About the Role
1. Oversees, supports and makes contributions to patient safety by:
a. Providing a safe environment for patients.
b. Identifying and correcting root causes of errors.
c. Implementing systems to prevent errors.
d. Subscribing to the principles of responsible reporting of adverse occurrences, near misses, and safety concerns.
e. Providing evidence-based care.
2. Monitors and supervises the day-to-day activities of the Central Sterile Processing Department that relate to decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and storing of instrumentation, and equipment distributed to the operating room, labor and delivery room, nursing units, and other specialty areas.
3. Schedules personnel for adequate department coverage. Monitors and updates daily attendance records for payroll, approving overtime when deemed necessary.
4. Ensures case carts are assembled accurately, efficiently, and delivered at appropriate time to the Operating Room in accordance with scheduled procedures and associated pick sheets.
5. Communicates supply shortages and equipment malfunctions to the affected department(s) as soon as realized so that appropriate measures may be taken to rectify the situation.
6. Ensures proper testing and recording keeping for testing of all sterilization equipment in accordance with manufacturer recommendations to assure adequate sterilization perimeters are met and in compliance with Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Ohio Safety Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.
7. Maintains sterile processing equipment in optimal condition scheduling preventative maintenance in accordance with manufacturer recommendation or as directed by the clinical engineering department.
8. Ensures completion and retention of accurate records for time period designated by MetroHealth.
9. Organizes and labels surgical storage areas for instrumentation and supplies. Monitors and updates instrument count sheets and case cart pick lists in collaboration with operating room service leaders.
10. Functions as a resource to nursing staff and physicians for the care, sterilization, maintenance and proper storage of instrumentation and medical supplies used throughout the facility.
11. Supports automated inventory control and surgical information systems updating information in collaboration with materials management and the operating room to keep current.
12. Assists in the management of various personnel functions including, but not limited to hiring, transfers, and disciplinary actions. Prepares and conducts performance appraisals.
13. Plans and implements the orientation and training of new personnel including training needed for sterile processing certification.
14. Provides ongoing in-service education for central sterile processing personnel including accredited contact hours for sterile processing re-certification. Ensures staff completes mandatory in-service training as required by MetroHealth.
15. Promotes effective interdepartmental communication and teamwork.
16. Establishes and monitors environmental safety and sanitation controls.
17. Conducts cost and Q.I. studies preparing activity reports, special reports etc., as requested reporting results to the central sterile processing manager.
18. Participates in process improvement initiatives throughout the department to maintain quality, remove waste, improve throughput and capacity, ensure productivity standards are achieved, and reduce process variance.
19. Makes recommendations and assists the manager in updating departmental policy, procedure, and work instructions.
20. Attends seminars pertinent to sterile processing, as well as, hospital and department meetings as directed. Keeps self and the department current on the latest news, guidelines and legislative developments.
21. Maintains professional certification in sterile processing.
22. Performs other functionally related duties as assigned.
Requirements
Required:
High School Diploma or passage of a high school equivalency exam.
Minimum four years of recent operating room or sterile processing experience with general knowledge of instrument processing technology and experience training team members.
Certification by a national agency in sterile processing within 6 months of employment.
Demonstrated PC proficiency
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
Preferred:
Case cart management experience
Lean or equivalent process improvement experience
Physical Demands:
May need to move around intermittently during the day, including sitting, standing, stooping, bending, and ambulating.
May need to remain still for extended periods, including sitting and standing.
Ability to communicate in face-to-face, phone, email, and other communications.
Ability to read job related documents.
Ability to use computer.
About the Company
The MetroHealth System, Cuyahoga County’s public health system, and its staff of nearly 8,000 provides care at MetroHealth’s four hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites throughout Cuyahoga County. The health system is home to Cuyahoga County’s most experienced Level I Adult Trauma Center, verified since 1992, and Ohio’s only adult and pediatric trauma and burn center. As an academic medical center, MetroHealth is committed to teaching and research. Each active staff physician holds a faculty appointment at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Our main campus hospital houses a Cleveland Metropolitan School District high school of science and health. The MetroHealth System is committed to creating a healthier community.