10 Reasons to Become a Sterile Processing Technician

As a sterile processing technician, you’ll work behind the scenes in the medical community. SPD Techs are some of the most important team members in a hospital’s arsenal–responsible for eliminating infections, maintaining supplies, and manually cleaning tools to be used in critical surgeries. If you’re considering a new career, explore our list of reasons why you might want to contemplate a future as a sterile processing technician. 

1. Get Your Foot in the Door Easily

Starting your career as a sterile processing technician doesn’t require years of medical school. Most sterile processing technician programs require a HS Diploma as the requirement for entry, with certifications like those offered from CBSPD available to advance your career.

 

2. Cost-Effective Certification

If you’re looking to advance in the sterilization field, certification helps open those doors for you. Certification with CBSPD is a one-time fee, and re-certification happens every 5 years. This helps keeps costs down, and let’s you focus on building your credentials and building up your experience! 

 

3. Work From Almost Anywhere

Sterile processing technicians are an important part of the medical community. Hospitals, clinics, dental offices, and surgical centers across the country all require for sterile processing technicians to be on board to ensure the spread of infections and ensure tools are properly sanitized. Wherever there are patients, sterile processing technicians are needed.

 

4. Flexible Team Structures

Depending on the size of the hospital or medical center, you may find that you have the opportunity to work on a team or by yourself. You’ll collaborate with other departments, and will be one of the most important central roles in the organization!

 

5. Stable Work with Daily Challenges

As a sterile processing technician, our days will be spent moving around the workplace to collect, sterilize, and deliver tools. Don’t expect a stationary job as a sterile processing technician–You’ll find that days tend to go by quickly because you’re always on the move!

 

6. Opportunities as an SPD Tech are Endless

As a sterile processing technician, your opportunities span as far as your ambition does. With the right attitude and career aspirations, you can move up the ladder to a sterile processing manager or supervisor. Advancement in the sterilization field give you a deeper look at other opportunities in the medical community, and you might find that you want to explore opportunities as an endoscope technician or surgical technician.

 

7. Get a Behind-the Scenes Peek

As a sterile processing technician, you’ll have the opportunity to explore all parts of the hospital or medical center. You’ll frequently spend time in laboratories, operating rooms, and other areas often unseen.

 

8. Your Role is Critical to Keep People Healthy

You won’t have much patient interaction as a sterile processing technician, but you’ll be a crucial part of the healthcare community. As a sterile processing technician, you’re the person who will be responsible for ensuring that infectious diseases can’t spread, that surgical tools are in working order, and that each patient has a successful surgery.

 

9. Flexibility With Working Hours

As hospitals and medical centers require for tools to be sanitized and ready for use around the clock. Larger hospitals and medical centers usually have shifts in the morning, evening, and overnight to accommodate various schedules. Whether your a night owl or a morning bird, you’ll likely be able to find a shift that matches your preferences.

 

10. Join a Steady Workforce

The medical field is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the United States. The spike in patients with chronic conditions and aging baby boomer population have contributed to this growth (which is expected to increase as much as 20% in the next 5 years). You’ll find steady, continuous work in the medical field as a sterile processing technician, and most of all, you’ll be helping others throughout your career!

 

Ready to take the leap and begin your career as a sterile processing technician? Many schools offer programs to help you get your foot in the door. Once you’ve started as a sterile processing technician, consider certification from CBSPD, to show your level of knowledge and help advance your career. Have questions about where to start? Contact us for more information!

 

If you have ever thought about a career in the healthcare field but felt squeamish about patient interactions, a career as a sterile processing technician may be an ideal choice for you. If you not with this particular aspect of healthcare, sterile processing technicians are the men and women who are responsible for maintaining and ensuring the functionality of instruments, not to mention equipment, throughout the healthcare industry. Of course, to work in this field, you will have to become certified. In this article, we will go over the process of taking an SPD (sterile processing distribution) exam and earning a sterile processing certification. Also, we will go over some of the career opportunities available to those who have earned their certification.

Sterile processing technician training

A sterile processing technician is required to be familiar with the microbiology and infection management procedures that are an industry standard across hospitals, clinics, dental offices, and other facilities where patients are treated. As such, prospective technicians will have to take courses in the following areas prior to pursuing a career in the sterile processing field:

• Terminology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Surgical instrument identification
• Medical equipment identification
• Surgical terminology
• Microbiology and infection management
• Proper decontamination procedure
• Proper sterilization procedures

While these courses are challenging, they prepare students to not only succeed but also thrive in the workplace. Some of the day to day functions of a sterile processing technician include

• Working in a sterile processing unit
• Working collaboratively with other technicians
• Disinfecting and distributing sterile equipment in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and operating rooms
• Storing medical instrument

Why sterile processing technicians are critical part of healthcare

Regardless of the individual function of each sterile processing technician, you can be assured that they play a critical role in the healthcare field. So makes these technicians a necessity in the healthcare space? Well, they make the lives of patients and physicians easier through their meticulous handling, sanitizing, and managing of the instruments used in healthcare field every day.

How to become an spd technician.

An SPD technician is a field that provides infinite benefits and rewards. So what does the process of becoming a technician entail? Well, to begin your journey, you will have to first enroll in an SPD program. There are a variety of programs available for prospective technicians. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to do your due diligence in finding and enrolling in a program that is right for you.
During training, you will be expected to complete the coursework necessary to become an SPD technician. While we are on the topic of certification, students must also pass an SPD exam to round out their training. It should be noted that these exams are administered through the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management. While these exams are not easy, they ensure that students are capable of contributing to the healthcare community.

What happens after receiving a sterile processing certification?

After passing their SPD exam, there are an array of job opportunities as a sterile processing technician. In fact, labor statistics show the career field growing by as much as 14 percent by the year 2026. There are endless advancement opportunities as well. It is not uncommon for entry-level technicians to work their way up to becoming a supervisor. The median salary for a sterile processing supervisor is over $52,000 per year, according to glassdoor.com.

No two days are alike as a sterile processing technician

A career as a sterile technician could very well be an ideal choice for those who prefer variety in their workday. In fact, most technicians would agree that no two days are like when working in this field. For example, you may find yourself preparing medical instruments for an impending procedure one day, and the next day, you may be working on storing equipment that has already been prepped and sanitized. To add a little more variety to your work week, you may also find yourself inspecting instruments for damage and keeping track of inventory.

What hours can you expect to work?

As far as work hours are concerned, sterile processing technicians generally enjoy a great deal of flexibility as many jobs will allow for day and night shifts. However, it should be noted work hours are based on the healthcare facility. While weekend shifts may not be required in a dentist office, for example, they may be required for hospitals. That said, it would be a good idea to carefully consider the hours of operations for any potential employer to ensure they are compatible with your lifestyle and schedule.

In summation, a career as a sterile processing technician is one that is chock-full of benefits, including an attractive starting salary. In addition, you can take pride in knowing that you are making an impact on the lives of patients and healthcare practitioners. While it is not necessarily easy, the long journey toward becoming a technician is well worth it as it opens up job opportunities in the healthcare field that would have otherwise not been available. If you’re ready to take that first step toward broadening your career horizon, you may want to consider enrolling in sterile processing certification program today.