Monroe County Community College is once again offering the 12-week Sterile Processing Technician program, a noncredit, medical career training track that awards continuing education units upon completion.
The Sterile Processing Technician course will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9:30 p.m. beginning March 16, 2021. Classes will include a combination of virtual learning via Zoom and on-campus, socially distanced sessions.
The course is designed to prepare students to function as a sterile processing professional in multiple healthcare settings. Sterile processing technicians perform and participate in decontamination, cleaning, assembling, packaging, scanning, sterilization, storage and distribution of reusable surgical instrumentation and equipment.
“There is a local need for sterile processing technicians, and successful completers can expect to earn a starting hourly wage between $16 and $20 per hour,” said Barry Kinsey, director of workforce development. “Most of the students who attended last fall’s course are already actively employed in the field.”
Working in a sterile processing area requires specific knowledge and skills, including an understanding of the following key areas and topics:
- Knowledge of surgical instruments and specialty devices
- Decontamination, packaging and sterilization of surgical instrumentation
- Processing, cleaning, testing, assembly and distribution of movable patient care equipment
- Storage, handling and distribution of sterile surgical instrumentation and devices, as well as inventory control and cost recovery systems
- Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and microbiology
- Infection prevention, decontamination and disinfection processes
Students who complete this comprehensive course with a passing grade of 70 or higher will be prepared to sit for the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician Certification Exam.
The cost of the course is $1,995. The sterile processing student should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or equivalency. There is potential for funding for this program through Michigan Works! American Job Center.
For additional information and to register for the Sterile Processing Technician program, contact Michigan Works! American Job Center (734) 240-7950 and specifically state your interest in the Sterile Processing Technician program at Monroe County Community College. You can also contact Kinsey at MCCC at (734) 384-4124.