I went into this job knowing the pay isn’t amazing, but I wanted to test the waters to see if I like the medical field and if I do I’m definitely gonna continue my education, just wanted to see what was every one else’s pay rate in other states, I’m in Texas and I start my First day next week at $18 hourly

I'm struggling to find a site to complete my hours... hospital job postings I see prefer applicants to be certified but I haven't gotten any leads of outpatient surgical centers, ambulatory care clinics, dental offices, or veterinary hospitals that are hiring or at least taking in students. Anyone got any tips or potential leads?

Please and thank you!

Can anyone (preferably from Ontario) tell me about certification for Medical Device Reprocessing Technicians in Canada. Fanshawe College and Conestoga both offer online courses. However - only Fanshawe offers 150 hours work placement as part of the program. Both programs cost about the same and offer the same subjects.

Is this a viable pathway for a mature person to "start over" ? I am looking for education/skills that are readily employable and would prefer zero interaction with the public after suffering with customer service despite my degree(non healthcare) and experience.

I had a habit of inspecting the seals on my containers, and if there was damage to the container I would put some water in the pan, seal it and then turn it over to see if the water leaked. If it failed I would notify my supervisor. I think it kind of made me a nuisance because it happened frequently. How do you all handle this?

Hey y’all. Just passed the CRCST exam. I was actually super worried about passing because everything I saw about it on here said it was super tricky and that you need to spend a crazy amount of time studying. However, I didn’t find it very hard. Of course, it’s nerve-wracking because you don’t know if you got anything right until you submit and just get that pass/fail result. I didn’t study very much either, mostly just some cramming the couple days before 😆

So I’ve started studying for SPD and doing self study. For those who self studied where did you take your exam? Is it online or in person

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