Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology Fundamentals

MedCerts via Coursera Specialization

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Provider

Coursera Specialization
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

16 weeks, 3 hours a week
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Beginner

Found in

Overview

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The Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology Fundamentals specialization provides a comprehensive introduction to the knowledge and skills needed to launch a career in Sterile Processing or Surgical Technology, combining professional development with foundational technical training. Students build essential workplace and communication skills in Professionalism in Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology, gain the vocabulary and anatomical literacy needed for clinical success in Medical Terminology and Anatomy for Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology, and develop a basic understanding of instrument processing, infection control, and safety through Sterile Processing Basics and Surgical Technology Basics.

Syllabus

Course 1: Professionalism in Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology
Course 2: Anatomy for Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology
Course 3: Sterile Processing Basics
Course 4: Surgical Technology Basics

Courses

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The Medical Terminology and Anatomy for Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology course builds the essential language and anatomical foundation every Sterile Processing and Surgical Technology professional needs to communicate effectively and work confidently within a clinical environment. Students begin learning the core building blocks of medical terminology – giving them the tools to decode complex clinical language used throughout healthcare settings. From there, the course introduces the fundamentals of anatomy, physiology and pathology, helping students understand how the body's structures and functions relate to disease processes and clinical procedures. The course concludes with an overview of the human body, integrating terminology and anatomical knowledge into a cohesive understanding of body systems, organization, and structure. This course gives students the vocabulary and anatomical literacy required to accurately interpret instructions, communicate with clinical teams and support safe, effective patient care in sterile processing and surgical settings.
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The Professionalism content in the Sterile Processing/Surgical Technology course prepares students for the professional realities of working in Sterile Processing and as a Surgical Technologist in the operating room, equipping them with the interpersonal skills, emotional resilience, and workplace behaviors essential for a long-term allied health career. Students begin by exploring realistic expectations on the job, including emotional demands of high-pressure environments, patient interactions, and foundational roles of Central Service Technicians and Surgical Technologists within the healthcare team. From there, the course examines how to build strong, effective relationships with coworkers, supervisors, and patients. Learners will study communication strategies, professional development practices, and techniques for supporting the psychosocial needs of patients. Finally, the course brings these concepts together by focusing on the professional behaviors that sustain a successful allied health career. By course completion, students will be better equipped to manage expectations, navigate workplace relationships, and conduct themselves professionally throughout their careers.
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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.
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The Surgical Technology Basics course introduces students to the foundational skills needed to succeed as a Surgical Technologist in the perioperative and intraoperative environment. First, students explore workplace hazards and the principles of sterile technique and infection control that form the basis of safe surgical practice. Then, the course covers essential surgical instrumentation and the fundamentals of perioperative pharmacology, giving the technical knowledge needed to support surgeons and surgical teams during procedures. Students then examine the full continuum of patient care, including proper techniques for moving, handling and positioning patients, skin preparation and draping, case planning, and the responsibilities involved during the intraoperative and immediate postoperative periods. The course concludes with an overview of surgical procedure types, including general surgery, minimally invasive surgery and robotic-assisted procedures – introducing evolving techniques and technologies shaping modern surgical care. This course provides a comprehensive foundation in surgical technology, preparing students with the core knowledge to work in the perioperative setting.