Every person who works in a hospital or other healthcare environment is important to help the facility run smoothly and efficiently. Sterile techs are an excellent example of this; they are the primary line of defense against infection. Their work helps keep patients, healthcare providers, and other employees safe. They work with many hospital departments, including the operating room.
Distributing Instruments
A sterile tech’s day might begin with making sure that sterilized tools are organized into trays containing the instruments required for routine or special surgeries. This ensures that surgical teams have the instruments they need during the procedure. If any instruments are missing, it could cause delays; in some cases, that could even endanger the patient’s life.
After assembling trays and inspecting them to ensure that all necessary items are present and in excellent condition, sterile techs deliver the trays. It’s important to do this as scheduled; surgical schedules can be very tight, and a delay in delivering trays could throw the entire schedule off. In addition to delivering trays to the operating room, sterile techs may deliver them to many other hospital departments, as well.
Picking Used Instruments Up Quickly
After a surgical procedure, it’s important to transport the instruments to the decontamination area in a safe manner and as quickly as possible. Sterile techs know how to gather the instruments carefully and transport them safely. This is important because the instruments themselves may be dangerous if handled improperly; however, after the procedure, they may also contain biological material that could carry infection or other biological hazards.
When the sterile techs transport the instruments back to their work area, they begin the decontamination process as soon as possible after the procedure. If the instruments are not cleaned and sterilized promptly, it can make it more difficult to sterilize them completely, so they’re ready for the next procedure.
Preparing Instruments for Next Time
Sterile techs are essential members of any healthcare environment because they clean and sterilize instruments; this protects patients, healthcare providers, and others from infection. A sterile tech’s role includes many duties, including checking equipment for damage and cleaning tools in an autoclave. Cleaning and sterilizing specifications may vary from one instrument to another, so sterile techs must remain current on the requirements for each tool and instrument.
They must also understand microbiology and infection control as it pertains to sterile processing and decontamination procedures. A solid understanding of these concepts is important to enabling them to do all aspects of their job properly. They work together with the operating room, but they work with all other departments, as well. Their work is essential to the health and safety of everyone who works there or receives care there.
We Love Working with Sterile Techs!
At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. Are you a sterile tech seeking your next assignment? If so, we’d love to help you! Call us at 310.436.3650; we can’t wait to get started.
