UnityPoint-St Luke's Hospital

Full-Time

Monday-Friday

Supervises the day to day operations in processing. Is able to direct and coach processing staff on processes and regulations. Works alongside the staff and is able to decontaminate instrumentation, assemble or package supplies, disinfect and/or sterilize reusable equipment. Assist in patient care throughout all nursing areas. 

Why UnityPoint Health?

• Culture – At UnityPoint Health, you matter. Come for a fulfilling career and experience a culture guided by uncompromising values and unwavering belief in doing what's right for the people we serve.
• Benefits – Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options like 401K match, paid time off and education assistance that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment – We’re committed to ensuring you have a voice that is heard regardless of role, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
• Development – We believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is an essential part of delivering a remarkable employment experience.
• Community Involvement – Be an essential part of our core purpose—to improve the health of the people and communities we serve.

    Hear more from our team members about why UnityPoint Health is a great place to work at https://dayinthelife.unitypoint.org.

Leadership:

• Assures new staff have proper orientation to the department.

• Actively participates in any interviewing and/or hiring needs.
• Completes employee performance reviews.
• Completes any necessary corrective action following our just culture matrix.
• Responsible for a departmental schedule that is effective and ensures a smooth workflow departmentally.
• Makes rounds and provides functional guidance whenever needed.
• Encourages continuing education and certification for staff.
• Promotes a departmental culture of competency that is always improving.
• In collaboration with OR manager, identifies employee engagement opportunities and assists with action planning.
• In collaboration with the Manager RN-Surgery, is accountable for the provision of Safe Patient Care by providing excellent sterile processing delivered by a high performing team by:
• Mentoring staff in interpreting regulations and standards.
• Identifying, coordinating, or delegating and evaluating educational sessions for staff members in Sterile Processing; ensuring manufacturers' recommendations for cleaning and reprocessing instruments and devices are obtained and readily accessible to staff.
• Communicating process changes to appropriate personnel.
• Assuring the sterile processing team has the appropriate tools/resources to deliver outstanding clinical service in sterile processing.
• Encouraging staff involvement.
• Recognizing needs, and responds in a timely manner, to inform Surgery leadership of operational issues within areas of responsibility.
• Assists in creating a positive work environment by mentoring of staff/students and working with team members to develop and facilitate initiatives to strive for positive outcomes in quality and care of patients.
• Complies with all policies and procedures, and guides team members with compliance.

Professional Growth:

• Assumes responsibility for continued growth in areas of competencies, lifelong learning and involvement in unit and hospital quality of care projects.
• Supports use of Evidenced Based Practice and incorporates best practices into daily care routine.
• Participates in mandatory education and unit meetings per established guidelines.
• Complies with all safety goals, infection prevention and risk management policies and procedures.
• Completes annual mandatory education.

Communication:

• Communicates utilizing the FOCUS standards in all aspects of care and interactions with others.
• Effectively communicates with all team members, physicians, ancillary staff and all customers. Verbal communication is clear and concise, and written communication is legible and done using approved abbreviations.

Collaboration:

• Practice indicates compliance with HIPAA, DNV, OSHA and all other regulatory agencies.
• Demonstrates the ability to be flexible in meeting needs of the unit as a team member.

Sterile Processing Quality Functions:

• Stays current with standard, recommendations and guidelines related to cleaning decontamination, disinfection/sterilization of reusable products.
• Coordinates appropriate processes that comply with current standards in areas of cleaning, decontamination, disinfection/sterilization of reusable products.
• Assists in utilizing resources from external regulatory bodies (AAMI, CDC, DNV, OSHA).
• Gives input into Surgical Services Departmental policies for Infection Control and Related Safety. Assures changes are made promptly and accurately to policies as they occur.
• May provide input when asked into Care Coordination Policies in conjunction with the Infection Control Department, related to Infection Control and Safety.
• Implements Sterilization Department's performance activities and can speak to ongoing improvements and goals met by staff.
• Serves as a resource for all matters pertaining to sterilization/disinfection processes enterprise wide.
• Implements and coordinates proper monitoring, documentation and record retention for all physical, chemical and biological indicators for all processes of sterile processing.
• As directed, revises documented processes related to sterile processing.
• Identifies/documents appropriately any disinfection/sterilization infractions and variances from standards and leads change activities to correct the infraction.

• Assists in identifying key areas for continuous performance improvement and is prompt in utilizing available mechanisms to affect improvements.
• Monitors inventory levels to ensure adequate supplies, preventing waste and controlling costs.
• Participates appropriately in implementing and maintaining systems and processes that support the organizational plan for continuous quality and performance improvement. Provides ideas for improvement and problem-solves with superiors to assure initiatives are met.
• Provides input into preparing, implementing, and monitoring progress of annual operating and capital budgets for the department.
• Cleans, decontaminates, assembles or packages, disinfects or sterilizes reusable equipment and medical supplies.
• Checks, assembles and prepares instrument sets, and orders linen according to written procedures.
• Prepares, loads, monitors and disinfects sterilizers for operation.
• Prepares and uses testing monitors which clarify sterility and equipment performance.
• Prepares, loads and monitors Sterad machine for operation.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform all duties required of a sterile processing tech in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Basic UPH Performance Criteria         

• Demonstrates the UnityPoint Health Values and Standards of Behaviors as well as adheres to policies and procedures and safety guidelines.
• Demonstrates ability to meet business needs of department with regular, reliable attendance.
• Employee maintains current licenses and/or certifications required for the position.
• Practices and reflects knowledge of HIPAA, TJC, DNV, OSHA and other federal/state regulatory agencies guiding healthcare.
• Completes all annual education and competency requirements within the calendar year.
• Is knowledgeable of hospital and department compliance requirements for federally funded healthcare programs (e.g. Medicare and Medicaid) regarding fraud, waste and abuse. Brings any questions or concerns regarding compliance to the immediate attention of hospital administrative staff.  Takes appropriate action on concerns reported by department staff related to compliance.