community.
• Supports El Rio Health by participating in community events which promote good health, and which contribute to a broader awareness and understanding of El Rio Health and the many services provided to the community.
• Participates in all appropriate health care activities related to El Rio Health on a local, state, and national level to maintain and enhance El Rio's image with health agencies, professional associations, and the general public.
• Ensures and supports the cost-effective use of materials, supplies, and equipment by limiting waste of all organizational supplies and resources.
• Employees must maintain their skills proficiency with El Rio Health operating systems and/or software programs by adapting to changing requirements and successfully learning and demonstrating new skills in response to software, system, and program improvements or upgrades.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or General Education Diploma (G.E.D).
• Six (6) months in a related role or a position requiring similar skills, preferably in a healthcare environment.

If applicable, equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered, and must be directly related to the functions and responsibilities of the job.

Required Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations:

• Level I fingerprint clearance card: current valid and in good standing or have applied for it within seven working days after beginning employment.
• Employees in this position are required to have reliable transportation that can meet any operational reassignments of the organization during the workday. If an employee is driving during work hours, the employee is required to possess a valid driver's license and must comply with Arizona vehicle insurance requirements.

Preferred Education, Experience, Skills, Abilities:

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) with the ability to speak, read and write in both languages.

Core Competencies:

• Strong Communication Skills
• Detail Oriented
• Professional conduct
• Problem solving

El Rio Health is a diverse and inclusive organization. We are invested in helping you and your family Create Tomorrow.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

El Rio Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age 40 and over, disability, genetic information, military status, ancestry, marital status, familial status, or any other status protected by law or regulation. 

It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors.

El Rio Health requires all employees (except those 100% working remotely) to have a Level One Fingerprint Clearance card. A.R.S. 36.425.03. If the prospective employee does not possess this prior to hire, fingerprint application must be completed within 7 days post hire. 

All employees are strongly recommended to obtain Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, and maintain vaccination status (i.e. boosters as recommended by CDC and/or other public health agencies) to include an Influenza vaccination.
Subject to exemptions and accommodations when required by law, all employees are required to follow El Rio Health Clinic's masking and PPE policies (N95 preferred) when interacting with patients, co-workers, visitors, vendors, etc.

All employees are required to undergo drug testing prior to employment and, will be subject to post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty and follow up drug and alcohol testing in compliance with Federal and State regulations for alcohol and controlled substance testing. Employees in positions holding responsibility for the safety and welfare of others will also be classified as safety sensitive. 

El Rio Health is a Non-profit 501 (c3) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and abides by all applicable federal Drug-Free Workplace standards.