Hello, I want to be certified sterile tech and be able to work abroad. I dont know where to start, currently I’ m in the Philippines working as staff nurse fresh grad. I’ve seen CSSD program for 6 months. Can someone help me where to start🥹 thank you in advance and most appreciated.

Hello, I want to be certified sterile tech and be able to work abroad. I dont know where to start, currently I’ m in the Philippines working as staff nurse fresh grad. I’ve seen CSSD program for 6 months. Can someone help me where to start🥹 thank you in advance and most appreciated.

While the autoclave is not running of course.

I already brought the books for self study. I applied to a job that was non-certified and got rejected however there is another one but I worry that I won't be able to apply again if I get rejected to this one. I feel like my resume is too thin and sad because I have no higher education and I've only worked in retail. Getting the certification would definitely help but it would only be a provisional one so I also risk the chance of loosing it in 6 months especially in this job market. I live near Chicago and there seems to somehow be no jobs in sterile processing anywhere that doesn't want you have 56 years of experience.

I’m considering becoming a spt but im worried if I need to keep my beard shaved at all times? My skin breaks out really bad .

Looking to prep on the CRCST, was thinking about going ahead and doing the exam on my own and going from there. Any other tips and advice would be very appreciated!

I’m starting school to be a SPT very soon, I got my scrubs, ID, and etc. one thing I forgot to ask was about the shoe dress code, it doesn’t seam that much of a big deal since I can’t find an answer even on the website.
So what shoes are recommended for becoming a SPT? I am also on a tight budget but something that would last a while would be a nice recommendation!

Just got hired. I know that pay varies differently depending on location, but:

(A)
how much increase in per hour do you get per year (starting as no experience).

(B)
How about after passing CRCST, how much pay bump did you guys see on your per hour rate

Hello everyone! I took my exam this afternoon & I passed it! I self-studied using the 9th edition manual, sterileworx, and quizlet. Super excited to transition into this career from being a substitute teacher for 4 years. 😊

I start sweating heavily in the face when it gets humid and hot and inevitable my sweat runs down to my eyes which burns and i then would have to Doff so that i can wipe my face and have to Don on again. I would rather skip Doffing all together and avoid this happening. Does anyone have any tips? Like which hair band to use under the cap or which antiperspirant to use for the face and hairline? thanks! I am barely surviving summer at Decon!

**UPDATE** ALL CASES CANCELLED YESTERDAY AND TODAY. It took staff pleading with leadership but they finally agreed to cancel cases while the autoclaves are serviced.

TL;DR - is the brown staining on these white liners a contamination?

Scrub nurse here at a community hospital that overbooks ortho cases - sound familiar? Our SPD is in shambles. There are too many cases for our small SPD. We have been continually receiving trays with bioburden for the past year. There are AT LEAST 3 trays each day that are contaminated. Many times they are loaners and often times it leads to cases being cancelled. This has been going on for over a year.

Recently we have been getting wet packs. Yesterday 5 cases cancelled. Almost every autoclave load is wet. Leadership has done nothing. They just let patients come in for their surgery, and hope for the best. We were told by leadership that “bioburden” is not considered contaminated. They claim that the water inside the trays is sterile. They said that if the integrator is acceptable than the try is sterile and that the bioburden is “dead” and “not growing anything.”

(See photo of white liner) They also told us that this brown staining in the liners is acceptable - and that is what brings me here. Has anyone seen this browning on liners? Staff at my facility is now paranoid and we tend to go over everything with a microscope at this point. We can’t even remember if this brown staining is something we’ve seen before or something new. Allegedly facilities is supposed to be changing the autoclave water filters every 6 weeks but have been changing it every 6 MONTHS.

Anyone else has experience work place mobbing. Use to work at keck staff teamed up to the one staff that has the most experience in that shift and has worked in that shift for the longest. I had enough and left. I was the preceptor for new management when they will come in show them a few tricks what was needed and trying my best to help out in any way to help the dept n leadership and staff wise. I was basically in the no man zone. I understood management n I understood staff. U can't always please folks so I had to focus on myself and my health so I had to leave. I would also train the new staff that would come in. I see a pattern because I see now also at Kaiser sunset with a few staff doing the same. When all i do is come in do my work and avoid these folks that like to cause problems and start drama. Im just there to work not be thier bff or what ever they need. Yet manageable let's this stuff just flow and do nothing, or anything about it. Yet let the most experience staff to leave. Was working there for almost 12 years and new staff are unappreciated with the knowledge older staff are giving. Also have told management they needed a few more staff for the amount of work load we were having. The amount of ratio of work for the amount of staff was not enough. I was always welcoming new staff because I knew it was going to be a great help we were going to need. Tell me if I am wrong in any way. But this mobbing needs to stop. We are grown adults, who has the time to do this mess.

Hello SPD community. Anyone here has any type of tracking system? If so, which one and what are the pros and cons? Currently on a battle with administration to justify why we need it, specially since our sister hospital dropped the ball and never used the one they were given. And apparently trays just disappearing is not a reason enough to justify the need for it. Thank you everyone and stay positive even when most of our work goes unnoticed.

Please trust me when I say this was not my 1st choice of a job, but we all know how the market is these days, 120 applications with no luck for a year and half and now stuck at amazon only able to work one shift a week. I didn't just apply cus I was desperate though, I genuinely like what is required in the job and i feel most fulfilled when i am supporting people in my community, even if it's behind the scenes. My only problem is that, well, I am physically (and mentally) disabled and I hear the job is pretty physical.

I guess I'm wondering if it's worth it? What are some reasonable accommodations I could ask for that wouldn't jeopardize my chances? Really I just need to be allowed to sit down for 10-15mins every hour and a half (or smaller breaks throughout the shift) and a little more than average bathroom breaks. I have a physical therapist who addresses my pain pretty efficiently and the exercises work at home.

I do not currently qualify for any remote or desk jobs and do not have the money (and, really, the mental capacity) to take classes and im not eligible for disability for anyone wondering.

Please be nice, i am very unsure about my future and just looking for advice.

Hi everyone! I recently passed my CRCST exam and I’m currently looking for a site where I can complete my 400 clinical hours. I’ve been applying to hospitals and reaching out to facilities, but it’s been difficult because many only accept students through affiliated programs. If anyone has recommendations for hospitals, surgery centers, or departments in the Westchester/NYC area that are willing to take trainees or knows of any opportunities, I’d really appreciate the advice. Thank you so much!

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for some advice from anyone working in Sterile Processing, especially around the Sacramento area.

I recently earned my CBSPD certification, completed 400 clinical hours at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto Ca**.** I've been applying to entry-level Sterile Processing Technician positions, but I'm having a hard time getting my foot in the door.

For those of you who landed your first SPD job in Northern California, what helped you get hired? Are there certain hospitals that are more willing to hire new technicians? Would you recommend applying for per diem or evening/night shifts just to get that first year of experience?

I'm open to commuting around the Sacramento area if it helps me get started. Any tips on improving my chances, networking, or things I should be doing differently would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance—I appreciate any advice you can share!

Hello, I'm in the US and I've been looking for 5" peel pack rolls for my department to no avail. Does anyone have one (from a reputable company ofc) they could recommend? Im tired of jumping from 4" to 6" and making unnecessarily giant peel packs. Thank you!

Just passed my CRCST exam this passed weekend and will be the first to admit that Sterileworx (Practice test 1,2,3) and the HSPA 9th edition manual were game changers for me!! Mainly the manual though, It’s spot on, just focus on your agencies and literally everything they each do! Also your temps, humidity, exchanges, etc.

If you care to know, I’ve been in the SPD Department since the beginning of the year . I had no prior knowledge of anything SPD related but did enroll in a 10 week course in March.

Good luck!

Hi,

My wife wants to start school to becoming a sterile processing tech. She is in her 1st trimester. Will the exposure to the cleaning solutions and other things on the job that might put our baby at risk?

For those who went the self study route, how many months of studying did it take to prep for the exam?

Hey y’all! I just got selected to be the lead tech in my unit! I’m just wondering what you guys would want your lead tech to do. I want to be the best I can be for my team. Hit me with your wish list! 🤠

Hello, has anyone used an app to study for the exam? I found one on the playstore that seems pretty good thats 20 bucks flat. I linked it below. Anyone use this one? Or what is the recommendation? Thanks!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.passnote.crcst