Senior Sterilization Specialist / CDA Team Lead

Summary Position: The Senior Sterilization Specialist / CA Team Lead

The Senior Sterilization Specialist / CA Team Lead provides leadership and/or training to applicable staff. The Senior Sterilization Specialist / CA Team Lead will serve on committees and may be assigned to complex projects. They will ensure that the standards of operation for the many diverse locations under their purview are in compliance with the standards set by all Regulatory Agencies.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge, experience, and responsibility in the field of sterile processing.
• Ensure that policies, procedures, and practices related to sterile processing comply with standards established by regulatory agencies and are reviewed/updated annually.
• Lead the work for other employees by assisting with the annual competence assessments, preparing staffing schedules, conducting and documenting staff training programs.
• Demonstrate flexibility to the operational needs of the organization.
• Clean, decontaminate, inspect, and assemble a high variety of instruments and instrument sets.
• Oversee the operation and troubleshooting of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of equipment such as carts, sonic washers, containers, etc.
• Assist with all inspections/site visits by regulatory agencies (e.g. HRSA, The Joint Commission, FTCA, etc.).
• Advise customers on proper cleaning, packaging, and sterilization techniques appropriate to the items being re-processed.
• Identify staff training needs and collaborate with leaders and educators to provide guidance and support staff education and clarification.
• Conduct and/or coordinate routine audits (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually) and will send audits to QI team.
• Developed and implemented infection control policies and procedures to ensure compliance with state, federal, and accreditation standards (OSHA, HIPPA, HRSA, TJC, and FTCA).
• Researched and reviewed regulatory technical or market issues related to sustainability.
• Assessed the effectiveness of infection prevention practices through audits and surveys.
• Identified areas of improvement in existing infection control processes and developed strategies to address them.
• Coordinated a new training and follow-up program for instrument reprocessing.
• Conduct training for healthcare staff on proper infection control practices and producers.
• Created a water quality initiative for the organization and continuous monitoring of all water sources that apply to state, federal, and accreditation standards.
• Monitored and evaluated healthcare employees performance related to infection control standards.
• Established the improvement and growth of continuous surveillance for all areas of environment of care and infection prevention.
• Created reports detailing infection prevention activities in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Implemented security practices to preserve assets and minimize liabilities relating to quality assurance and risk management.
• Coordinated equipment and supply purchase with manufacturers instructions and standardization of product and assets.
• Performed routine and scheduled maintenance services including equipment repairs.
• Coordinated with external agencies to stay current with the latest guidelines and regulatory standards.
• Collaborated with leadership from all departments to develop innovative strategies for efficiency of operations.
• Assessed compliance with infection control policies and produces company-wide.
• Participated in ongoing training and education to enhance own job skills and knowledge.

Additional Duties:

• Advocated to include health equity in our organizational goals for 2024/2025.
• Advised clinical support staff of areas of opportunity in workflows to allow for greater time management.
• Addressed needs and concerns of staff with regards to software and application concerns (Patterson, Athena, Liberty, and Dentrix).
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills to maintain effective relationships with staff.
• Exhibited empathy and culture sensitivity to all racial/ethnic groups to establish an inclusive and positive work culture.

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

Minimum Requirements (experience, training, and education):

• High school diploma or equivalent
• At least 18 years of age
• Must be certified dental assistant
• Possess and maintain certifications (s) in sterilization and disinfection from accredited organization (OSAP, CBSPD, etc.)
• Maintain current CPR certification

Skills and Abilities:

• Must adhere to universal precautions, to include blood-borne pathogen protection at all times.
• Willingness to travel to other FCHC centers to provide training, education, and perform audits.
• Willingness to keep abreast of changing standards in sterilization and disinfection.
• Strong work ethic.
• Excellent time management and problem-solving.

Job Description:

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee will also perform other reasonable related business duties as assigned by supervisor.

Organization Policy:

This organization reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.