Do formal education or certification opportunities in sterile processing enhance career advancement?

Abstract

BackgroundSterile processing is an essential, yet often overlooked, aspect of surgical operations. An efficient and precise sterile processing department is critical for providing clean, functional instruments without disrupting operating room workflow. Despite the importance of sterile processing in the day-to-day function of operating rooms, little is known about the educational background, opportunities, or incentives for career advancement for individuals working in sterile processing. We conducted a comprehensive online national survey of sterile processing employees to define the role of education in this space. MethodsFollowing IRB approval, surveys were sent via email to 50,000+ sterile processing employees querying them about their work role, education background, and certification history. Data was collected and maintained on the Qualtrics platform and analyzed for descriptive statistics using built-in tools. ResultsIn total, there were 958 respondents. The average age was 47 years, 67% were women and 86% reported working as hospital employees. The average length of employment was 13.5 years. Half (50.52%) reported working as technicians, 16.76% were supervisors, 16.18% were managers, 5.01% were Directors and 3.49% were educators (Table 1). The minority of respondents held a 2-year (19%) or 4-year (21%) college degree Table 2). Approximately half of respondents (427 of 857) had enrolled in a post-high school education program in sterile processing, with an average of 7.2 months of training. Nearly all respondents (92%) held some form of sterile processing certification. Formal training or certification in sterile processing did not correlate with a higher-ranking position of employment. The majority of employees engaged in self-directed learning at least on a monthly basis. On average, directors and managers worked in sterile processing longer than supervisors and technicians and were more likely to have 4-year, master, or doctoral degrees when compared with technicians. Although higher-ranking employees were more likely than technicians to have completed leadership courses, employees overall were significantly less likely to complete leadership courses if they were not provided or reimbursed by their institution (P<0.001). ConclusionThere exists wide variation in formal training and certification backgrounds among sterile processing employees. In most states, a standardized pathway to employment does not exist; rather, individual employers assume responsibility for SPD employee training. Employment requirements are variable, and certifications specific to this space do not correlate significantly with workplace roles or positions of leadership. Managers and Directors are more likely to hold an advanced degree. There is little financial or career incentive to obtain formal training or additional certifications that may improve the quality of sterile processing. Nonetheless, the majority of respondents appear actively engage in self-directed learning consistent with a highly motivated, resourceful workforce. Our data suggest that sterile processing employees would optimize opportunities generated through the creation of formal, incentivized education pathways.