Sterile Processing Principles and Workflow
This introductory course is designed for aspiring sterile processing equipment technicians, covering the core principles, practices, and workflows within a sterile processing department. Students will explore the full lifecycle of medical devices, from their initial receipt and meticulous decontamination to inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization, and sterile storage and distribution. Emphasis is placed on current industry standards, regulatory guidelines, and the importance of quality control in every step. Practical skills will be developed through hands-on activities, fostering a comprehensive understanding of how to maintain sterile environments and manage instrument sets effectively, ensuring optimal patient outcomes in healthcare settings.
InstructorJacob CalhounCourse outline
Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.
Syllabus
["Week 1: Lesson 1: Introduction to Sterile Processing and Healthcare Regulations","Week 2: Lesson 2: Medical Terminology and Anatomy for Instrument Recognition","Week 3: Lesson 3: Decontamination Area Design and Workflow","Week 4: Hands-on Lab: Personal Protective Equipment and Decontamination Procedures","Week 5: Lesson 4: Cleaning Chemistries and Manual Cleaning Techniques","Week 6: Lesson 5: Automated Cleaning Equipment Operation and Maintenance","Week 7: Lesson 6: Inspection, Assembly, and Tray Configuration Principles","Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Instrument Inspection, Assembly, Packaging & Midterm Review","Week 9: Lesson 7: Packaging Materials and Sealing Methods","Week 10: Lesson 8: Sterilization Principles: Steam and Low-Temperature Methods","Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Sterilization Load Preparation and Biological Indicators","Week 12: Lesson 9: Quality Assurance and Process Monitoring","Week 13: Lesson 10: Sterile Storage, Distribution, and Inventory Management","Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Sterile Processing Department Workflow Analysis"]