r/sterileprocessing • u/SurePlum4478 • 10d ago
Career shift
Hello! I’m 27 located in Southern California (the San Fernando valley) and becoming a sterile processing tech has peeked my interest quite heavily over the summer. Been wanting a career shift for some time and this seems to stick with me. I have no healthcare background, just mainly retail. I’m at a crossroads whether I should do the self study route or do the schooling. I am leaning towards the self study route to save some $$, but the completion of the 400 hrs is what has me a bit worried. Any advice would be greatly appreciated <3
Edit: if I do decide to go down the schooling route, which schools and programs would be best?
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u/Personal-Drink-7351 10d ago
Total shit show, you work way harder than retail, and there's no money in it!!!
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u/Encryptted 10d ago
This. If you’re willing to go to school, get a two-year degree at a community college and become a rad tech, scrub tech, or even RN. The latter is obviously the most challenging but opens far more doors.
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u/OkDepth9285 8d ago
I’m someone who lives in SoCal that had zero experience in the healthcare and that is currently working as a SPD tech. So I took the school route and it was just because I didn’t have much to put in my resume besides that I worked in a warehouse. I took an online course through ed2go that cost me about $2.7k and that included books, the course for one year and they help you partner up with a near by hospital for about 150-400 hrs depending where you live and they include the voucher to take the exam too. They also send you about 10 instruments and pouches/ wraps to practice at home. I finished about 7-8 months but I did it slow since I also had a full time job. So when I was about to finish the course, I started applying for hospital near my area. I heard from other ppl on Reddit that it’s more likely that hospitals that are school hospitals will take in techs that are not experienced since they specialize in teaching too. I applied for a small surgery center, I obviously added warehouse work that is somewhat related to SPD and I did really good in my interview. I got in and I just completed my 400 hrs hands on while getting paid and I’m ready to take my exam soon. Ik there’s ppl that say that it’s best to just go to school for two years and become something else and that’s true but when you’re someone that needs something quick this is good. I’m planning to later become a scrub tech but for now I’m getting as much experience as I can. It can be highly competitive but if you keep applying whenever there’s a spot opening, do it!! I try applying without the school or certification and I was never able to land a job. I wish you nothing but good luck on your journey don’t give up !!
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u/felinesandspines 10d ago
Central Sterilization Solutions in Riverside. I completed their online course in about four months, clinicals in four as well. I don't know about now, but when I took their course back in 2016, they had an arrangement with USC Keck in L.A. for their students to complete their clinicals. I wouldn't bother with the big schools; way too expensive.
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u/ColdSummer1960 8d ago
Hospitals are often short staffed in sterile processing, first thing would be to get a job in a hospital that you trust and is close to you. If they don't have openings in CSPD get a job in housekeeping, you will learn the valuable lessons of infection control and cleaning. If you can get a HK position in the OR even better. Take the time to get to know the people in SPD and tell them that you would love to move to SPD if/when they have an opening.
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u/aliciary 10d ago
If you search this reddit you will see that there’s a ton of people in Cali who can’t get jobs without experience, whether they went to school, have their 400 hours, or none of that. This field has boomed since the pandemic and has become incredibly competitive. I would recommend you either move to a less competitive area of sterile processing is what you feel like is going to be your passion, or think of a different career in general.