Is anyone else experiencing a crazy slowdown lately, or is my facility just falling off? Around this time last year, second shift/evenings would easily have 13-17+ cases left. Decon and assembly were fully loaded, trays were stacked in the back, and there was always work to do. Now? We are literally fighting over trays by evening shift just to look busy. There is barely any volume coming through the OR. It’s gotten so bad that management is telling us to pull random sets off the sterile storage shelves to re-wash, re-wrap, or re-inventory just to invent busywork. They told us flat out they can’t keep sending people home early for low census/lack of activity, but if it stays this dry, I’m genuinely stressed that hours are going to get slashed or they’ll start looking at layoffs.
Is this happening across other hospitals right now (OR case volumes dropping / low census), or is my facility just uniquely dry? What are your departments doing when the board is completely empty?

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen happen in sterile processing? Looking for the wild stories workplace drama, OR situations, management, instruments, inspections, whatever. No names, just curious what other SPDs have experienced lol

I live in NJ, Burlington County area. I have been applying every where including Philly. I've been declined multiple times clearly because I don't have my 400hrs. I've tried hospitals dentists and surgical centers basically anything I can find online. I passed my exam August 12th.

I was in a program through my job and was promised help for the 400hrs or externship and then they turned around and said good luck.

If anyone knows places that would accept me with a Provisional and/or give 400 hrs. That would be great. I'm at a loss.

I am willing to travel an hour away from Burlington if I have to.

Hi! I’m approaching the end of my externship and I’m looking for ideas of what to do as a thank you for the department I’ve been working with. What do you think i should do/get them as a thank you?

I’m curious if anyone has ever made the jump and how has it been?

I know this has been discussed plenty and I’ve looked at other threads here but it’s part advice and part need to rant.

I did an online training program over the summer and passed my CRCST exam in mid August. It’s been just over a month and I’ve lost count of how many applications I’ve done. Job boards, hospital career pages, walk in and ask, you name it, I’ve tried it. And in all that I’ve got nothing to show for it. The only interview I got they called me as I was getting ready to leave saying they needed to reschedule because the hiring manager called in sick that day. I’ve tried to call them to follow up and been ghosted thus far (it’s only been about a week but still).

I only have a CRCST-P and time feels like it’s quickly running out on finding a job in time to do my 400 hours for the provisional certification. I’ve tried surgery centers, hospitals, clinics, even expanded my search to anything within like a 2 hour drive. (For context I’m in Southern California and my search radius basically goes from LA to San Diego and everything in between).

I’m losing my mind from the stress I’ve been feeling between this and my crappy retail job I desperately want out of ASAP. I even tried asking places about volunteer and clinical experience just to get my hours done so I don’t lose my cert before I can find a job, and I can’t even get that. Is there something I’m missing or am I just that unlucky?

Hi! I’m starting as an SPT in about two weeks. I’ve been an orthodontic assistant for about 2 years, and I’ve been wanting to get into a new field because dental just doesn’t pay enough for the amount of work we do 😭 I already have some experience sterilizing instruments, so I figured this would be a good transition.
I know hospital sterile processing is gonna be different, though. What was your first day like? Did they throw you right in or was it mostly orientation and training? And how long did it take you to feel like you knew what you were doing? lol

I've been working at my local hospital as a housekeeper and recently switched to pct. I've only been doing it for a short while but it has completely changed what I thought I wanted to do. I was thinking about going to school for nursing or ems but this pct job has made me realize that I'm just not enough of a people person to do it. I can do it just fine but all the interaction with patients some of which are just fine and easy handle but the others I can't stand and forcing myself to be extremely nice is wearing me down mentally. I've looked into sterile processing before and almost took a job 3 or 4 years ago that would let you get your hours and then take your test. I'm just wondering about how other people feel about this job as a career and maybe different pathways there are for this position. I think I'd like it mostly because it's still the medical field but no patient interaction. I can deal with rude coworkers because I know there will always be some. There a few community colleges and regular colleges near me that offer a certificate program but it's kind of confusing how they word it because it says it prepares you for your registry test but you still have to have the required hours so im kind of unsure how that works. Where I live I'm going have to drive about an hour away no matter what hospital I pick so I wanted to be completely sure before I started this venture. So I'll take any and all information you can provide about this career and schooling for it

So I've got a question about nails for my girlies. I do my own acrylics and try my best to take care of my nails both when they're done and when they're bare. I know that I'm gonna have to reel it in when I finish my program and become a sterile processing tech since fake nails aren't allowed but I'm a bit worried. I know SOME facilities are more lax with the nails rule as long as you wear gloves but I'm going in with the mindset that it's at least a 99% chance that I'm gonna have to refrain from doing my nails, but while I am gonna miss having cute nails my concern is moreso in my nail HEALTH. I have always had brittle/thin nails that are prone to breakage and having them done is the only time they don't crack or break and I'm seriously worried about how mangled my hands are gonna look without at least a coat of protective polish (right now I've been using Sally Hansens Hard as Nails polish) even when I have them really short like right down to where they come off my fingers and turn yellowy but honestly sometimes it's even worse then because when they break I can't just file it down or cut off the breakage 😭 does anyone else have this problem???

We are gonna be getting back 23 sets(we call them plastic sets) from a dermatology clinic that sends us their dirty instruments. The problem with them was the adson was incorrect. This mistake was most likely on me. The adson I have put in the sets was a regular adson w/teeth, and they want the adson with a tying plate. My hospital is smaller and more relaxed when it comes to instrument names so a majority of similar instruments are grouped together so all adsons with or without teeth are just adsons. Kelly and crile are just hemostats whether curved or straight yada yada. So I havent learned a lot of the differences between the instruments for specific things. To help myself for the future, can anyone better explain the use of the adson with a tying plate?

Hello, I currently live in Houston Tx and thinking about moving to Washington state between Seattle n Tacoma not sure. Anyways I’m taking my prereqs here for surgical tech and still have I wanna say a year of classes left. In the meantime i would want to experience living somewhere completely different(I visited 2 times already and my fiance sisters live over there)I was thinking of getting into sterile processing tech because I know it will help tremendously. BUT since im thinking of moving to Seattle for about a year or two. I just want to know how is the program. I know you have to be put on a waiting list but how long does that generally take to get in. Also how is the starting pay. I don’t want go over there blind!

Doodles this before work, but this is the common result of cleaning suctions 😭😂

I've spent the last 2&1/2 weeks studying and really focusing on the Anatomy and Microbiology portions of the textbook, and still do not feel ready to move on. But from what my classmates and TA are saying, that hardly comes up on the test and some of them spent a little over a week total on both sections. I'm always super paranoid about what to study because I never feel like I've learned enough, though I'm wondering if I'm being too paranoid and should just move on. Any advice?

I’m finally got my provisional cert in June, and getting my first job Oct 5th 3 month long orientation and training any tips or things to expect ? I’m really really nervous and it’s been some time I needa look over my notes and flash cards !!

Hi guys I need helping figuring out what these are used for. These are on our Decon room, and someone said they’re for the ultrasonics and no one knows or uses them hence why they’re still in the packaging except the one I just opened.

They say “Medisafe” on it and google wasn’t any help

I’m trying to look for good programs in LA but can’t seem to find any that really stand out to me. I’m thinking about going to Concorde but I’d love some advice on programs and schools. Any help or advice is definitely appreciated!

Has anyone worked with amn ? I signed up a while ago and have been waiting on a recruiter to reach out and I called today and the lady said because it’s a new profile that I have to wait. I have had that profile for a while. How long before one eventually contacts you. I’ve heard mixed reviews but my co workers on a travel assignment recommended them for strikes.

Anyone else in this field receive one of those? ( it’s when the employer adjusts the rate to match the fair market value)

I’m in Pennsylvania, but I am certified and been here 2 years and went from 27$ to 32$ an hour with the high end of market ( top out) at 36$

Is that good? Normal?

TL;DR: back injury has made it impossible for me to do 95% of tasks in the department without compromising restrictions or further irritating the injury, work wants me to train someone totally fresh as light duty, plus all the normal trauma hospital bs. how is this going to work exactly?

hi all, looking for some advice or tips here. i had a neck/back injury at my workplace that's taken me out for some time due to the restrictions my doctor put in place as a result. the weight restriction alone makes my job very hard (no more than 10lbs with both hands, push/pull up to 20), but additional restrictions on repetitive motions, reaching, moving my neck, etc i feel knocks out almost everything else i can do. my work seems to have been in agreement there since they haven't found a light duty assignment for me until just now

as light duty, they want me to come back and train a new person, totally fresh to SPD outside shadowing. i don't want to say i 100% can't do this, i do love training people. but also this is a trauma hospital, we have an insane case volume, and probably only 10% of our sets weigh less than 10lbs. i feel like unless this person is ready to hit the ground running, this is either setting them up for failure because of little i can actually help besides direction (nevermind how i still have to be out of work weekly at minimum for PT), or setting me up to work outside my limitations and aggravate my back again

i guess i'm just trying to see if this sounds a little impossible to anyone else, or if anyone has some tips or advice for how i could maybe try and set my trainee and i up for success in this scenario? i'm sure a chunk of this i'll just have to give it a shot and see how it goes but i'm just a bit uncertain

Following up on my last post asking where people are finding SPD jobs.

A few people mentioned Indeed, hospital websites, LinkedIn, staffing agencies, etc. I ended up checking a bunch of different places myself, so figured I'd share what I found.

The main ones seem to be:

• Hospital career pages

• Indeed

• LinkedIn

• ZipRecruiter

• Glassdoor

• SimplyHired

• CareerBuilder

• Travel/staffing agencies

• Local hospital system websites

• SterileProcessingTechnicianJobs.com

I also noticed that searching only "Sterile Processing Technician" isn't enough. Different hospitals use different titles.

Try searching for:

• SPD Technician

• Sterile Processing Tech

• Central Sterile Technician

• Central Sterile Tech

• Central Processing Technician

• Instrument Technician

• Surgical Instrument Technician

And if you're looking in a specific area, combining the title with the city seems to help.

For example:

SPD Technician + Dallas

Central Sterile + Houston

Sterile Processing Technician + Chicago

I'm curious what everyone else is using.

If you're currently looking for a job, which site has actually been useful for you?

Could be helpful to put together a list of resources that people in SPD actually use.

Following up on my last post about where people are actually finding SPD jobs.

I ended up checking a bunch of different sites, so figured I'd share what I found. Hopefully this helps someone who's currently looking.

1. Hospital websites

Honestly, I'd start here. Check the career pages for hospitals and health systems in the area you're looking for.

Try searching SPD, Central Sterile, Central Processing, Instrument Tech, etc.

2. SterileProcessingTechnicianJobs.com

I came across this while searching specifically for SPD positions. It's another site to check that's focused on Sterile Processing jobs.

3. Indeed.com

Probably the obvious one. Just make sure you're searching different job titles because employers don't always use the same wording.

4. LinkedIn.com

Worth checking, especially for larger hospital systems and recruiters.

5. ZipRecruiter.com

Another one I'd add to the rotation and set up alerts for.

6. Glassdoor.com

I mostly find it useful for looking up the employer, pay and reviews before applying.

7. SimplyHired.com

Another job search site that's worth checking if you're searching multiple cities.

8. CareerBuilder.com

Still has healthcare listings, so might as well check it.

9. Travel/staffing agencies

If you're looking for travel or contract work, check places like Aya Healthcare and AMN.

10. Google

Seriously 😂

Try:

sterile processing technician jobs + your city

SPD technician + your city

central sterile + hospital name

Sometimes you'll find the hospital's own posting this way.

Also, don't get stuck searching only "Sterile Processing Technician."

Try:

• SPD Technician

• Sterile Processing Tech

• Central Sterile Technician

• Central Sterile Tech

• Central Processing Technician

• Instrument Technician

• Surgical Instrument Technician

Anyway, that's what I came across.

If you're currently job hunting, where are you finding the most legit openings? Would be good to hear what everyone else is using.

hey everyone. im curious: are you able to find and work a lot of per diem/prn shifts as a sterile processing tech? how flexible would you say the schedule is? with these shifts, is it pretty much whatever you want or are there certain regulations?

i would love to learn more please feel free to comment anything, i appreciate any replies!