Lead Sterile Processing Technician - Durham - Duke Health

Description

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke Regional Hospital

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. With 388 beds it is the second largest of Duke Health's four hospitals and offers a comprehensive range ofmedical, surgical, and diagnostic services, including orthopedics, weight-loss surgery, women's services, and heart and vascular services.

Ready to apply Before you do, make sure to read all the details pertaining to this job in the description below.

**5,000 Commitment Bonus for Newly Hired Team Members**

Schedule:

• Monday - Friday: 6:30am - 3:00pm 

About Sterile Processing Department, Duke Regional HospitalThe Central Sterile Reprocessing (CSR) department at Duke Regional Hospital plays a critical role in patient safety and surgical excellence. Our team supports the Operating Room, Emergency Department, Labor & Delivery, Behavioral Health, Cath Lab, and Surgical Oncology, ensuring that every instrument and device is properly decontaminated, inspected, assembled, sterilized, documented, and delivered accurately and on time. Within the Operating Room, we support a wide range of specialty service lines including neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, general surgery, robotics, ENT, dental, urology, vascular, bariatric, gynecology, and plastics. Our work directly impacts surgical outcomes, infection prevention, and the overall efficiency of procedural areas. Every tray prepared by our team supports safe, high-quality patient care. Our department operates in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment where precision and consistency are essential. Team members rotate through all major areas of the workflow, including:

• Decontamination

• Prep & Pack

• Sterilization

• Case Cart Assembly

• Storage and Distribution

 We utilize SPM instrument tracking software to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and real-time documentation. Technology and process standardization are key components of how we maintain quality and meet the demands of multiple high-acuity service lines. Team Culture & SupportOur Sterile Processing team is collaborative, professional, and committed to supporting one another across shifts. We prioritize cross-training so team members develop versatile skill sets and a comprehensive understanding of the entire reprocessing cycle. This approach strengthens teamwork, improves workflow coverage, and creates growth opportunities within the department. Leadership is engaged, accessible, and focused on building trust, maintaining high standards, and creating a respectful, solution-oriented environment. We believe in proactive communication, continuous learning, and process improvement rather than blame. New team members are supported through structured training, competency validation, and mentorship to ensure confidence and success in their role Who Thrives in Sterile ProcessingSuccessful team members are detail-oriented, dependable, and take pride in precision work. They are comfortable in a structured, high-standard environment and understand that consistency and documentation matter. Strong communication skills, adaptability, and a commitment to patient safety and teamwork are essential. If you are looking for a department where your work has a direct impact on surgical care, where training and cross-development are prioritized, and where leadership is invested in building a strong, accountable team culture, Duke Regional Sterile Processing offers a meaningful and growth-focused environment.

General Description of this Role

• The Sterile Processing Technician, Lead assists the OR staff in the organization and daily function of the operating room in accordance with established federal, state, accreditation standards and facility policies and procedures.
• Responsible for instrument decontamination, sterile processing, instrument care, safe handling procedures and documentation related to those activities.

Duties and Responsibilities of this Role
 

The Sterile Processing Technician, Lead will be responsible for performing the responsibilities outlined in any/all of the categories below.
 

Operating Room Liaison:

• Assists the operating room staff in preparing the O.R. suite for surgery by assisting in instrument preparation.
• Works cooperatively with OR and Central Sterile to jointly resolve issues or develop better services for surgical implementation.
• Supports staff by ensuring communication with Central Sterile and OR staff helps ensure all instruments are available for surgery.
• Must be able to resolve issues or offer alternatives when necessary.
• Facilitates action required to obtain additional instruments during surgery,
• Verifies that required instrumentation has been sterilized and is available for next-day, call or weekend cases.
• Addresses issues in communication/procedures by proactively reviewing OR schedule and suggesting modifications to ensure clear and precise communication and actions with all affected departments.
• Responds to problem calls from OR.
• Transports sterilized instrumentation to the O.R. area as needed.
• Documents and sends broken instrumentation out for repair.
• Completes documentation as required for instrument sets, etc (Case Cart, Post Case, and Tray Audits).
• Responds to problem calls from OR.
• Meets with and works with OR staff and surgeons as required.

Site Lead:

• Assists in prioritizing processing of instruments and equipment for surgical procedures to facilitate turnover of cases.
• Anticipates instrument needs for following day and assures sterile processing completion.
• May assist the operating room staff in preparing the O.R. suite for surgery by assisting in instrument preparation.
• Acts as HLD Specialist. Performs/assists with daily quality testing on equipment in SPD.
• Assists supervisor in day-to-day activities to include answering phones and daily staff assignment sheet.
• Communicates closely with staff members concerning instrument requirements and availability.
• Verifies that required instrumentation has been sterilized and is available for next-day, call or weekend cases.
• Documents broken instrumentation. Completes documentation as required for instrument sets, etc (Case Cart, Post Case, and Tray Audits). May assist in sending broken equipment out for repair.
• Manages needs list for tray inventory.
• Makes sure bio's are processed and ready in a timely manner
   

SPM/Quality Auditor:

• Verify sterilization documentation for accuracy.
• Track and monitor IUSS loads and documentation.
• Track and monitor tray errors.
• Check in vendor trays for the next day cases.
• Aids with exporting Quality Events for reporting.
• Maintains SPM tracking system which includes by not limited to: updates instrumentation, create new products, update count sheets.
• Aids in completing in services for new products or processes.
• Aids in locating trays to place new inventory received.
• Liaison between the Clinic Leads and Sterile Processing to ensure instrument inventory is accurate.
   

Preceptor:

• Orients and mentors new staff.
• Shares knowledge with co-workers through open communication and continuous upgrading of skills.
• Conducts random audits on trays assembled by new staff.
• Conducts first stage re-education with techs on tray errors.
• Performs real time in-services with SPD staff.
• Performs Sterile Processing Technician job responsibilities when needed.
• Serves as a resource by guiding new and current team members to appropriate resource materials.
• Assist with annual competency checklist.
   

All roles:

• Provides a safe environment for patients and staff through identifying/ correcting/reporting health and safety hazards.
• Performs special projects.
• May assist Supervisor with department supply orders to include participating in facilitating timely ordering of instrumentation, supplies and implants.
• Willingly accepts assignments and performs effectively on a daily basis.
• Always communicates in a professional manner.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the application/use of instrumentation.
• Follows standard precautions using PPE as required.
• Serves as a professional role model to staff.
• Provides positive leadership.
• Applies and enforces regulations, standards, and hospital policy and procedures pertaining to all areas of sterile processing.
• Maintains knowledge of operation of all equipment in sterile processing and reports malfunctions to appropriate personnel immediately.
• Responds in a timely manner via phone, text and email as needed and performs needed follow up.
• Functions in SPD duties on an as needed bases, including but not limited to assembly, sterilization, and decontamination of instrument trays for ORs.
• May cover areas in Supervisor's absence.
• Performs other related duties incidental to the work described herein.
   

Required Qualifications for this Role

Education

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Employees hired into this job code before 2/18/19 are not required to have high school diploma or equivalent

Experience

• 2 years as a Sterile Processing Technician required.

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Certification required as CSPDT (CBSPD) or CRCST (HSPA).
• Additional certification preferred in at least one of the areas below: Sterile Processing Management - C.S.P.M or Healthcare Leadership – CHL
• Sterile Processing Department Technician - C.S.P.D.T or Registered Central Service Technician – CRCST
• Certified Surgical Instrument Specialist - C.S.I.S or Instrument Specialist – CIS
• Flexible Endoscope Reprocessor (GI Scope) - C.F.E.R or Endoscope Reprocessor - CER

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of human anatomy and medical terminology.
• Knowledge and understanding of a variety of OR procedures' surgical instruments including working parts and proper inspection.
• Aptitude for troubleshooting in a high-paced environment.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. xhmxlyz Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.