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. 

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.  

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in.  Here are just a few:      

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.   

• Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.  

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.   

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.  

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience. 

Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health. 

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.

• Associate Degree
• Two years of Sterile Processing Experience required
• Certification on hire or within 6 months of hire required
• Must have a current BCLS certification upon hire or ability to obtain one within 90 days of hire.
• Able to complete computer based program
• Must be able to meet the competency of unit assigned to and also be able to successfully complete orientation
• Must be able to meet reliable attendance guidelines
• Must legally perform the essential functions of the job including ability to communicate effectively
• Able to distinguish colors
• Able to read, write, comprehend and speak English
• Use of usual and customary equipment used to perform essential functions of the position.