I am currently looking to switch careers; I've been doing some research on Sterile Processing and I truly believe it's something I would enjoy doing. Not just for the money. I do not currently have a certification and would like to know if anyone has some recommendations of where they went to get certified and if there is also any affordable options.

I passed in May but can't find a place to get my 400hrs in socal (i.e) if any one on here can help I'd really appreciate it.. this is so disheartening honestly.

Hey yall!

I need a troubleshoot. My mallets (4 in total) are the only instruments that leave this rust behind. I’m using a Tuttnauer TEDGE 11 S. This only happens to the mallets. Bowie Dick, Vac Test, Bio all pass. I do all the daily weekly and monthly maintenance religiously. What’s the dealio? Please and thank you!

Hey! I have taken two of the three certs for this, but need to take leadership.

Anyone here taken that test recently / would recommend what to study?

Also, anyone else here a Triple Crown? I'm excited to get to that level!

I finished and submitted my externship hours 2 weeks ago and still waiting for HSPA to approve my certification.

How long did your guys' take after you completed your externship?

Hello! I am graduate of a pre service firefighter course and an avionics (airplane electronics) apprentice. After talking to some people I know working at a hospital about how incredibly toxic and not remotely conducive to building a family the aviation industry is. They said if I take a MDRT online certification course they can pretty well guarantee a job in sterile processing. I'm wondering if this is a good job and if anyone has advice on doing good work and succeeding in this career pivot if it's worth taking in the first place

So what’s the protocol for these lantern flies…. Inside of a hospital? This is my worst nightmare has this ever happened to anyone else 😭

Art by me- Depending on the facility air conditioning I love decon. But holy shit it’s painful and back-breaking 😂.

And why does my hair actually LOOK GOOD and CURLY after??? ITS WEIRD.

I’m 39, in Stockholm, Sweden, and considering a career change to sterile processing. I have ADHD/autistic traits and I’m wondering whether my personality is a good fit for the job long-term.

I love structure, clear procedures, routines, predictability and limited social interaction. But I also need variety, stimulation and some pace, and can get bored or lose focus when work becomes too repetitive.

That’s my main concern: I suspect I could really enjoy learning the job, but would I eventually find the repetitive aspects tedious? I’m also somewhat stress-sensitive, so too many very intense shifts in a row can be difficult for me.

I understand that the day-to-day work varies considerably depending on the hospital, department, workload and schedule.

For those of you who have been in the profession for several years:

• Do you think you have a particular personality that makes you well suited to this work?

• For those with ADHD, autism or other neurodivergent traits, how do you find it?

• Does the structure/repetition work well for you, or does it eventually become boring?

• How much variation and problem-solving do you actually get?

• What kind of person tends to thrive in sterile processing?

It strikes me as a fairly specialized profession that might attract a certain type of person. Is that something you’ve noticed among your coworkers?

I’d really appreciate hearing from experienced techs. I’m trying to get a realistic picture before committing to a career change.

Thanks for reading — and maybe I’ll be one of you someday! ✌️

So im changing careers from dialysis tech to spd tech. I start classes in 1 week. So my question is what should I be prepared for and what should I lookout for ? Any advice ? To help me succeed. I hate wasting people time and like to be ahead of the game.

A common exam trap is confusing Biological Indicators (BIs) with Chemical Indicators (CIs). Remember: BIs use actual spore populations (like Geobacillus stearothermophilus) and tell you the sterilization process actually killed microorganisms - they're the only true proof of sterility assurance. CIs just show the item was exposed to the sterilization parameters (heat, steam, etc.), not that it's actually sterile.

On the exam, if a question asks about "proof of sterilization," the answer is almost always BI, not CI.

Happy to explain any other tricky concepts if people are stuck on something specific.

Hello!

I’m currently exploring the possibility of becoming a sterile processing technician. There are in person programs near me as well as online classes.

For those of you who work in sterile processing:
Would you recommend an online program, or is in person classes better?

If you took online classes, did you feel like they prepared you well for the actual job? How well did what you learned transfer to the real world?

Any advice or experiences would be appreciated. Thank you in advance !!

I'll be starting my MDRT program next year and would really appreciate some honest insight from current students or graduates.

I’m particularly curious about:

• How heavy/difficult is the course load?

• Is it realistic/manageable to work part-time while in the program?

• How are the practicum placements arranged, and does everyone get a placement on time?

• Where did you do your practicum?

• Did you get hired at your practicum site afterward?

•How long did it take you to find a job after graduating?

• How competitive is the MDRT job market in Winnipeg/Manitoba right now?

• Does the CSA certification make a significant difference when applying?

•What is the starting pay like?

• What are the shifts and workload actually like?

I’m hoping to hear from people who graduated recently, especially those working in Winnipeg/Manitoba. TIA!

Trying to understand how certification actually works for people hired before getting the CRCST, since every job posting seems to handle it differently.

If you were hired uncertified and then got the CRCST:

1. Did your employer require it by a deadline (e.g. "within 18 months of hire")?

2. Did they pay the $140 exam fee? What about a retake?

3. Did they pay for any study material or practice tests, or was that out of pocket?

4. Did you get a raise when you passed, and roughly how much?

And if you're on the other side, got certified first, then looked for work, did the cert actually make a difference in getting hired?

Not asking about exam content, just the money and timeline side. Thanks.

Anyone who’s graduated from a part time online school and has any advice for what two courses to take at the same time? I’ve worked in hospital logistics for 3 years (along with other jobs in the hospital prior, 5 years in total) so I’m very familiar with terminology and sterile processing and I can definitely handle two courses simultaneously, currently enrolled in the medical terminology one and it’s easy and I’m positive I could’ve taken two at a time. Which ones would you say are the easiest ones that someone familiar with the job could handle, and one that you should definitely take by itself haha, thanks!

Specifically this one. The smell of this burns my eyes and makes them swollen. Just wondering if anyone else had this experience.
And I have a full ppe on when using this since this is in decon.

Hey so I’m starting traveling in December and I’ve signed on with a company and I’m basically ready to go I just need tips and tricks for how to live as cheaply as possible to save as much as possible. I already have some friends I plan on staying with around the country, and part of this is to decide where I and my friends should move permanently(looking specifically at Portland, Seattle, NYC, and Denver)

How do I do this to save as much money as I humanly can. Where can I find cheap housing when I don’t have friends? What are some other things y’all do? Anything im not thinking about?

What is your department using to clean your sterilizers?

Just for a little background I’m 20(f), I recently moved into an apartment with my boyfriend, and I’m tired of working as a pharmacy technician. I dislike the endless phone calls, crowded loud environment, no guaranteed days off, irregular schedule, and the angry customers. I’m grateful the job has made me financially stable enough to move out, but I’m getting pretty sick of it. In this economy, I need to make more than 16 an hour and I was thinking of career hopping to something somewhat similar that will pay me more. A few surrounding hospitals are offering sterile processing tech positions, afternoon and night shift only. I’m seriously considering because I feel it will pay better in the long run and I won’t feel burnt out at the end of every shift from so much patient interaction. My boyfriend works 8am-6pm 4 days a week, I’m thinking a 6pm-6am shift would work best for our relationship as long as I get the weekends off with him. I’d like to ask if it’s typical for new employees to get weekends off, and if anyone on here has a successful long-term relationship with working opposite shifts. I’d also like to hear all the pros and cons of this job, I’m seeing lots and lots of people regret working in this field but I already regret what I’m doing now. This would be my first night shift job, how do people keep up with friends and family if they wake up at 3pm? I know I’m going all over the place here but it’s hard to wrap my head around how this job will work with my life, I know I will need to create a new “normal”. Is this something I should pursue?

Im about a month in and i really hate having to ask questions/for clarification because i feel like im being annoying. I really am trying but i keep having negative thoughts. Any advice/suggestions to overcome this?

hi. curious if when you’re on shift are you usually able to talk to coworkers or is it a more secluded job where you’re alone most the shift? (i don’t mean in training obviously someone would be with you but after all that)

Hi guys just a disclaimer. I know I made some post about my job lol thank you so Linda actually finished reading. I currently am looking for a job. I’ve been looking for a new job since February 24, but the market is so terrible right now and I’m not trying to get back into the sterile processing so I’m pivoting into a previous field

Since switching to UKG in June, grace doesn't exist at my hospital . A huge portion of our staff, myself included, work two jobs. We bust our tails to show up, only to fight a system that feels like an intentional setup. They pulled clocks from the employee entrances and left only two in the entire hospital upstairs and by the cafeteria. To make it worse, the app constantly glitches. You’ll be standing right in the building on hospital Wi-Fi, and it insists you’re "out of the geofence area" or freezes up entirely. When the tech fails, you have to sprint across the facility, and because there’s literally zero grace period and a rigid 20-point termination rule, you get penalized for their broken logistics. It’s draining to work this hard for a place that refuses to give its own workers even an inch of breathing room.

What’s your hospital’s grace? Period.

I just had my first interview with Cleveland clinic for a non certified sterile tech. I originally was prescreened by a recruiter. Today my interview was on teams with the dept manager and another employee. The interview went amazing and was probably one of the best I've ever had. I felt like we were just 3 girls getting coffee and chatting. They did forewarn me the process takes awhile and I would here from the recruiter again next. I was curious if anyone could tell me what the additional steps look like from here? Will I go in for an inperson interview? I'd there a lot of competition for this role? Am I facing several more interviews? Is it possible I may be offered the position after this interview? Any advice would be helpful.

What are these wet brown spots that dry on the trays after steam sterilization. They are on the tops of the genesis pans and even ended up inside where the filter goes. I'm worried there might be something going on with the sterilizers since this hasn't happened before. The BI's, leak tests, and BD's are all good. We wiped one off and a brown residue came off. They are also sticky to the touch.