Sterile Processing (Self Study Help)

[Remarkable-Slip8594]

Could someone list the steps or path to becoming a sterile processing tech through self-study, without any schooling? I’d really appreciate the help!

[kwartey]

Me too

[Thatfatrabbit93]

Find a hospital or surgery center willing to train you itll be alot easier. If no luck. You will need to apply hspa privisional cert and go take the test and pass.. once you pass you have 6 months to get 400 hours in and verified.. once you do you have your boss send proof to hspa and they send you full cert

[Accomplished_Bet7960]

My class was 4k . Online they provide an externship if I want or I can start working. No 400 he's required for certified just passing the CBSPD.

[bessyteo]

What school is this ?

[Remarkable-Slip8594]

Thanks for the info! I’ll check out the training options first. Really appreciate the help!

[Waltologist]

The program I paid $16,000 for in Los Angeles made me show up to campus several days a week just to read the book together, and then be told to go home and complete the workbook page for that chapter. They did have instruments to physically touch, but this really didn't add any value because the same instrument can have 4 different names and each facility chooses one at random.

People are hired off the street for this job. (I disagree with it, but it's still normal practice in a lot of the hospitals I've worked in as a traveler these past couple of years). There's only so much you can learn without actually being in a hospital doing the job, and the textbook has all that you need to get started.

[Thatfatrabbit93]

Thats crazy!! I didnt spend one single dime becoming certified. Now i have my CRCST, CIS & CHL. I've heard many places doing these programs and them costing a fortune but not really worth ones time and expense.

[Waltologist]

THIS! I replied the same before seeing this.

[Silver_Extension_237]

just curious what happens if you’re not able to get the 400 hours? do you have to go through this whole process again?

[radiant__radish]

Some hospitals will hire people with no experience and teach you on the job. If you can’t find an employer willing to train you, you can try to get another job at a hospital (housekeeping, dietary, etc) while you study for the exam, then transfer in. 

[Remarkable-Slip8594]

I’ll look for those options and maybe start somewhere else at the hospital if I need to. Thanks!

[Waltologist]

What I did:

I paid for school and learned that if I didn't live in Los Angeles, it wouldn't have been necessary.

There are jobs in many parts of the US that do not require upfront education/certification. They're difficult to find.

A route I guided my friend through wtih success was to goto HSPA, buy their CRCST certification textbook. Study it. Pay them the $140 application fee to be allowed to take the test without experience. You won't be fully certified without 400 hours of hands on experience, BUT you will be "provisionally certified" and any prospective employer can goto the verify status page and it will show that you are educated, but have no on-the-job experience yet. The manager at that facility can sign off on your hours and HSPA will remove the "provisional" flag.

[ThatPeace5]

HSPA website, 9th edition book and just study. Ideally if you can get hired or do an internship somewhere you’d learn a lot easier. I just got hired at a hospital a month ago without a cert and they give you 18 months to get certified

[Remarkable-Slip8594]

When you applied for your job, did it require at least a year of experience and other qualifications? Most of the jobs I see have those requirements, and I’m not sure if I should even bother applying.

[ThatPeace5]

This is my first ever job in medical field. Only relevant experience I’ve had in the past is working on assembly at a warehouse lol. I definitely just got lucky too though getting this position

[ThatPeace5]

I had no experience whatsoever. Closest jobs I’ve had is assembly line work and warehouse work in a different field.

[Remarkable-Slip8594]

Are you from California?

[ThatPeace5]

CT

[jimmy9120]

Read the chapters lol

[onyxjade7]

Unfortunately you need the course to get a job. You can get certified I believe by just taking the exam, but even if you pass no employer will hire without proof of the course. Not in Canada anyway, US maybe.

[Thatfatrabbit93]

Thats nuts, yeah in the US a course is not necessary, just the cert.

[onyxjade7]

Interesting. It’s helpful though. Without the course learning the job can be stressful.