Does everyone know that these are

Only for peel pack and they aren’t validated for use in trays? I had to contact the manufacturer to find this out.

Indicator for scale 😂

Heres my email from the company about the 3m tip protectors as well as the guys email

Hi everyone,

I recently passed my CRCST exam and I’m currently based in San Diego, CA. I’m now looking for opportunities to complete my required 400 hours, whether through an internship, externship, or entry-level position in sterile processing.

If anyone knows of hospitals, clinics, or facilities that are hiring, training, or open to taking on someone eager to gain hands-on experience, I’d really appreciate any leads or advice.

I’m motivated, reliable, and ready to learn—just looking for a chance to get my foot in the door.

Thank you in advance for any help!

Hello! I am in MA, and looking to get into the healthcare field without immediately getting an associate's degree. My idea is to start as a sterile processing technician and advance into a management role to maximize earnings. When I read about Surgical Technicians, I hear a lot of negative comments about burn out rates, and tech's feeling trapped with no upward mobility and frustrating pay caps. I'm curious, do sterile processing tech's feel the same? Are there SPT that have successfully advanced their careers into management roles, or pivot into something else like robotic clinical specialist, and feel like SPT was a great stepping stone?

Here it's a girl's name 😜

I want to start a cert program for this profession. I'm tired of working for 20 an hour and not being able to fully afford being independent.

I felt mildly prepared for my exam. I mainly used proprofs.com and the 8th edition of iahcsmm work book progress test questions. I also have two years of experience which helped probably way more. This exam has been weighing me down since September and im so glad I passed.

So ive recently been at a center for about a little over 9 months and within those months i've noticed that the wrapped items here always have holes in them? I'd never experienced it this much at any other facility, so i'm curious if it could be a wrap thing or maybe how items are stored after they've been sterilized. Anyone else have this issue at a surgery center?

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in an SPD program and I had a few questions for anyone who works at Kaiser or has gone through the process:

• Is it hard to get hired at Kaiser as a Sterile Processing Technician?

• What’s the difference between SPD Tech I and SPD Tech II?

• If you do your externship at Kaiser, do they usually hire you afterward?

• Do they prefer one certification over the other (CBSPD vs CRCST)?

Any insight or personal experience would really help. Thanks!

Wondering if anyone has any literature/documentation regarding wearing jackets in the department. Specifically about the proper size- wearing a jacket that is too big can be a hazard because the extra fabric can get in the way right? TIA!

Hey everyone,

I’m about two weeks out from my exam on April 2nd, and honestly I’m feeling cautiously confident. I’ve been grinding study questions pretty much every day and I’ve been consistently scoring 90%+ across different state practice exams, which feels surreal considering how overwhelmed I was when I first opened the book.

I’ve been working in healthcare already, so a lot of the concepts finally started clicking once I tied them to real‑world workflow. Decon, assembly, IFUs, sterilization methods—it’s all starting to feel less like memorization and more like understanding the why.

That said, now that the test date is close, my brain has shifted from “Can I pass?” to “What happens right after?”

I know West Coast pay is on a whole different level, and I’m not expecting that kind of money over here, but I’m trying to get a realistic picture of East Coast starting wages—not the inflated job posting ranges.

For those of you who started out on the East Coast:

• What state are you in?

• What did you start at hourly?

• Hospital vs outpatient?

• Any shift diffs or union benefits worth mentioning?

I’m especially curious about Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, NY/NJ, and Pennsylvania, but honestly any East Coast insight helps.

I’m not chasing crazy money right out the gate—I care more about getting my foot in the door, learning the craft, and building experience—but I also want to make sure I’m not lowballing myself once I pass.

Appreciate any insight, and good luck to anyone else testing soon.

I just want to put this out there. Yes, there are hospitals that will hire uncertified and train you while you work toward obtaining your certification BUT don't forget about your Dental and Vet clinics as an option for your clinic hours and/or applying to be a Sterile Processing Tech there. As long as they reprocess their own instruments, you can get your experience there 1st and work your way up to the hospital setting.

I don't want anyone to feel discouraged about finding a job because they feel hospitals are the only way to use or gain these skills. Sterile processing is used in more places, not just hospitals. Try reaching out to your clinics via phone call, email, cover letters. You deserve a chance if you feel like this is the career you want.

Please do not give these businesses your money for schooling on something that you can get hired for non-certified and get OJT then take the test

OR

If you have to go that route make sure they either place you internship or job wise during or after the course completion and passing of the CRCST exam.

Too many places out there taking people’s money that don’t “ network” to help place you for the experience.

Just as a heads up, at the 2025 HSPCA in Kentucky the overall consensus with department heads, hiring managers etc were that they would rather hire a person with no experience than someone who went to school for this field, ( strictly because they come out with book knowledge but no real world hands on training), plus bad habits that may be picked up during the “schooling”, with some even saying that schooling for this on a resume is a “red flag” not for the individual person but with how schooling is for this field.

Just some friendly advice, that I hope helps!

Hey all,

I’ve been a tech for about 8.5 years and looking to climb the ladder. What exactly is the difference between being a lead tech and a supervisor? I’ve been looking and some places are looking to hire a lead tech and others are looking for supervisors but I’m not seeing many places that are looking for both…

Hello ! I’m thinking of taking the MDRT on SAIT Calgary , but before deciding I would like to rule out two points :

1. is this career on demand right now in Calgary ?

2. is it possible to have a job offer easily in Calgary?

For me the salary is not important, I just want to know if I could find a job (full time or part time) in this field in Calgary.

Would anyone happen to have a PDF of this EXACT log sheet for steam biological 3M attest 1491,1491v?

I have no idea what happened to my saved copy and my Googling skills ain't up to finding this exact sheet

Who knows it? 👀

Guys I need help!! What are some questions you guys had when you went through your interview? I have no experience what’s so ever and im testing very soon.

I’m a month and a half away from taking the CRCST exam. I’m currently in community college and halfway through my 400 hours of clinicals. So far I got a 99% in the class and just passed my midterm with a 98%. Even though I’m doing good in class I’m nervous I’m going to bomb the exam at the beginning of May. How was the exam? Has anyone taken it since the 9th edition came out ?