BACKGROUND: A key component of a successful disinfecting and sterilization program is point-of-use pre-cleaning performed by front-line staff. Ensuring competency of nurses, physicians, and support staff from numerous clinical areas to appropriately perform this task is a challenge. The objective of this initiative was to develop and evaluate an annual hospital-wide education and competency program for staff that perform pre-cleaning of reusable devices. METHODS: In 2017 Infection prevention partnered with perioperative services and central sterile processing departments at a 1250-bed academic medical center to develop a competency training program. A train-the-trainer approach was used for all staff who perform pre-cleaning. Areas using instruments that require pre-cleaning were instructed to send >2 representatives to complete the training. These individuals were then super-users, responsible for training the rest of their department. The training consisted of hands-on training stations to review the pre-cleaning process for various device types. In 2018 a brief overview highlighting the importance of appropriate reusable instrument and device reprocessing and an 8-question pre-/post-test to measure knowledge gain from the training were added to the program. Pre-/post-test results were compared using chi-square analysis. RESULTS: Ninety-five participants from 37 patient care areas attended the 2018 training session, including 58 (61.1%) nurses, 2 (2.0%) physicians, 20 (21.1%) patient care technicians, 10 (10.5%) radiology technicians and 5 (5.3%) other. Mean test scores improved from pre-test to post-test [78.0% vs. 91.6% (p CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a multidisciplinary hands-on competency training program is an effective way to train staff on pre-cleaning of reusable devices. Overall test scores significantly improved after participants completed the training.