Esmeralda Martinez

I was hired as per diem, so I've been looking for something more stable. This facility is mostly ortho-focused. Here, I worked with a lot of loaners (banks). It's a very small work department.

• Sterilized surgical instruments using autoclaves and ultrasonic cleaners.
• Maintained cleanliness and organization of sterile processing areas.
• Inspected instruments for damage or contamination before sterilization.
• Followed safety protocols for handling hazardous materials and waste disposal.
• Documented sterilization processes according to hospital regulations and standards.
• Prepared trays, instrument packs and surgical sets.
• Collaborated with healthcare teams to ensure timely availability of sterile instruments.
• Inspected instruments for cleanliness, proper function and breakage by viewing instruments before assembly.
• Maintained accurate records of all sterilized items, including item number, date, time, type of sterilizer used, and operator initials.
• Validated the sterility of processed instruments by performing biological and chemical testing.
• Recorded results of biological and diagnostic tests.

Here, I was introduced to robotic surgeries, orthopedic procedures, and cardiovascular sets; they contained highly intricate instruments that came with certain processes (IFUs) that needed to be followed in order to thoroughly sterilize them. Here, I was trained in every sub-department in sterile processing, from decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and storage. I am familiar with the SPM tracking system. As well as Steris equipment, from washers to sterilizers.

This was my first introduction to working in sterile processing. I was hired as an intern for a few months. While working here, my responsibilities included setting up the operating rooms, processing instruments, keeping track of inventory, and making sure OR rooms were sterilized after every surgery, as well as the instruments. This cosmetic surgery center was very small, so it allowed me to gain a lot of experience working with instruments on how to care for patients before and after surgery. I gained a lot of knowledge about the processes within cosmetic surgeries, including all the sets and instruments used for these types of procedures, ranging from rhinoplasty, facelift, liposuction/body modifications, to breast augmentations.