Advance Your Sterile Processing Technician Career

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Ready to begin your career journey or have more questions? Connect with a Workforce Training Specialist today!
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6 Months

Certificate Length

$4,000.00

Tuition

What Does A Sterile Processing Technician Do?

A sterile processing technician, also known as a medical equipment preparer, prevents the spread of infection by ensuring that all instruments are sterile and disease-free. They clean, inspect, test, sterilize, store, and deliver devices needed for surgery in healthcare facilities. 

Other job duties can include verifying and accurately documenting missing instruments, recording sterilizer test results, ensuring each instrument is in good working order prior to use, operating and maintaining steam autoclaves, and effectively communicating with operating room personnel and others.

Where In the AdventHealth Network Can You Work?

Sterile processing technicians work in hospitals, surgery centers, clinics, outpatient care centers, ambulatory services centers, dentists’ offices, and other health care facilities.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED

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Course registration & payment

Oral and written English proficiency is a requirement for course participation and certificate examination.

Training Materials Provided

Expert-led, video-based training

Textbook: Central Service Technician Manual

Competency assessments

National Certification exam fee

STERILE PROCESSING TECHNICIAN

Outcomes

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that nearly 80% of sterile processing technicians work in general medical and surgical hospitals. Health care careers in general are projected to rise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports health care jobs are projected to grow 16% through 2030, adding a total of about 2.6 million new jobs. While these aren’t only sterile processing technician positions, a large quantity of them will be.

Skills Learned

  • Instrumentation: Knowledge of surgical instruments and specialty devices 
  • Processing of Surgical Instrumentation: Decontamination, packaging, and sterilization of surgical instrumentation 
  • Processing of Moveable Patient Equipment: Processing, cleaning, testing, assembly, and distribution of movable patient care equipment 
  • Storage and Inventory: Storage, handling, and distribution of sterile surgical instrumentation and devices, as well as inventory control and cost recovery systems 
  • Medical Terminology: Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, and microbiology 
  • Prevention Processes: Infection prevention, decontamination, and disinfection processes 

STERILE PROCESSING TECHNICIAN JOB POSSIBILITIES

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Central Service Technician

Doctor preparing surgical instruments

Sterile Processing Technician

Sterile-Processing-Tech.-Job-1

Central Sterile Supply Technician

CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Upon completion of this certificate, you’ll be eligible to take the provisional certification exam for Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) sponsored by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA).

ISSUING AUTHORITY

CRCST

Certified Registered Central Service Technician

Full certification is obtained after acquiring 400 hours of hands-on sterile processing experience within six months of provisional certification. Hands-on experience provides an invaluable resource with which to better understand the standards, knowledge and practices needed to be successful in the field and on the CRCST exam.

PLEASE NOTE: Students residing in the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania – these states require that Central Service Technicians become certified within a state-mandated period of time after employment (range from 1.5 – 3 years). This is NOT a barrier to enrollment for students but should be reviewed with a Workforce Training Specialist at time of enrollment.

STERILE PROCESSING TECHNICIAN REGISTRATION

If you need additional funding sources, we offer many convenient options

Pay in full using any major credit card, PayPal, or Venmo. Select “credit card” as your payment option.

Apply for PayPal Credit and pay zero interest if your balance is paid in full within 6-months. Complete a quick application and you’ll receive a credit decision within seconds.

 

Pay for your training with an education loan through Meritize.

Reserve your seat by completing the course registration process using the provided option.

 

CERTIFICATE COMPARISONS

PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Community College
Program & Tuition Cost
$4,000 average
Up to $20,000
Exam Fees, Books & Materials
Included
Up to $750
Job Ready In
3–6 months
24–48 months
Schedule Flexibility
On-demand 24/7
Set class schedule
Travel Requirements
None: 100% online
On-campus classrooms
Student Support
Personal Advisors: text, call and email access
Professors: scheduled office hours
Career Coaching
Professors: scheduled office hours
Exam-based + prerequisites and electives to meet credit
Content Delivery
3D animations, immersive environments, interactive activities, game-based learning
Professor lectures

MEET YOUR WORKFORCE TRAINING SPECIALIST!

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Amanda Lynn is your Workforce Training Specialist. She is here to help you understand your certificate of study, payment options and succeed! Get in touch with Amanda to learn more about your certificate, AdventHealth University and how to achieve your workforce development goals!

FAQ

Sterile processing is important because it prevents infections in health care settings. Handwashing, sterilization and disinfection of tools, instruments and equipment are necessary for the safety of the patient.

Sterilization technician positions can offer flexible working hours (from weekdays to nights and weekends). The exact shift requirements vary based on the type of facility. A hospital will most likely have evening and overnight shifts available. Since there are so many places to find work, you should be able to find the schedule that is the best fit for you.

 

The time it takes to become a sterile processing technician is relatively short for a career in health care. You can earn a good salary, often with excellent benefits, without going into much educational debt. The medical field is growing very rapidly, so jobs will continue to be in demand.

Most sterile processing technicians have a fair amount of autonomy, so you’ll need to be good at keeping yourself on track while completing tasks. Attention to detail is also critical for this career, as sterile processing technicians must adhere to strict infection-control procedures to prevent potentially life-threatening consequences. Finally, you’ll need sufficient manual dexterity to handle sharp instruments and operate sterilization equipment, and the interpersonal skills to work well with others in an occasionally fast-paced environment.

Sterile processing technicians are responsible for sterilizing and disinfecting all equipment as well as packaging tools used for medical procedures. The surgical technologist assists surgical teams while ensuring patient safety before, during and after surgery. They’re also responsible for preparing the operating room and the patient before and after surgery.

Interested In Another Workforce Development Certificate?

AdventHealth University is devoted to supporting you throughout your professional journey and believes learning is a lifelong endeavor. Our career development certificates provide leading-edge instruction and clinical training in high-demand fields, ensuring you will feel confident and competent as a certified professional.