Medical Device Reprocessing | Report

Running head: MEDICAL DEVICE REPROCESSING 1
Medical Device Reprocessing
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

MEDICAL DEVICE REPROCESSING 2
Introduction
Medical device reprocessing is one of the vital elements of infection prevention and
control. For successful operation of devices and safety of patients, thorough cleaning is essential
before disinfecting or sterilization. The essay explains the work of the sterile processing
technician, the most important aspects of being a sterile processing technician, and the most
important topic regarding sterile processing. Furthermore, it explains the importance of sterile
processing in the field of healthcare and describes the future after completion of the course
regarding sterile processing.
Body
A sterile processing technician is a person who cleans and sterilizes used surgical
instruments along with other clinical supplies so that they can be safely reshuffled and reused on
other patients (Bashaw, 2016). The work of this person is normally incorporated in a specific
department of the medical Centre. Also, they keep records of which equipment has been
sterilized. Although the person does not work directly with patients, he has an important
responsibility in a patient's care. This is because sterilization along with sanitation is of utmost
relevance to medical specialists and the safety of their patients.
For one to be a sterile processing technician he should be careful with strong attention to
detail. Also, he should have a good working understanding of a variety of sterilization methods
and be able to perform his duties with fragile instruments before and after every surgery.
The sterile processing technician has a responsibility in gathering used and contaminated
supplies, instruments and equipment for sorting and decontamination. He manually cleans
supplies of contaminants, removes waste matter and operates along with maintaining
decontamination equipment (Bashaw, 2016). Besides, he prepares and packs the decontaminated

MEDICAL DEVICE REPROCESSING 3
supplies for sterilization and monitors and operates sterilization equipment. He examines the
supplies conscientiously to make sure that they are correctly cleaned and sterilized.
Likewise, the sterile processing technician tests and reports any problems or issues with
the sterilization equipment. He sterilizes, prepares, wraps and organizes the equipment into
instrument trays for use during surgical operations. The sterile processing technician prepares
and delivers all necessary instruments and equipment for operations, examinations, clinical
procedures and medical carts (Bashaw, 2016). Furthermore, he keeps records of sterilized items,
supplies, sterilization procedures, and equipment maintenance. Lastly, the sterile processing
technician reorders supplies and inspects the expiration dates and is in charge of the inventory
control for all sterile items utilized in surgical rooms and normally lays out surgical gowns and
gloves before every operation.
To perform this job perfectly and ensure the safety of all those involved, the job needs
very specific aspects (Swenson, 2017). A sterile processing technician must be cautious every
time he is handling and cleaning operational equipment by preventing contamination or exposure
to blood and bodily fluids. This can be achieved by a sterile processing technician wearing
masks, gowns, shoe covers, face along with two pairs of gloves to shield himself from bodily
fluids and harsh cleansing agents.
Although this job is a routine in nature, the sterile processing technician's role needs the
patience to work through the details and processes which make the job very important in the
healthcare environment (Swenson, 2017). The job needs swiftness and extreme accuracy and
therefore, the sterile processing technician has to spend the whole shift washing, flushing, drying
and sterilizing every tube, crevice, hinge, and screw. After this, he has to reassemble every piece
properly to ensure surgical effectiveness and patients' safety.