At Houston Methodist, the Equipment Processing Technician is an entry level position and is responsible for inspection, sorting, decontamination, and sterilization of personal protective equipment, medical equipment, medications, and other clean room areas. The Equipment Processing Technicain will coordinate pick-up and delivery of various equipment requiring disinfection with hospital unit representatives, providing safe, timely, and reliable service. The position maintains consistent and continuous workflow between the work area and customer departments providing excellent customer service.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Communicates with staff from the interdisciplinary health care team concerning patient safety to improve outcomes and the safe transition of care through effective assignment and shift handoffs, using a structured format.

• Demonstrates teamwork by responding positively and respectfully to requests for assistance. Collaborates with department representatives to foster healthy relationships in the work environment. Makes contributions to the work effort as a whole and uses problem resolution effectively.

• Identifies and immediately reports failures of equipment for disinfection, sterilization, and safety monitoring of the work environment.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs sorting, inspection, and decontamination/sterilization of personal protective equipment (PPE), medications, medical and pharmaceutical equipment, and other physical spaces by safely following prescribed manufacturer instructions and institutional policies and procedures.

• Provides timely turn around for equipment requiring decontamination/sterilization, including rounding on units to collect and return equipment needing decontamination/sterilization.

• Handles sterilants and other cleaning supplies in accordance with prescribed manufacturer instructions and institutional policies and procedures.

• Organizes workload utilizing available work time by assisting others and performing additional task as needed. Delivers consistent and reliable productivity between the assigned work space and the units we service.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes appropriate personal protective equipment required to disinfect/sterilize potentially infectious medical equipment for reuse in accordance with manufacturer instructions and institutional policies and procedures.

• Utilizes all department equipment, chemicals, and supplies according to manufacturers' instructions for use and department policies and protocols.

• Utilizes all provided safety equipment to monitor workspace for disinfectant/sterilant levels to ensure safety following manufacturer instructions and institutional policies and procedures.

• Ensures, through visual product inspection and quality control indicators, that all disinfected/sterilized equipment passes institutional standards for effective sterilization.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, cleaning the workstation at the end of each shift, and minimizing incidental overtime. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.

• Uses department resources efficiently to ensure thorough documentation of completed work, recording productivity and sterility monitoring metrics following established institutional standards.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies own learning needs, consults with healthcare team experts and seeks continuing education opportunities to meet those needs. Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development.

• Understands, applies, and demonstrates industry Equipment Processing standards while using disinfectant/sterilants.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

• Equipment Processing program preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• None

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Independently demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Follows Universal Precautions by wearing the appropriate protective attire while working in the Decontamination area

• Exhibits interpersonal and team player skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers

• Ability to utilize basic computer programs such as Microsoft Office and electronic instrument tracking system, if applicable

• Demonstrates proper phone etiquette when responding to inquiries made to the department

• Completes department and institution competencies within established required timelines

• Maintains patient and family privacy

• Successful completion of Houston Methodist and manufactuer equipment training programs

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform Yes
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Since 1998, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has been serving Fort Bend and the surrounding counties. Residents have come to rely on a level of compassionate care and leading-edge technology that was once available only in the Texas Medical Center. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital tied for No. 4 in Houston and No. 6 (three-way tie) in Texas in U.S. News & World Report’s best hospital rankings in 2020. With 316 operating beds, 24 operating rooms and over 2,400 employees, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital was designed to provide comprehensive, personalized care for the community.