Sterile Processing and Distribution Certificate

This 12 credit-hour curriculum prepares the student for a career as a Sterile Processing Technician. Sterile processing technicians work in the sterile processing area of a hospital, outpatient surgical center or outpatient clinic. The sterile processing area is responsible for the decontamination and sterilization of medical and surgical equipment/instruments as well as the distribution of supplies and equipment. Sterile processing technicians are integral partners of the healthcare team. They are trained in the cleaning, processing, packaging, distributing, storing of goods, instruments, surgical trays and medical equipment. Responsibilities also include inventory control. This certificate program is designed to be completed in one semester with each required course taught in an eight-week format. The program provides the student with the fundamentals of sterile processing, supplies, services, and distribution of hospital instruments, supplies, and equipment. Students will engage in didactic instruction and the clinical practice of aseptic techniques, patient care concepts, and theories and practices of sterile processing departments. Students who successfully complete the program will be eligible to sit for the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution Certification Examination (CBSPD) or the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM) Provisional Examination. Because of the nature of the clinical experiences, individualized instruction, and specialized technology/equipment, this program assesses a higher tuition rate for courses with the SUR prefix. Tuition for these courses is 200% of the standard tuition rate.