Beginning in January, Pellissippi State Community College will offer a non-credit course to become a certified registered central sterile processing technician.
The course is designed for students who wish to jump-start or transition to a healthcare career by taking a sterile processing certification exam offered by the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management.
“There are regional job openings for certified technicians right now, so conceivably everyone who enrolls in this class could find an opportunity for a good entry-level position in a healthcare setting,” said Joshua Reist-Connor, a sterile processing manager at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and an instructor of Pellissippi State’s course.
New employees hired as central sterile processing technicians within Tennessee must complete training like this course within two years of initial hire. Pellissippi State’s course is the only in-person course in East Tennessee.
“This course will be an immersive experience. It will partner students with a local healthcare facility and give hands-on experience with the central sterile processing technology and equipment,” Reist-Connor said.
Students who complete the 14-week course, which is offered on Sundays, 2-5 p.m., must also complete 400 hours of job shadowing at an area hospital. Students who take the course are not certified until they successfully complete the examination and job shadowing.
The Certified Registered Central Sterile Technician course at Pellissippi State costs $2,600 and includes textbook and study materials, two pairs of surgical scrubs and the cost of the IAHCSMM certification application and examination.
This class is an approved Veterans Administration training program and an approved American Job Centers Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act training program. Info: www.pstcc.edu/bcs