Sterile Processing Education and Career Pathways: Opportunities and Considerations

That is awesome. I’ve built a couple of those type of programs for facilities before, namely a U Mass, but I champion any facility that is trying to find technicians should also be having one of these entry level one know one programs and should be paying these people because we are all grown adults. We got bills, baby. We want to have time to pay for classes and go to school. And the true favorite doubt, we need these health assurances.

Okay, so you said there have an SPD transition programs for internal employees starting at $23 an hour in San Diego. But if I decide this field, I would have a five dollar pay cut. I am front desk right now and that’s the truth. Is it worth it? That’s a question to ask because right now you are making $5 more than that position. And unless you’re planning on going into management, you’re probably okay where you’re at. Honestly, you might make more at thorough processing departments in the inner cities, like up to like 30,32,34,$36 an hour for some of the tech positions. But then you’re also paying higher prices for living costs and all that fun stuff. So I’m no good sis.

Now, there are some other benefits to it. Like if you’re going into management, if you want, if you know that you want to move up in that career field, I would say it’s definitely worth taking the pay cut of $5 now and reaping the benefits later, but with the full understanding that you’re gonna suppose time into your career. I would say at the minimum, at least a year to three years before you can transition into lead tech or supervisor positions, and that would be with some real strategic application processes going on for you. So is it doable? Heck yeah. And as far as Bay Area, like I’ve worked in the Bay Area, so I can’t speak to San Diego pricing. But I know in the Bay Area, middle management that had never had management experience before would start sometimes in the low hundred k range. It might be higher now because that was some years ago when I was out there, and I think the highest position I took was a UCSF position and at the time it was 122 k. And at the time, I had maybe five or six years of management under my belt and five or six years as a technician under my Bill when I made that leap. So there’s money to be made, you know what I mean? But also, like I said, that’s not something that you really want to do or get into education or things that nature or start your own entrepreneurship and stereo processing, then I would say go stay with your 5000Z and move up to that space. But I think it’s dealt that they’re offering that program.

Is that a union hospital? That sounds like a SEIU program. I helped with one time when I was a manager at dignity. They had a program where they were training serial processing technicians to become scrub text. So that was another good one that was out there that protected your position so that you could, you, in their program, you would not actually have to leave your front desk job. They would hold it until you graduated from the sterile processing for them, the scrub tech program. And then once you got into your job and like got through your 90 days, they would close out your previous position and with the full understanding that you’re now locked in on this side of the house. But otherwise, like for any reason, something didn’t work out, you didn’t graduate, you didn’t like it, they didn’t like you, you know, whatever it was. You would go right back to your original position, which I thought was a super dope program and that was being done by SCI you. So yeah, lots of really cool things are happening with sterile processing education and scrub tech education in the in California in particular, really exciting things that are happening. And the more I’m hoping that people are starting to highlight them, like I’m highlighting them right now, because there are good things people to know that exist, but also there are good things for hospital administrators and still a processing managers to know exist, that there are places out there that have already built these programs. You do not have to reinvent the wheel. You can contact your colleagues and figure out how to put these things into place. There’s a lot happening like with you mass, with UCSF, with Emery in the south, like they’re really pushing forward to build in house programming again because back in the day, stereo processing was all hands on training. Nobody knew what that was. Only the people that did that knew what that was. So they would hire you off the street and train you. That’s how I got my job. But nowadays, with professionalism taking on more of a credentialing type of process, people expect for you to walk through the door and have your credentials and have your experience, and they’re fine. Being in the healthcare space and many other spaces, that’s not realistic. We can’t keep up with the replacement rates anymore.

So I think this is dope, and I’m very curious to know if you decide to do it or not do it. But also if you decide not to do it and keep the $5, you know, there are other ways to get a stereo processing education under your belt, both in person and online. So if it’s something you’re really interested in, I would say find the way that works best for you. Because I also know that I’m saying that cavalier, in a cavalier manner, but taking a five dollar pay cut ain’t no small potatoes, you know? So you wanna have your budgets and everything in order and be ready to take that type of hit. And some people just can’t do it. And that’s realistic. And I know that. So don’t think I’m just, oh, just jump. No, do what’s best for you. And if you decide you want to get it, but that’s not gonna work for you, there are other ways to do it.

So I’m excited for y’all. I’m excited for the people that are gonna participate. That’s adult program coming out of San Diego. And once you get certified and get some experience under your build, my favorite part about stereo process, and then you can travel. And I’m, you know, but I’m single and don’t have kids and stuff, but also there are married couples out here traveling. There are people with dogs out here traveling, people bringing their kids, traveling XYZ. So, you know, get how you live, if you will. That’s my favorite part.