What are Certified Central Service Technicians, and What do they do?

Hospitals are hectic places with various departments working on the go 24/7 to maintain smooth operations. One of these departments includes the central service technicians team, whose role in the healthcare industry is considered indispensable. The primary responsibilities of a central service technician are usually in sterile processing rooms, where they coordinate the sterilization and dispatch of medical tools and equipment.

CST professionals undergo central services technician training to hone their knowledge and skills. Preparation would take months, and after they finish training, they will take their certification exams.

But what exactly are certified central service technicians, and what are their contributions to the healthcare industry? Keep reading to find out.

Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST)

Central service technicians are also called sterile processing technicians (SPT) or central service (CS) professionals. CSTs coordinate sterilizing, cleaning, processing, assembling, storing, and distributing medical tools and equipment. Their jobs ensure that the spread of infection is prevented. Usually, you’ll find them assisting in the operating rooms, sterilizing and dispensing surgical instruments. But their main hub is the hospital’s central service and sterile processing rooms.

Hospitals use thousands of tools and equipment daily, and they’ll also need them in good condition as soon as possible. Central service technicians are constantly moving around hospitals to sterilize and distribute trays of hospital instruments. Their work required meticulous attention to detail and exceptional skills, which is why they underwent extensive central supply technician training before taking a CRCST certification exam.

The Responsibilities of a Certified Central Service Technician

Depending on the work environment, the job of a central service technician may change or vary. These changes may occur daily based on healthcare policies and requirements. In general, central service technicians are tasked to control and prevent infection amongst patients, some of which include the following:

• Decontamination, sterilization, and cleaning of medical tools, supplies, devices, and equipment such as surgical instruments
• Process, assemble, package, and store medical supplies, equipment, and instruments
• Keep inventory of supplies, including gloves, syringes, and masks
• Coordinate the dispensing and distribution of medical supplies and equipment to various departments

Before landing a role in the central service department, you must get certified first. Martinson College offers special certification programs for aspiring CSTs or SPTs. Visit their website https://www.martinsoncollege.com/ to learn more.