Sterile Processing Trainee

Join us at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital, where we have been providing world-class care to our community for over 100 years. Here, we strive for patient-centered care and comfort with our collaborative team of healthcare professionals. We are committed to serving the community and treating our patients as family.   

As a Sterile Processing Trainee, you will gain hands-on exposure to and knowledge about every area in the Sterile Processing Department, helping establish a pathway to a successful career. Training length is determined by your level of experience. Your time in the program will provide unmatched opportunities to excel as a caregiver support aid at one of the most respected hospital systems in the world. 

A caregiver in this position works evenings from 2:30PM – 11:00PM, including rotating weekends and holidays after the training period. 

A caregiver who excels in this role will:  

• Complete training in all areas of the Sterile Processing Department and portions of the Surgical Suite, such as decontamination, assembly area sterilization, house table and OR instrumentation, sterile storage, running, case cart picking, pack rooms and equipment testing.  

• Follow daily assignments and exhibit flexibility when asked to change assignments.  

• Collect and clean instruments and equipment after use on patient procedures.  

• Inspect equipment and instrumentation for malfunction and/or missing parts and report them to Sterile Processing management.  

• Assemble instruments and equipment.  

• Use the daily Production Screen and Key Supply List and cart/tray markers.  

• Wrap and/or place equipment or instruments needing sterilization in sterion containers.  

• Sterilize equipment and instruments using all methods of sterilization and high-level disinfection and complete the appropriate documentation required for the sterilization procedure.  

• Assist in stocking and maintaining an adequate inventory of instruments, equipment and supplies.  

• Perform daily and monthly cleaning and documentation.  

• Provide ORs with equipment and instrumentation per their request.  

• Attend and achieve 100% attendance at all mandatory in-service programs, both departmental- and hospital-wide.  

Minimum qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:  

• High School Diploma or GED  

• Successful completion of Sterile Processing registration or certification within eighteen months of hire 

• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations 

Preferred qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include: 

• Sterile Processing experience 

• Surgical Technician experience 

• Customer service and/or hospital experience 

• Working knowledge of Operating Room (OR) instrumentation 

• Ability to perform duties while standing, sitting, stooping, and reaching for prolonged periods of time. Requires standing and walking for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift and carry items weighing 25 pounds on a continual basis; ability to push, pull, and navigate carts weighing up to 100 pounds.
• Possible exposure to biological and chemical contamination.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to perform basic functions of position day to day instrument counting, sorting and assembly. Requires corrected hearing and vision to normal range.
• Must be able to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors to utilize color-coded systems used for instrument identification. All applicants will be required to be prescreened for color blindness by our Occupational Health Department.

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required

The policy of Cleveland Clinic Health System and its system hospitals (Cleveland Clinic Health System) is to provide equal opportunity to all of our caregivers and applicants for employment in our drug free environment. All offers of employment are followed by testing for controlled substances.

Cleveland Clinic Health System administers an influenza prevention program. You will be required to comply with this program, which will include obtaining an influenza vaccination on an annual basis or obtaining an approved exemption.

Decisions concerning employment, transfers and promotions are made upon the basis of the best qualified candidate without regard to color, race, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran or any other characteristic protected by law. Information provided on this application may be shared with any Cleveland Clinic Health System facility. 

If applying for a Florida position, please see the following website for more information on the background screening requirements required by the Agency of Health Care Administration: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Please review the Equal Employment Opportunity poster. 

Cleveland Clinic is pleased to be an equal employment opportunity employer.