Sterile Processing

SterileProcessingLifecycle of an instrument.

Educational resources for sterile processing professionals at all levels 

Strengthen your clinical and operational expertise while staying current on industry standards and best practices. Our no-cost online courses and webinars offer flexible, on-demand training for every member of your Sterile Processing Department, from technicians to department leaders. Many courses are approved for continuing education (CE) credits by the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) and the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), ensuring alignment with recognized professional standards. Learn at your own pace and gain practical skills that help you support safe, efficient surgical care.

  • Real-world insights tailored to the challenges SPD teams face every day, from workflow efficiency to cross-department collaboration 

  • Flexible learning options that fit your schedule, whether you're on shift or off duty 

  • Continuing education credits are available for many courses to support your certification and career advancement 

  • Fresh content is added regularly so you can keep growing your knowledge and stay ahead of industry changes 

$9.8B spent every year by the U.S. healthcare system to treat the top HAIs, one-third of which are from SSIs 1
3-12 months average SPD Technician training time depending on the facility, state-wide legislation and previous experience 2
13%-21.9% opened instruments ultimately used 3

education and training

Build sustainable knowledge with 24/7 access to online courses

Unrecognizable technician picking dental pliers and lever from an autoclave sterilizer.
Wet Packs: Causes and Solutions (0.5 CE for Central Sterile Techs)

Review the major causes for wet packs and loads.

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Two gloved hands placing a tray of surgical instruments on a surgical table with blue drape
Accountability for Surgical Instrument Processing (1.0 CE for Central Sterile Techs)

Master best practices for instrument handling and decontamination.

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SPD worker facing away from camera wearing blue scrubs pulling instrument tray out of sterilization machine
Quality Prep of Surgical Instruments (0.75 CE for Central Sterile Techs)

Explore the entire instrument life cycle and the critical role of central sterile technicians in preventing SSIs.

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Gloved hand handing surgical instrument to another gloved hand
Best Practices for Loaner Surgical Instruments (1.0 CE for Central Sterile Techs)

Identify accountability issues and best practices for loaner instrument management.

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Male central sterile tech facing away from the camera standing in front of a surgical tray that is ready to be wrapped.
Are you Ready for a Sterilization Recall (1.0 CE for Central Sterile Techs)

Understand sterilization recall protocols and departmental policies.

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Sterile processing department
Specialty Testing of Steam Sterilizers (0.5 CE for Central Sterile Techs)

Identify four types of specialty testing for sterilizers.

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Best Practice Guidance

Improve clinical outcomes with educational posters

PPE, OR, SPD, sterile, processing, gloves, masks, gown
Proper PPE for the Sterile Processing Department

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Best Practices for Instrument Transportation

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PPE, SPD, sterile, processing, gloves, mask, gown, eye shield
Best Practices for Point-of-Use Instrument Processing

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case studies and clinical evidence

Drive evidence-based practices and support a culture of safety

References
  1. Dancer SJ, Stewart M, Coulombe C, Gregori A, Virdi M. Surgical site infections linked to contaminated surgical instruments. J Hosp Infect. 2012 Aug;81(4):231-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2012.04.023. Epub 2012 Jun 15. PMID: 22704634.
  2. Chobin, Nancy. "The real costs of surgical instrument training in sterile processing revisited." AORN journal 92.2 (2010): 185-193. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20678607/
  3. Nast K, Swords KA. Decreasing operating room costs via reduction of surgical instruments. J Pediatr Urol. 2019 Apr;15(2):153.e1-153.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2019.01.013. Epub 2019 Jan 28. PMID: 30846251