| Currently, the sterile processing professional is one of | | | | certification is the highest possible standard for the |
| the most under recognized and underpaid of the clinical | | | | sterile processing professional and it is a MUST. We |
| technicians in the modern health care setting. This is a | | | | both recommend certification via CBSPD and |
| very sad state of affairs when one considers the | | | | IAHCSMM to all of our students and require it of our |
| importance of the role of the sterile processing | | | | affiliate instructors. |
| technician in the hospital and surgery center setting. | | | | How can we begin to implement the above |
| Quite literally, no direct patient care providing medical | | | | recommended changes in our own professional |
| center can function without them! | | | | arena? |
| It is unlikely that hospital administrators will come to an | | | | First, let's take a look at the current educational |
| epiphany on their own with respect to the profession | | | | situation. Today, the only real educational options for |
| within their respective facilities and seek to reach | | | | sterile processing educational progression are: 1) self |
| down and help elevate the sterile processing | | | | study, 2) the occasional seminar/training session, 3) |
| department and, subsequently, its technicians. It is, in | | | | some course offerings via community and technical |
| pretty much any endeavor, futile (not to mention lazy | | | | colleges, and 4) vendor sponsored programs and |
| and irresponsible) to sit around any hope for things to | | | | inservices. |
| get better. Some times, we have take the initiative | | | | Self study is a viable option for some, but it is limited in |
| upon ourselves. | | | | scope and not everyone does well without the |
| In central sterile processing, one organization, | | | | appropriate structure of the classroom setting and |
| IAHCSMM, has been at the forefront of this for many, | | | | fixed curriculum. |
| many years. And other independent and group efforts | | | | Seminars and the occasional training session are good |
| are underway, organizations such as The Central | | | | opportunities for learning but self-limiting due to several |
| Sterile Processing Initiative. But a more concentrated | | | | factors. For one, they aren't available in all locations and |
| effort is now needed if we are to move the | | | | at regularly scheduled times. This makes is difficult for |
| profession forward. If what we have been doing for | | | | many. As well, they, due to the short time frame which |
| years isn't giving us the results we both want and | | | | they run (anywhere from several hours to several |
| need, then it is clearly time to step back and evaluate. | | | | days) only so much information can be conveyed. |
| It is the contention of The Central Sterile Processing | | | | The community/technical college offerings are good |
| Initiative that there are several areas upon which we | | | | first steps, however, the problem again is |
| should, as a profession, now be | | | | location—they just aren't convenient for the greater |
| focused—mandatory certification is not the biggest | | | | population as the sterile processing course offerings |
| hurdle and should not be our ultimate goal. We can aim | | | | aren't standard programs as would be, say, radiology |
| higher than even this lofty enterprise. To learn more | | | | technician training. As well, these programs can be |
| about these areas and our ideas, please visit The | | | | costly. |
| Central Sterile Processing Initiative's website. | | | | Many vendors offer educational programs and some |
| But for the discussion at hand, we are interested in | | | | of these are indeed outstanding. However, with vendor |
| one topic alone, education. Before the sterile | | | | sponsored programs, there is always a catch—there |
| processing professional can be lifted up, he or she | | | | is a clear product bias and, in many instances, this can |
| need be worthy of such elevation. It is time that we | | | | cause more confusion than do good. Vendor neutral |
| stopped treating sterile processing as any other | | | | educational programs are to be preferred. |
| support services area such as environmental or | | | | Despite stating the negatives associated with the |
| dietary and begin to focus on both the clinical and | | | | above, these are in fact integral parts of the sterile |
| technical aspects of the field. This entails a much more | | | | processing educational platform and are not to be |
| educated technician. | | | | shunned but rather seen merely for what they |
| The Central Sterile Processing Initiative's view of | | | | are—ancillary educational arenas—but these alone |
| education is not centered upon simply plans of | | | | cannot move the profession forward. These are just |
| self-study, brief courses and seminars, and then, finally, | | | | first steps. |
| passing a certification exam. Rather, we proffer that | | | | What we need is a fresh and new first step, a step |
| the education of a sterile processing technician should | | | | that will provide for global educational opportunities for |
| be no less rigorous than that of any other technical | | | | sterile processing professionals, via quality products, at |
| clinical associate's degree-level program. The reasons | | | | an affordable price, and ON DEMAND. |
| for this should be obvious (the complex understanding | | | | This is one of the driving goals of The Central Sterile |
| of microbiology, chemistry, and physics required; | | | | Processing Initiative—develop comprehensive online |
| infection control prevention, patient safety, etc.) | | | | training curricula for sterile processing professionals |
| We know that this won't come quickly or even easy | | | | that one can accessed at anytime, from anywhere, at |
| but it is a goal that we should be focused upon. | | | | an economy price so that we can put more and |
| Certification should be second to such an educational | | | | better education into the hands of those who would |
| paradigm shift. | | | | otherwise miss out on such opportunities. |
| The above being said, we are not opposed to | | | | Copyright 2010 by Shane Huey. All rights reserved. |
| certification—on the contrary! Today, professional | | | | |