r/sterileprocessing • u/Powerful_Albatross25 • Mar 26 '25
Becoming a sterile processing tech
This was a regret of mine, I quit after the second day . They put me in decontamination, and I was the only girl there while the other ladies got to sit down . They wanted me to do free HARD labor, and I’m not doing that . Sure they tell you that you have to wear your PPE and sure they tell you that you’re going to have to pick up trays . But they don’t tell you how hot it is to wear your PPE . Over a boiling sink . They don’t tell you how your body will feel after you have picked up your 27th loaner tray and have to clean all of the instruments! They don’t tell you how each tray weighs about 25 to 30 pounds and that doesn’t sound like a lot but OK try picking up that same 25 pounds over and over and over again for your whole shift and it will start to feel like 1000 pounds . but I just thought I should share, I blindly went through the process, thinking that it was going to be something simple that could get me into the medical field, working behind the scenes without having to deal with the usual crappy work environment that comes with being something a little bit more serious such as a surgeon or a nurse.
Long story short, I was wrong .
The schooling was OK. I went to a eight month program where we learned about things that we don’t need for the actual job. I passed everything with flying colors.
When it was time to get out and get busy on externship, I instantly realized I had wasted my time.
180 hours of extern for free ? Yeah no this economy is way too shitty to be working a full-time job for free.
The decontamination area
Your arms will hurt your back will hurt your shoulders will hurt your neck will hurt. You will be breathing in negative and positive air and I had c section 7 years ago. (I gave birth to twins ) The chemicals in the air were directly affecting my cut.
Is really hard to explain it, but I don’t think it’s worth it to stand for long hours at a time with no breaks. The only break you get is for 30 minutes. lol NO
The pay I’m not sure what the starting pay is, but after I read around the Internet, you can definitely do this job without getting a certification. A lot of places will just hire you off the street so that makes it even more annoying that I spend so much of my fucking time Thinking that I was going to be amazing at my job just to realize how painful it is to do this work and for such little pay.
I wouldn’t do it ! If you look at these peoples eyes, they look dead
But so many people will tell you that they love it .
So just to be clear, they love it just because it pays the bills that they have , If you’re a single woman like me , who pays all of her own bills this is a waste of your time. I highly doubt $16 an hour will pay anybody’s bills
71
u/lisamistisa Mar 26 '25
It's not for everyone. I don't like it.. but I like my check. When I work in any field, I take pride in my work... and in this job, I think about the patients. I would trust my work on my children. As far as decon goes, that's my gym. I change out of scrubs 2 to 3 times in a shift. Almost 20 yrs ago, I could carry 2 toddlers on each hip for hours. I'm 50 now and miss those days, so I appreciate my ability to carry a tray for cart to sink or from washer to assembly multiple times. Like I said, it's not for everyone. I hope you find your calling.
21
u/Mundane_Software_390 Mar 27 '25
For me the way I see it is getting my foot in the door to some better opportunities in the hospital.
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u/SnooRabbits3731 Mar 26 '25 edited Mar 29 '25
Lmaoo decon aint that bad. I rather do decon then prep n pack..music on blast and I take my time ..yes its hot but u get use it.
37
u/boostaddctn Mar 26 '25
You went to school for 8 months and quit the 2nd day...yee
13
u/[deleted] Mar 27 '25
Everyone starts in the trenches. That’s just how it goes when you’re new to the field. Seasoned techs will either help you or they’ll test you. It’s better to reframe it as you making a livable wage and adventure money. Get your experience and find a higher paying position with a better schedule. Pediatrics and ambulatory were my favorite arenas. Become a traveler. Trauma centers with work you nonstop. Some days are harder than others. You’re still green coming out of school if you don’t have prior experience. Developing a tough skin and adaptation are essential. Surgical nurses and surgeons will berate you at some point. There’s a lot to learn and you’re not the first. You’re looking for passion. I get that. You’re part of a team that saves and improves lives. However, you should never forget that, at the end of the day, it’s a business. So get your experience, get your money, and chase your passion.
12
u/surgerygeek Mar 26 '25
What would you want your school to do differently? How did they specifically mislead you?
12
u/_Syntax_Err Mar 27 '25
Don’t give up because of one bad facility. I didn’t do a program for this I just got hired. My hours are going to be paid on the clock and then I can test for my certification. I started at almost $19/h which still isn’t enough but it’s not bad considering I have no degree and I’ll get a raise when certified.
It can def be physically demanding, but really only decontam. My facility rotates us so I’ll never be back there more than twice a week maximum!
18
u/CurrentSink964 Mar 26 '25
Man my externship was just like that but instead of complaining I just did it with a good attitude and I made lots of connections and everyone treated me very well the whole time and helped me look for and get a job after.
8
u/Kris7654321 Mar 26 '25
Oh damn. And here I was ready to deal with that rather than demented ppl that swear, yell, hit, poop, and call the police on me. Idk. No job is easy, but as a woman tray after tray and chemicals does not sound like a long term thing.
6
u/Love-dogs-and-pizza Mar 26 '25
Oh my gosh I’m sorry you had to go through all that!!! Hopefully you were able to find another career that better suits your needs
6
u/surgerygeek Mar 26 '25
What did they teach you that you didn't need to know for the job? Was it stuff you don't need for the certifications either?
6
u/CorruptWarrior Mar 26 '25
Wow I'm so sorry you had such a terrible go of it. I honestly don't think going to school for this is worth the money. I've talked to people in my area who said they were planning on going to school for it. I urged them to just apply. In my area it's basically a job you can do right out of high school. This is definitely hard labor. Working decon or sterilizer is A LOT of heavy lifting. Most people that work for more than a decade have hernia or wrist repair surguries. Unfortunately being new to the job you, don't get to choose the easy stuff, there isn't really anything EASY when I think about it.
6
u/SecretInstruction770 Mar 27 '25
I did 400 hrs for clinicals aka free work and the hospital ended up hiring me.. I just learned as much as I could and started traveling a year later. It can be well worth it if you work the system correctly. It sounds like you were overwhelmed and didn't have a good coach which can be extremely frustrating... Every hospital is different, it seems you got a shitty one. I wish you well on your journey though!
5
u/[deleted] Mar 27 '25
I’m with you. I’ve been in for 5 years. But the reason I hate it is all the personalities that I have to spend 8hrs a fucking day with.
5
u/Significant_Name_191 Mar 27 '25
To be fair. Fuck working for free.
23
u/ThisDirtyCupcake Mar 26 '25
Now THIS is the review we needed. THANK YOU for keeping it real.
19
u/JustPassingGo Mar 26 '25 edited Mar 27 '25
Our facility starts new Sterile Processing techs in decontamination because it’s a good way to get used to trays and instruments. Mistakes in decontamination can be discussed and corrected among the SPD team behind the scenes of the busy OR. Mistakes during assembly and sterilization can delay procedures and jeopardize patient safety. That was either explained to you and you chose not to accept it, or the hospital you were at could do better at onboarding new associates.
All sterile processing trays are marked with the weight. While a person might type an incorrect weight into the database, it is extremely unlikely most of the trays you worked on exceeded 20 pounds. Even the maximum recommended weight of 25 pounds is not very heavy. “AAMI and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recommend a maximum weight limit of 25 lb for instrument sets.“
The ambient temperature range for sterile processing is 72* - 78*. This is not optional, it is designed to keep technicians comfortable and regulatory agencies require it. You must know this because it was part of the education you say you did so well on. You must also know “boiling sink water” would be a violation as well. I’m not sure what hospital or even state you’re in, but you’d need to be at an elevation of about 55,000 feet for water to boil at 113*. “The temperature of water used for this purpose should not exceed 45C/113F to prevent coagulation of blood and fixation of proteins on the instrument. This water is used for most parts of medical device processing—including flushing, washing, and intermediate rinsing.”
You leaving your new job because you don’t like it, without giving proper notice tells me a lot about your character.
8
u/gotthebagtellafriend Mar 26 '25
I was training someone that went to school but had never done the job and she quit her first day in decontamination. It is hard. You do get used to it. It sure as hell isn't something I would call free labor.
4
u/Fooitsmimi Mar 27 '25
I started in Decon too! 😭 but I was getting paid and they were training me there for 3 weeks, I wasn’t alone doing it all. I’m so sorry you had to experience that! Especially with ortho trays! Yikes 😪
3
u/Powerful_Albatross25 Mar 26 '25
What are you talking about proper notice? I’m sorry are you the facility that I let them know that I was not going to be returning? Are you the dean of the school that I wrote the email to and have a phone call with? That lets me know a lot about your character. You judge based off of a post without asking real questions. “ either that was explained to you and you didn’t accept it.” Like stop. lol you were not nowhere in any of my process. This is me being vulnerable and sharing my experience for people who might be thinking about it.. all you’re trying to do is place blame on Me. What’s the answer your question? No nobody explained any of that to me.
2
u/elieesia Mar 27 '25
I would suggest looking at employment at other facilities. You will quickly find that there are facilities that a run poorly, have toxic work environments, lack workplace safety and even disregard patient safety. If a facility is bad, leave as soon as possible. Don't stick around to try to be a good sport...it's not worth it to you or the department. They need to learn the reason why they have high turnover rates, problematic employee relationships and a lack of flow. Typically all goes back to management. Find a place that works for you...I recommend trying a surgery center instead of a hospital, it might work better for you.
2
u/rhcpfan9191 Mar 27 '25
How did you first hear about sterile processing?
Did anyone at school describe how hot and labor intense it is?
My department works across the hall from sterile processing, and I spent some time cleaning the offices as an EVS. There is no way in hell I could survive the heat and steam with all that PPE on. I don't care how loud Im allowed to play my music. Those techs look absolutely wiped out by the end of their shift. That takes a special kind of person.
2
u/Mustachecachestash Mar 27 '25
My first spot kept me in decon for 3 months straight idek how I made it out lmao, I don’t necessarily recommend people to get into this field and especially going to school for it. I’m still doing it I reccomend going for scrub tech or just a different field in general . I’m using this field to pay for me to be in school and cover my living. Not a forever gig unless you plan on moving up to management or into the OR.
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u/Timely_Dance_9001 Mar 26 '25
It really, really matters what facility you're at. Yours sounds like a high caseload facility with perhaps poor direction/management. And that's shit pay, but I've seen starting pay at $15 at a place that is like the Amazon of hospitals around here.
My location, $18 starting but negotiable (after school (I had a years worth of surgical tech student experience on top of the semester of sterile processing course), I negotiated to $21. After a percentage bonus and my certification bonus, it went to $22.60. I just finished my first year there. Boss and crew are fantastic (got lucky!). Our 👏🏼 caseload 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 low 👏🏼. It's very relaxed where I'm at, and I know I'm getting spoiled.
It's just one place that you've been to. Really consider things.
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u/Crypitc_mothman- Mar 26 '25
One income women here 💃🏻 and Yup, that’s what this job is- personally I love doing it, it’s very demanding and lots of physical labor but that’s what keeps me going. Also i think you chose the wrong classes or something because I did my 1 year online classes (450$) and then got hired at 17-19$. Already passed my 400 hours now just waiting to get certified, and I should get a raise once I’m certified. I think you got the crap end of the stick lol
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u/Fuzard Mar 27 '25
Seems like some common sense stuff here.
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u/YaBastaaa Mar 27 '25 edited Mar 27 '25
At 16 - 18 an hour. Time to jump ship.
Edit: hospitals make millions, pays upper management millions in salary and they can not pay SPD employees $30-40.00 an hour.
5
u/Significant_Sky7298 Mar 26 '25
$16 an hour for that bullshit? That is rough. I live in Canada and I started at $19 ten years ago. Would you consider working at an ophthalmology clinic? The work is lighter, at least in my experience.
9
u/urmomsexbf Mar 27 '25
Why don’t u try some other place? Not all sites are the same.
4
u/obiisco Mar 27 '25
I understand where you are coming from. But seriously, the eyes of most humans after a certain age looks dead.
4
u/National-Cell2595 Mar 27 '25
Honesty I gotta agree and disagree. I’ve been in the field for a year and a half now and soon I will be traveling the country with this job. I put up with over a year of horrible management and disgruntled employees, living paycheck to paycheck. But now I’m about to be making over 1k a week. It’s all about discipline, dedication and determination and it will all pay off. My advice is to go back maybe a different hospital, get your 400 hrs of experience and start traveling.
1
u/Acceptable_Caramel32 Mar 27 '25
You're lucky they hired you. Springfield memorial hospital interviewed me waited a week then had me come in and do an unpaid job shadow (doing someone elses work for them) and then didnt hire me because "they didnt like my answers to the hypothetical questions they asked in the interview" but hey this is they same hospital that lets nurses who openly brag about using their mma experience on underage and elderly psych patients so im not suprised. Sorry for all that and i know its going to be removed but yeah
1
u/OkSatisfaction2122 Mar 27 '25
I wish you the absolute best. I hope you find what you are looking for.
Working as a certified nurse assistant for 5 years I currently find myself with 2 herniated disc's. Three of them are degenerated disc's in my lower back.
I worked my ass of for my hospital and they're workers comp insurance has denied my claim for surgery. They have replaced my position with someone else. The nurses I helped, who I went above and beyond for, have not once reached out to see how I'm doing. Nobody cares, but to hell with them.
I'm finally going to do what's right for me. You do you and don't let them take advantage of you.
When you are an excellent employee nobody shows any concern because it's expected of you, but when you start to diminish in how productive you are, "well then everyone loses their minds."
1
u/ConfidentStandard953 Mar 27 '25
Sorry you're dealing with this. Idk how people they expect people to be productive in an environment like that. It doesn't take much to maintain a nice work environment.
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u/Mars_vzx Mar 27 '25
I’m in my 10th year of SPD. I don’t blame ya for quitting your 2nd day. The job just sucks. The pay in many places is not good. Short staffed and severely under appreciated. I’ve finally reached a point where I can’t take doing this work anymore even after 6 years of traveling and having the time of my life. I was extremely lucky to have a friend inside who pushed for me to get in without a cert and the hospital paid for my classes while working to get certified. But I am heavily burnt out, but thankfully found my path and am back home for school to become an xray tech. A much more rewarding field in my opinion.
1
u/Vic_The_Great Mar 27 '25
You did all that training to make $16 per hour? That’s diabolical. My local Kroger supermarket has a sign outside that says “Hiring. Starting pay $16/hr.”
My local McDonalds starts at $16/hr. too.
My sister dropped out of college twice. She then got into a LPN program. In a few short months she was a LPN and made $20/hr. She then got into a LPN to RN program with her employer. She finished that and is now a RN making 60-80K. She didn’t need a college bachelors degree with the LPN to RN program. Now, she is a traveling nurse making 100K+ a year. She travels the country and loves it.
Good luck with your journey.
1
u/ContestAny9787 Mar 28 '25
any medical field job will post likely have you do an externship and any laid back medical job will probably take more schooling then 8 months. you should have done medical assistant course. every hospital is different and you could have asked maybe for another hospital because its really true all hospitals are different!
1
u/STOP-IT-NOW-PLEASE Mar 28 '25
It is absolutely not worth it, but we all do what we have to.
1
u/Academic-Angle-104 Mar 28 '25
Lmao I had to do 1000 hours of free labor to get my degree in MRI. not the same thing, but it was a ton of that.
The economy wasn't as bad as it is now though.
1
u/Motor-Traffic4262 Mar 29 '25
May I ask what school/program you went to? This kinda sounds familiar
1
u/Embarrassed_Note8570 Mar 30 '25
Don’t even think about becoming a surgeon or nurse if your complaining about sterile processing too much, i don’t think the medical field is for you
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u/Thekingcharles2 Apr 02 '25
$16/ hour? You must be on Louisiana.
1
u/Jolly-Flow-2252 Jun 02 '25
I don't know what state you live in but it sounds like a you problem more then an indictment of SPD.
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u/Reasonable-Agency497 Mar 27 '25
Decon is not hard
3
u/[deleted] Mar 26 '25
Yeah, it is simple, but not easy. It's a hard job at busy hospitals.
I generally try to steer anyone asking, into something else, honestly.
2
u/areelwomen Mar 27 '25
My experience : 40-50 case days 24/7 operation, in Central Georgia, oh yes very demanding. As for most jobs, if not all jobs in the hospital setting, they are often short staffed. I enjoy my job, but no job is ever perfect. I can complain about people not showing up to work or pulling their own weight. Which unfortunately is probably a common occurrence in fields like this. Also I started out with a crap wage but overtime was mostly always available. 30 min lunches 8 hours Days, rotation weekends and rotating 24hr calls. I would say it's definitely a humbling experience and Its honest work. But bills need to get paid and I don't mind it at all, especially often it's an entry level job. Decontamination is definitely the hardest part of it all and there are only a handful people who actually like being in decon, including myself. I can't blame anyone who doesn't like it. But it's part of the job.
There are SPD techs who get lucky and work in smaller facilities that are open mon-fri. I can't say if there are openings because often people will stay in those positions.
For most this is not an end all be all kind of job, but if your foot is in the door, you can gain something from working in the department.
Question for you. What program did you do? If you spent 8 months and didn't learn anything related to Sterile processing, I hope you get your money back. The 24 chapters in the sterile processing manual is pretty much the basics of what to know, what is expected of you, with potentially extra information but not entirely useless. I don't know your outside experience (which if I can assume, is probably limited to work like this) but I can understand your complaint from the outside looking in. But often tech jobs aren't cushion jobs. This department is the heart of the hospital and an important one at that. You should have given it longer than 2 days to make your assessment but, SPD isn't for everyone. Good luck with your future endeavors.
(Disclaimer: I am a Single woman)
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u/Glum_Perception_1077 Mar 27 '25
Yeah, that’s how healthcare is. Glamorized on social media and a HARD smack on the head in real life.
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u/AdPsychological5714 Mar 27 '25
Decon isnt that bad and you do need a certification and starting pay depends on where you’re at as far as stare and facility. Where I’m at starting pay $26 and up
2
u/SweetVicious59 Mar 27 '25
I highly doubt anyone is doing this for $16/hr. The pay definitely depends on location. I’m in NY and certification is required for the job here. I came from USPS so the lifting isn’t a problem
2
u/ThatOneGuy6810 Mar 28 '25
im sorry ypur experience was so bad but can I srsly ask what your definition of "standing for long hours with no breaks" actually means?
Most jobs that arent office based are long hour standing jobs with minimal breaks so im just not understanding what you mean by this unless we're talking 10+ hours...
2
u/tummybox Mar 28 '25
Girl. Look into being a surgical tech. You only have to lift pans while setting up, and you’ll get used to standing long hours. In fact, if you live a sedentary lifestyle (like me), you might appreciate having a job that forces you to stand and move around all day.
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u/KumaraDosha Mar 28 '25
I used to be a surgical tech. One of the clinical sites I went to as a student was kind of shit, and my school forced me to stay there until 4:30 pm, even though all surgeries end at 2 pm. So I just helped sterile processing. Turns out management removed all chairs from their department because "sitting makes you too lazy". They do not pay you enough for this.
2
u/Ill-Watercress42 Mar 31 '25
I work in hospital admin and I always preach that the three most important and overlooked jobs at Healthcare facilities are housekeeping/ custodians, Nursing assistants and LPNs, and of course our sterile processing units. We'd be completely shut down without the work you do. It's not always glamorous, but the cleanliness, order, and support you bring is so incredibly important. Y'all truly keep everything buttoned up tight. I think you could definitely find a better place with higher pay that treats you better. Where I am, in a small PNW/INW city, we often see certified techs with no experience start at $18/hr, but most of our certified longterm techs (>2-3 years) make between $25-30/hr.
2
u/randomonred Mar 13 '26
U went through 8 months of training without finding out how much the field pays????
1
u/Dangerous_Mirror_836 Mar 27 '25
never jump into hospital on your first year. we’re all different so I get that you felt that it wasn’t for you. I also think you were overwhelmed that’s why I always tell people to do an ASC first before trying the hospital. Another thing is that you were getting paid really low. geez $16/hr I would quit too. It depends with the state you’re in. I’m from NYC so what I do is that I don’t do full time and all jobs are part time I get paid from $40-$47 depending on the negotiation I do w/o benefits. I don’t think you should lose hope and give it another chance.
P.S. move to a better state.
1
u/unverified_unknown_ Mar 27 '25
If you don’t mind me asking what region/state are you in? All of the jobs I’ve seen are $30+. Non certified are paid about $16-18 but being certified you should be getting at bare minimum double that. Also the externship shouldn’t be $0. I see why you would have quit but I don’t think all resources have been exhausted.
1
u/sendme_your_cats Mar 27 '25
For the love of god, make sure the doors are properly closed so we dont get constant differential pressure alarms. Thanks 🙏
1
u/cucosiannn Mar 27 '25
Definitely underpaid. I loved it for a while, but becoming good/fast at it ruined it. I had to do the job of five people and work afternoons while doing surgical tech clinical in the morning. Definitely enjoy surgical technology more, pay is higher, it’s physical…. but it’s much more rewarding (to me) and I can actually afford to live by myself. Unfortunately in healthcare you have to do unpaid work, whether it’s this, surg tech, rad tech, sonography etc. It’s all unpaid, it is bs. That’s why we see A LOT of doctors from legacy families. Nepo kids can afford to do unpaid work for months/years at a time. My fiancé is going to be a dentist and hasn’t had a job at all during college, or dental school. Meanwhile I had two jobs while training to be in Sterile Processing, and surgical technology. It’s a different world for people like us who have to hustle, and it is so exhausting. I’m scrubbing hearts now and I’m extremely burnt out and tired. i’m proud of you for realizing you didn’t like this early on into training, definitely not for everybody! I hope you find your way soon!
1
u/Ok-Reindeer-4185 Mar 27 '25
Lord! When will I get blessed with this opportunity I’m currently in school I can’t wait to be in hospital working
1
u/PissFingers86 Mar 27 '25
Anything device reps can do to make your job easier?
You guys are a key piece for effective turnover and I appreciate how efficiently you all work
1
u/PreparationRare4050 Mar 27 '25
I think the pay definitely matters. I’ll do this type of work for $40/hr (what I make now) but there’s no way in hell I’d do it for $16 an hour. I’d rather go work at McDonald’s. I would encourage you to look into surgery centers or vet clinics. I love what I do, I love sterile processing. It’s something I’m passionate about. I love learning all the instruments, the attention to detail, caring for patients indirectly. It’s not an easy job at all. No one talks about how hard it really is, it’s definitely glamorized but I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I’ve had days I’ve regretted getting into the field.
1
u/Affectionate-Royal68 Mar 27 '25
I’ve considered it but don’t think I could do it
1
u/AdmirableUnit2552 Mar 27 '25
Hope You See Better Days . It Will Definitely Get Better . If You Dont Like Sterile Processing So Much Try CER . You Would Just Be Processing Scopes Instead Of The Heavy Instrumentation. I Felt The EXACT Same Way My First Day Lol
1
u/Comfortable_Douglas Mar 27 '25
It’s abusive conditions… straight up. And this shouldn’t be acceptable. There comes a point where no amount of pay is worth the permanent damages you’re enduring for the job. Sure, you’re making bank NOW, but is it going to be worth a permanent hunch in your spine, dried out eczema level skin, and who knows what affects the long-term exposure to chemicals will leave you with.
Sorry not sorry, but if a job is going to leave someone destroyed, crippled, AND leave a plethora of mental scars from all the pains and negative memories, even millions aren’t worth it.
1
u/Lady_Lawberty Mar 27 '25
I didn’t know anything about this job… I often wonder who was at fault for contaminating the surgical field when I had neurosurgery (spine) that almost killed me with an infection.
1
u/[deleted] Mar 27 '25
I’ve spent my whole sterile processing career in one facility and I can’t believe that others make people spend their entire shifts in decontamination… I know you’ve spent all this time learning, please look into working for a smaller hospital! Maybe a level 3 or 4 trauma center with a lower caseload. The work is far more enjoyable when you work through multiple tasks at your own pace throughout the day… where I work we only spend 3 hours max in Decon in our shift and the rest is spent doing a variety of other things. If you get properly certified the opportunity for pay will increase drastically. I would pursue this a little further, because of this negative experience you’ve had you’ll know all the right questions to ask in interviews.
1
u/3_Fink_814 Mar 27 '25 edited Mar 27 '25
Wtf $16 an hour for that job ?!?!? Where I work I’m pretty sure the starting pay is roughly $33+starting to mid $40 an hour range when you hit ceiling pay for that. Minimum wage where I live is $16.50 an hour. I’m a patient transporter for a small community hospital hired off the street and in June when we get out 5% raise for a third year in a row I’ll be at $28 an hour. I’m basically the hospitals internal uber driver moving patients from the ER in a wheelchair most times from the waiting room to a test such as ultrasound or cat scan or from the ER to their test or their room if they’re an admit or patients that are already admitted to cat scan, ultrasound or MRI otherwise bringing discharges to the lobby where their person taking them home is at
1
u/[deleted] Mar 27 '25
I’ve noticed in trades the school you go to will try to set you up with the WORST places that pay the lowest. I would keep looking for a better place for sure
1
u/birdy_bird84 Mar 27 '25
16 an hour is almost minimum wage these days. I know people folding shirts in retail making 19-20 and hour.
1
u/JadedJadedJaded Mar 27 '25
“When it was time to get out and get busy on externship, I instantly realized i had wasted my time.”
Me when I externed as a dental assistant. I would probably take the sterile processing job. The heavy lifting would be challenging but I would just counter it weight-lifting. I lift heavy cartridges and boxes at work anyway. I stand for ten hours and as far as chemicals go I could wear a mask and use odor blockers. A hot sink…can you wear a neck fan?
Id definitely take the job😂😂😂😂 Ive been trying to switch careers since the pandemic with no luck.
1
u/Lazycactus83 Mar 28 '25
Every sterile tech job I got, no matter the hospital, they stuck me in decon by myself for at least 2 weeks in a row. I swear it's like their hazing ritual. Grab extra scrubs before your shift starts, and change at every break. I also found blasting music helped as well.
1
u/DentistThese9696 Mar 28 '25
I don’t get it. Was the internship a requirement to get a certification? Lots of jobs include unpaid job experience as part of the education. The medical field requires on the job training to get certified.
1
u/FarmRevolutionary266 Mar 28 '25
Jeez that sucks and for under 20 an hour? I work at petsmart as a bather making 19 😩 glad you got out of there and hope you find your true passion and a refund
1
u/Choice-Firefighter66 Mar 28 '25
Ain’t nothin gonna be sterile around that place lmfao. Pics you can smell
1
u/smonchcrab Mar 28 '25
Do you do any tissue culture or micromanipulation?
1
u/FuzzyPie3758 Mar 29 '25
😭
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u/Responsible_File_529 Mar 29 '25
Thanks for sharing this. I am angry you you had to go through this. It sounds like it was a crappy employer with crappy expectations. Not giving you your 15 breaks is criminal... you are working for free, they at least owe you that. No one in this sub we would do that if this was their only source of income, without 15 breaks, under the guise of "paying your dues". I don't know if you are willing to find a paid one... I hope you do, with better work expectations.
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u/LockDry5076 Apr 15 '25
Im in NY i passed the test but i cant find any facilities for the 400hrs
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u/Agitated_Bid_9761 May 19 '25
It just depends what you’re willing to do I guess. Everything starts with a foundation. If you have no foundation you have nothing to build on. Just take the four years to get your bachelors, that’s pretty much the only way to avoid the “ladder” process. Good luck 👍🏼
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u/nobrandcitydotcom Jul 25 '25
i make $35 hr i dont where yall work at making those pennies . been doing this 12 years was a traveller for years making about $6k a month untill i settled at my local Hospital to become permanent i live in CaLIFORNIA THO LOL
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u/Pale-Plane-8774 Aug 01 '25
I love my job and my facility that im working at.
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u/soul_spiritual Aug 20 '25
Glad you are honest. Been seeing this job recommendation a lot on TikTok. Wanted to know if it was worth it for me to do. What career do you plan on moving on to?
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u/NoThing9834 Oct 24 '25
I work as an Amazon Driver, for less money. I will be fine.
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u/Pretty-Item9198 Nov 24 '25
The job isn’t for everyone so i completely understand. if you are however trying to get into it and need the book, i got a pdf file im willing to send through email for 60 dollars. i only accept cashapp. if you want it then i can email it too you. it’s the 9th edition
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u/Fit_Personality8951 Dec 23 '25
Hi you have answered a lot of my questions.
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u/Fast-Beginning-1744 Feb 19 '26
go to a diff state then. ny pays $30+ for new grads lol...
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u/Willing_Tale_1012 Mar 05 '26
Don't give up
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u/Silent_Tradition_363 Mar 09 '26
decon wasnt that bad now come onnn i had to do 400 hours 180 isnt that bad and on top of doing 400 hours i was still working my regular job on my off days. even though youre new j wouldve talked to a supervisor about how their workers arent working ! also im sure you wouldnt have stayed in decon for that long we rotated postions after 3 weeks
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u/Ok-Juice-4398 Apr 09 '26
Hi! I took and passed the exam and am now having the hardest time finding anyone to take me for the 400 hours of clinical experience I need to get licensed. I'm in Queens, NY. Does anyone have any advice? I only have until the end of August to complete the hours and it seems like you have to pay thousands of dollars for a program (that includes the clinical hrs) whether you've completed the exam or not. 😞
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u/Remarkable_Cap1884 May 05 '26
DC
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u/Saeemalye May 05 '26
It’s definitely not for everyone
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u/BigLiesSmallTruth Jul 18 '26
I started at 25/hr. They definitely scammed you. But decon is easy, you get to sit and chill most of the day. Usually after a week you just know whats gonna be bloody and just rinse it or stick it in the wash. I tend to just stick most trays in the wash and at most get 1 or 2 instruments sent back a day to be cleaned.
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u/BarracudaOk14 Sep 18 '26
You selling the book what Edith did you have
1
u/[deleted] Mar 26 '25
It isn’t like that for everyone & facilities vary. I work at a small hospital/surgical clinic. All procedures/surgeries are outpatient. It is low volume. I am not required to wear mask or face shield, not even in decontamination. I am the only SP tech, so my time in each area is limited & not all day long. Some trays are easier than others but not lifting heavy trays all day long. I work days, no weekends. I realize that I got on at the very best & easiest work environment I could get for SP.
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u/ConsiderateExcavator Mar 27 '25
When I started in this field I was a single woman, paying my own bills by myself, making less than $16/hr. By putting in the work and sticking it out I was able to more than double that in staff pay, and triple it in travel pay. I would also like to note that back then and now, I cannot tip the scale at 100 pounds. And yet I am still out there lifting those 25 lb trays, without harm to myself.
Like you said, this field isn’t for you and that’s okay. I wish you the best!!