Duties include:

• The technician receives contaminated instruments from the operating rooms, dental clinics, endoscopy, nursing units, eye clinics, wound care, podiatry and inspects these items for damage and ensures that they are in good working condition.  The technician determines correct method for decontamination and cleaning as per Instructions for Use (IFU) or Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in the process that removes blood, tissue, bone fragments, body fluids, and other contaminants by soaking, scrubbing, brushing, rinsing and use of ultrasonic equipment and automated washers. 
• Removes items from washer disinfector and determines type of tray or set to assemble based on recognition of key items and operating room and clinic schedules. 
• Examines items to ensure that gross contamination has been removed.
• Assembles sets and trays by selecting appropriate tray and arranging instruments in the tray in the correct manner. 
• Disassembles, check functionality, and troubleshoots complex surgical equipment prior to sterilization.
• The contract Medical Supply Technician must assemble a full range of sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room. Assembles wide range from simple sets of four or five instruments to very complex sets of up to ninety or one-hundred instruments such as arthroscopic procedure sets, ear-nose-throat (ENT) procedure sets, lap chole sets, eye procedure sets, orthopedic, full mouth extraction, etc. 
•  Assembles delicate micro-surgical sets such as micro-surgical ear set, ENT, plastic surgery, micro-surgical eye instruments, etc. These sets contain stainless steel instruments, titanium devices, screws, plates, and other prostheses which require expert care and careful attention. 
• Disassembles, cleans, lubricates, reassembles, and sterilizes dental handpieces and numerous dental specialty instruments and trays. 
• Selects correct sterilizing medium and cycles and operates sterilizer. 
• Periodically monitors operation of sterilizer with prescribed tests.  
• Properly loads and operates sterilizers such as Steam, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (V-Pro), disinfecting units (Trophon), and a high-level disinfecting scope re-processor unit (Medivators). The technician selects correct sterilization method for items to be sterilized and proper disinfecting processes for disinfection. The incumbent monitors performance of sterilizers for quality control by conducting bacteriological tests (bacillus stearothermophilus spores for evaluation of steam and bacillus subtillis for evaluation of hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizers).
• The incumbent assembles and selects the correct sterilizing method for a variety of costly and delicate equipment such as flexible colonoscopies, flexible gastroscopes, bronchoscopes, choledochoscopes, resectoscope, and other flexible and rigid endoscopes.
• At post sterilization the contract Medical Supply Technician properly handles sterilized trays, sets, and retrieves peel-packs from sterilizers.  The contract Medical Supply Technician may perform duties to include post sterilization inspections of instruments sets to observe peel pouches are properly sealed, sterilization containers were properly closed and sealed, and wraps remained intact and taped.)  After sterilization, the chemical indicators (the one place in peel pouches, and on container label cards) and indicators tapes acts as a visual indicator that the item or package has been exposed to the physical conditions of a sterilizing cycle, by changing colors or manipulating shapes. The contract Medical Supply Technician will observe obvious identifiers that sterilization has been performed properly (peel pouches chemical indicator changes, tape indicator changes, etc.)   The incumbent places a stamped date and control number on each sterilized item indicating the sterilization date. The employee stocks sterile items on shelves or delivery carts on a first-in, first-out basis for rotation. Receives sterilized trays, sets, and equipment from the sterilizer, checks for effectiveness of sterilization (color change on marker tapes, dampness of the packages), place tags on sterilized material indicating date of sterilization and expiration date, and stocks shelves with sterilized material.  
• Sterile Processing best practice comprehension is necessary.  Such practices such as on how to prepare instruments to be sterilized by placing them in the proper carrier (peel pouch, sterilization wraps, and sterilization containers).  Instrument preparations for: peel packs (tip cover installation and package sealing), sterilization wrapping (placement of instruments, proper tape placement, and vessels placement inside a wrap), and tray assembly (proper instrument loading).  In addition, as ensuring chemical sterilization indicator is included in each instrument peel pack, sterilization wraps, or sterilization container prior to sterilization. A Thorough knowledge of medical and surgical terminology, infection control, human anatomy, and physiology is required so the incumbent can select the right instrument sets, packs, and specialized instruments to assemble the procedure assemblies with only the diagnosis or name of the operation to be performed available to him/her. In addition, knowledge for aseptic techniques for instrument retrieval and distribution.  A knowledge of Sterile Processing practices to perform duties. Understanding of methods of identification if an instrument has been sterilized or has not. 
• The contract Medical Supply Technician will work in an independent manner throughout the Sterile Processing Service decontamination, preparation, endo scope reprocessing, throughout the medical facility, around clinics, operating rooms, and instrument storage core. The employee will accommodate special and emergent requirements through consultation and coordination with the medical/surgical professional staff and SPS leadership. 
• The contract Medical Supply Technician receives periodic training in such areas as the use and functioning of new surgical supplies, instruments, and equipment. This is accomplished by scheduled training sessions that include instructional webinars, lectures, demonstrations, and keeping abreast of new developments and techniques by reading sterilization periodic journals and literature and maintaining communications with manufacturer representatives. The incumbent may provide training and orientation to medical personnel on sterile supply techniques and procedures.