Sterile Processing Basics

The Sterile Processing Basics course introduces students to the foundational knowledge to succeed as a Central Service or Sterile Processing Technician. Starting with an overview of the profession, infection prevention, and workplace safety that underpin every task performed in the sterile processing environment. Next, the course walks through the critical steps of handling contaminated items, from proper preparation and transport to the decontamination and disinfection processes that ensure instruments are safe for further handling and reprocessing. Students then explore the surgical instruments they will encounter on the job, along with the proper techniques for assembling and packaging instrument sets to prepare them for sterilization. Finally, the course covers the systems and processes used to manage sterile items after processing, including proper transport and storage methods, records management, and inventory management practices essential to a well-run Central Service department. This course equips students with the core technical knowledge needed to begin building competency and confidence in sterile processing operations.