Most medical procedures require various tools and equipment. Because of their significance to clinical operations, these materials should be cleaned, sterilized, and managed according to the standards of the CBSPD.
These duties are performed by professional healthcare workers with SPT certification, known as sterile processing technicians. Without them, the correct procedures for sterilizing hospital tools will not be observed, endangering patients and healthcare practitioners.
The importance of sterile processing technicians can be easily recognized by discussing their main areas of responsibility.
Cleaning
The initial step in sterile processing is cleaning hospital equipment, often with soap and water. This removes visible contaminants like blood, dirt, or other materials. Cleaning is essential before sterilization because sterilization strategies might be ineffective with existing visible contaminants.
Sterilization
Sterilization is a crucial responsibility of an SPT. Not all contaminants can be removed by soap and water. This is why hospital equipment requires sterilization processes.
It takes expertise to rid equipment of infectious materials like bacteria and viruses properly. This calls for knowledge of standard practices and strategies because not all approaches suit all equipment.
Management
Aside from cleaning and sterilizing, sterile processing technicians oversee hospital equipment management. This includes maintenance, organization, and distribution.
SPTs assess the condition of tools before they are sent to pertinent personnel, ensuring that they are fit to use. They also perform troubleshooting when equipment fails or requires repair.
Part of management is organizing hospital equipment. This includes ensuring that tools are labeled properly and checking the expiration date of certain materials to prevent the dangers of the wrong items being used in medical procedures.
Distribution is also a duty of sterile processing technicians. Equipment may be limited in hospitals, so a person must be assigned to distribute them properly. In addition, they deliver the items to the right personnel.
Sterile processing technicians are key employees in ensuring the safety and viability of medical procedures. These healthcare workers administer the cleaning, sterilizing, and management of hospital tools and equipment. Without them, surgeries, medical examinations, and other healthcare processes can endanger the lives of patients and practitioners.
