Sterile Processing Technician

Boston Children's Hospital seeks an OR Sterile Processing Liaison to coordinate instrument and supply flow between the Operating Room and Sterile Processing. In this Healthcare & Medical Services role, you will ensure accurate case preparation, resolve instrumentation issues in real time, and support high standards for infection prevention, quality, and safety. Partner with multidisciplinary teams in state-of-the-art facilities to improve processes, support surgical efficiency, and promote optimal patient outcomes in our mission-driven pediatric environment.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate daily communication and workflow between the Operating Room and Central Sterile Processing.
• Verify completeness, accuracy, and readiness of instrument sets, trays, and case carts for scheduled and add-on procedures.
• Monitor and prioritize instrument and tray needs based on surgical schedules and emergent cases.
• Facilitate timely return, decontamination, and reprocessing of used instruments and trays after procedures.
• Use instrument tracking and hospital information systems to track trays, document issues, and support inventory control.
• Identify and help resolve missing, damaged, or malfunctioning instruments in real time to minimize surgical delays.
• Support quality assurance and continuous improvement efforts related to sterile processing and OR logistics.
• Ensure compliance with infection prevention, sterilization, and safety standards and policies.
• Collaborate with surgeons, nurses, technicians, and sterile processing staff to anticipate special instrument or loaner needs.
• Participate in education and orientation of staff regarding instrument handling, process changes, and best practices.

Required Skills

• Knowledge of surgical instruments and tray configurations
• Central sterile processing procedures (decontamination, assembly, sterilization)
• Familiarity with AAMI and AORN guidelines
• Use of instrument tracking software and inventory systems
• Understanding of infection prevention and control principles
• Operating room workflow and case cart management
• Attention to detail and accuracy in verification processes
• Problem-solving and issue resolution in a clinical setting
• Time management and prioritization under time pressure
• Interpersonal and communication skills with multidisciplinary teams
• Basic computer literacy and data entry
• Ability to read and interpret procedure schedules and preference cards