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Medical Equipment Preparers

People classed as Medical Equipment Preparers prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. The skills rated most useful are critical thinking, quality control analysis, and monitoring. The job can ask you to examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair. With a code of RCI, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.5 out of 7. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.

Main tasks

  • Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
  • Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
  • Record sterilizer test results.
  • Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
  • Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
  • Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.

Skills

  • Critical Thinking
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Monitoring
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Active Listening
  • Troubleshooting

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on critical thinking and quality control analysis.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Central Sterile Technician (Central Sterile Tech)
  • Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT)
  • Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST)
  • CRCST (Certified Registered Central Supply Technician)
  • CSS Technician (Central Sterile Supply Technician)

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.