Sterile Processing Technician

Get started in Sterile Processing

The Sterile Processing program application is now open for a winter quarter start! The first and last day to submit an application will be noted in the application. Prior to applying to the Sterile Processing program at CBC, please make sure you meet college admission criteria. 

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Application Process

Applicants must be a CBC student before applying to this program. If you are not currently a CBC student, please go to the Apply for Admission page on the CBC website to enroll or request a paper application. You must also:

• Attend a Sterile Processing Technician information session
• Have a current placement test score that places them into Math 40 or higher, Reading 99 or higher and ENGL& 101 or ABE 90. Transcripts from CBC or another college or university showing these courses have been fulfilled is also accepted.
• Complete HSCI 147 Medical Terminology (5 credit) class with a minimum grade of 2.0 or enroll in HSCI 147 upon acceptance into Sterile Processing program

Program Application

The Sterile Processing Technician program is a two-quarter program and is offered once a year with a winter quarter start. The program will start winter quarter and will be completed by the end of spring quarter.

Applicants are required to include a copy of the following when applying:

• American Heart Association BLS Provider CPR card/certificate
• Current First Aid card
• One professional letter of reference

For the accepted student:
Before registration is completed by the Health Science Center staff, you will be asked to start a National Background check and drug screen with an approved third party company. Information from this will determine student eligibility to complete clinical coursework. Inability to complete a clinical rotation due to the information obtained from the background check or drug screen may make the student ineligible for the program. Students will be required to upload documentation of the required immunizations to the immunization tracker before being allowed to attend clinical. 

The cost to the student for the background check, drug screen and immunization tracker will be approximately $170.00.

 

Professional Licensure Outside of Washington State

Each state, the District of Columbia and the U.S. protectorates vary in what professions they require to be licensed and the educational requirements for those licenses. It’s important to understand whether the degree or certificate you obtain from CBC will meet the educational eligibility requirements for a license in the state in which you plan to practice.

View educational licensure requirements by state.

 

National Background Search & Drug Screen Requirements

As part of the admission requirements for Health Science programs, applicants must successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screen prior to working with patients in clinical areas. The background check and drug screen are paid by the student and administered through a third party company, CastleBranch. In addition to the background check required by CBC, each clinical facility reserves the right to conduct its own criminal background check prior to allowing a student to enter its health care facilities for clinical participation.

Certain criminal convictions, pending charges or negative actions may automatically disqualify a person from having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults, juveniles and children. Clinical facilities reserve the right to accept or decline a  student’s placement in its facility.     

The healthcare industry is one of the largest employers in the United States. There are a variety of names for sterile processing technicians:

• Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST)
• Sterile processing and distribution technician
• Sterilization technician
• Sterile instrument technician
• Medical instrument technician
• Central sterile technician

After completing the SPT program, work can be found anywhere medical equipment is used, such as:

• Hospitals
• Dental surgery clinics
• Outpatient care centers
• Specialty care centers
• Ambulatory surgery centers
• Medical equipment processing facilities
• GI endoscopy clinics
• Medical supply and equipment distributors

With additional education and experience, graduates of the SPT program can work toward certification as a:

• Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS)
• Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER)
• Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL)

Becoming a sterile processing technician provides a stepping-stone to other medical career opportunities, allowing you employment while furthering your education.  While employed as an SPT, you will experience various areas of medicine that may entice you to pursue other fields, such as Surgical Technology, Registered Nursing, Radiologic Technology, etc. Overall, one of the best ways to increase your pay as a SPT is to obtain additional education and certifications.

Full-Time Faculty

Staff

Program Learning Outcomes for the Sterile Processing Technician Certificate

Program learning outcomes are the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students will achieve before they graduate. The outcomes below were developed by the faculty in Sterile Processing Technician with input from accrediting bodies, advisory committees, employers, etc. This collaboration ensures that the outcomes are relevant for careers that this degree leads to.

Students who graduate with a Sterile Processing Technician certificate will be able to:

1. Evaluate problems in the sterile processing environment and develop solutions using critical thinking.
   
   
2. Apply principles of infection control, prevention, and safety protocols to the reprocessing of medical devices and equipment.
   
   
3. Operate device reprocessing equipment and perform documentation according to industry standards and recommended practices.
   
   
4. Communicate effectively with healthcare team members, customers, and colleagues in sterile processing. 
   
   
5. Demonstrate professionalism through ethical behavior, customer service, and adherence to industry standards.