What is a Sterile Processing Technician?
A sterile processing technician cleans equipment used by doctors
and other medical staff in order for it to be reused. This job is crucial
because most, if not all, of the equipment that is used in hospitals and other
outpatient centers can be reused and must be sterilized to avoid spreading
infections and diseases between staff and more importantly, patients. This is
where a sterile processing technician comes in. There are many tasks that an
SPD must be able to execute efficiently, such as decontaminating equipment and
devices, assembling equipment and tools into proper places, recording what has
been and what has not been sterilized, thoroughly inspecting the equipment
before and after sterilization, maintaining the equipment's cleanliness and
making sure it is still able to be used, and distributing the correct equipment
to the proper destinations as well as picking up the equipment that must be
sterilized.
About the Test
The time allowed to finish the SPD exam is two hours. In order to pass the exam, the
test taker must score a 70 or higher. The test is comprised of 100 multiple
questions that are given on a computer at the testing center. It is only given
in the United States and only in the English language. In order to be eligible
to take the exam, a candidate must have met one of the many requirements to be
able to take the test. Upon passing the exam, the certification will last 5
years.
What are the Requirements?
In order to be accepted to take the test, one of the following
requirements must be met:
- Completion
of 12 months of full-time employment or equivalent part-time hours
performing SPD activities (will need verification of this by a manager or
other higher ranking official)
- Completion of an SPD training
course with a passing grade of 70 or higher (will need to bring a copy of
the certificate or the grade)
- Completion of 6 months of
full-time employment or 6 months of equivalent part-time hours in related
allied health as well as performing SPD activities (will need to bring
verification of this)
- Completion of 12 months of healthcare product sales or
service related to the SPD profession (will need to bring verification by
a manager)
What are the Payment Aspects?
The fee to take the exam is 125 dollars. However, payment will
need to be given either through money order or a work facility check. These
payment methods must be submitted at least two weeks before the deadline for
the application. The fee will jump up 10 dollars to 135 dollars after the
deadline is up. However, if a check for 125 is made from the company and
someone registers late, they will be allowed to register and take the test for
the 125 dollars. The only thing to keep in mind is that the grade for the exam
will not be released until the rest of the money is paid to the CBSPD (The
Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc.).If payment
is being made with a credit card, then the fee is 128 dollars two weeks before
the deadline for the application. After the deadline is up, then the fee will
be 138 dollars. The two forms that are not accepted are purchase orders and
personal checks. If the fee is not submitted, then the application will be
rejected.
