The technician as a field is quite broad, but we are about to narrow it down to understand what or who a central service technician is and their job description. These technicians play a key role in the medical field and health care services.
As it stands, hospitals with surgical activities will only function with a central service technician offering their expertise. Indirectly, the CS technicians contribute extensively to protecting the medical team and the patients.
The central technician like other healthcare technicians like the pharmacy technician and Medical Laboratory Technician often go beyond their line of duty, but this depends on their workplace. That notwithstanding, they receive salaries worth every bit of their trouble.
Who is a central service technician?
A central service technician is responsible for disease prevention in the hospital. They do this by ensuring that the surgical tools and other medical supplies are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before subsequent use.
Responsibilities of a central service technician
Central service techs and their duties can not be disregarded or ignored in a working medical and healthcare environment; else, it may lead to avoidable infection breakout within the environment.
Firstly, these technicians gather all the equipment and tools used during surgical procedures or patient care, detach those needing it, and decontaminate, clean out, and sterilize them.
CS technicians lookout for broken tools or equipment while gathering and cleaning them out. If they notice any damage, they must mention it and ensure that the replacement is in good working condition before they go into use.
These experts often find themselves exposed to great risk of infection during work. So, it is crucial to have proper training in handling recently used tools and always wear compulsory protective gear.
More so, they take inventory and ensure that they are appropriately stored and distribute the needed ones to the departments in need of them daily. These medical tools range from surgical equipment and tools, patient care equipment, and gloves and face masks.
It falls within their line of work to check up on used and stored equipment, know which has expired or is about to, and call for fresh ones. All these are the daily and routine responsibilities a central service technician must carry out.
How to Become a central service technician
If you need to change your career or would love to work in a hospital and health center environment and indirectly save lives without being medical personnel, this should be a suitable career path.
However, you must build your mind and understand that you risk becoming infected each day you report to work if you are not extremely careful while carrying out your duties. When you must have come to this realization and conclusion, then, why not look at the requirements that will usher you into this career?
Firstly, you need to hold some sort of educational qualification. It would be best if you own a diploma or GED.
Secondly, you must enroll in an accredited university that offers this program, and you can take your certification exams upon completion of your studies. The program runs for about eight to one year, depending on your school.
Thirdly, you must complete some hours of the profession before you can sit for the certification exams. Students who successfully complete their programs can intern in a hospital as a medium to complete the assigned number of work hours.
Fourthly, after completing your hours, the next step will be to sit for the board exam for your certificate.
The International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM) offers the certificate. They are the body that represents and oversees the central service technicians not just in the United States but worldwide. So, with a certification from this body, you are covered to work in any part of the United States.
The type of certifications issued by the management includes;
- Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST)
- Certified Healthcare Leadership (CHL)
- Certified Central Service Vendor Program (CCSVP)
- Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS)
Job opportunities and salaries for central service technicians
The world is fastly evolving and more opportunities in the workspace are becoming a norm. The health sector has proven to be flowing with opportunities in different departments as we search for more ways to heal people and make treatment accessible, easier, and faster. The emergence of this role and its in-demand opportunity to date has been proof of the above said.
Therefore, with the expansion in health care services and easier access to surgeries, central service technicians will always have many job opportunities to choose from without trying so hard.
In the beginning, we mentioned that these central service technicians face many threats in their line of work, like coming in contact with contaminated materials, infected blood, and body fluids, or even health hazards from the chemicals from cleaning agents.
However, their salaries can be a comforting factor and offer a pleasant lifestyle, among other things. It is important to know that salaries are affected by many factors like work experience, certification, and primary place of work.
In the United States of America, for instance, a central service technician makes, on average, $35,167 annually according to Zippa.
The usual salary range for central service technicians is $27,000 to $44,000 annually. Central service technicians make, on average, $16.91 per hour.
As an emerging career, there is still great potential on the job, and the growth rate stays at nine percent. This also loosely means that a salary increase is imminent as time goes on.
How to Become a Successful Central Service Technician
The infographic below shows some of the top tips one needs to become successful in this career.
Some of the best schools that offer central service technician program
See below;
LaGuardian Community College
Address: 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA
Phone Number: (718) 482-7244
Mid-State Technical College
Address: 401 N Main Street Adams, Wisconsin 53910
Phone Number: 8885756782
Wisconsin Technical College System
Address: 462 University Avenue Madison, WI 53707-7874
Phone Number: (608) 2661207
Blackhawk Technical College
Address: 6004 S County Road G, Janesville, WI 53546
Phone Number: (606) 7586900
Community College of Baltimore
Address: 800 South Rolling Road Baltimore, MD 21228
Phone Number:
Clover Park Technical College
Address: 4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW Lakewood WA 984994004
Phone Number: 2355895800
Conclusion
In summary, for other technicians, it may be another reality. Still, with a central service technician, it’s all about a sterile environment, surgical and patient care equipment, top organizational skills, attention to detail, and enduring many harsh cleaning agents.
In their well-removed yet much-needed contribution to the medical environment, they save lives even without getting their deserved accolades.
I am confident this content will help you understand better what a career in central service as a technician looks like.
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