Sterile Processing
Overview
Working in sterile processing entails meticulously cleaning, assembling, and sterilizing medical instruments and equipment to maintain aseptic conditions in health care facilities.
This Board of Governors certificate program will provide the skills to function safely and competently in a processing department or a surgical suite in acute care hospital settings.
This certificate program equips a Sterile Supply Processing Technician to decontaminate, disinfect, inspect, assemble, sterilize, and store sterile supplies and reusable patient care equipment. Training is broad-based to ensure transferability of knowledge and skills to other tertiary care settings and includes a supervised preceptor clinical placement involving hands-on experience in a processing department.
Admission Requirements
- O.S.S.D. or equivalent
Applications for this program are not accepted through ontariocolleges.ca.
Mature Student Assessment for this program is available in the subject of English for the purpose of demonstrating proficiency in this required admission subject. For all other admission requirements, applicants must complete the required course(s) as listed above. For more information, please contact counselling@lambtoncollege.ca. Review the Mature Student Admission process.
Academic admission requirements can be obtained through Academic Upgrading and the Pre-Programs at Lambton College.
Prior Learning Assessment
If you believe you have an equivalent level of knowledge and would like credit through Prior Learning Assessment, please contact online@lambtoncollege.ca or call 519-479-1023 at least two weeks before classes begin.
Credential Eligibility
If you are taking courses with the intention of completing this program and earning a credential, you must meet the Admission Requirements. It is your responsibility to supply proof of admission requirements to the Office of the Registrar before completing three courses in this program.
If you complete the program but fail to provide proof of admission requirements, you will be ineligible to receive your credential.
Costs
Course Fees
- Exact costs can be obtained during the registration process. Visit the Course List and select an individual course for associated course fees.
Textbooks
Textbook costs may be applicable to each course. Most textbooks can be purchased through textnet.ca, but some exceptions do apply. Some courses may have software or equipment requirements that are not included in the cost of the course and are the responsibility of the student. Please see individual course pages for course-specific textbook information.
Field Placement Fees
- Field placement course fees range from $300 - $400.
Graduation Fees
Students who successfully complete all the academic requirements for this program should submit their intent to graduate in order to receive their credential. The graduate module can be completed on myLambton via Self Service.
A graduation fee of about $75 is added to your account upon verification that admission requirements have been met. For exact fees contact your Enrolment Services Professional.
Technology Requirements
In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, Lambton College requires that each student have access to a laptop while studying at our college.
Courses
Develop the language required to communicate effectively in a medical setting. Medical terminology, word structure as well as diagnostic procedures and pharmacology related to twelve body systems will be studied.
Textbooks
The required text for this course can be found by going to textnet.ca, clicking on the "Browse by course" drop-down list and scrolling to Medical Terminology.
Please Note: Students are not required to purchase textbooks from textnet.ca. However, if students are purchasing textbooks from another source, they must ensure purchased textbooks are the correct edition and include any applicable software or add-ons.
Host Course Code: LO-HLTH8007Host Course Name: Medical Terminology
This course introduces the student to the sterile processing role and environment which includes microbiology, infection control, aseptic technique and workplace environmental hazards.
This course introduces the student to instrument classification, specifics of proper handling techniques and recognition of common problems related to instrument usage. Upon successful completion students will differentiate and recognize surgical instrumentation required for various surgical procedures. NOTE: Final exam must be proctored
Textbooks
This course may require software or other specialized resources. The course facilitator will provide details at the start of the course.
Host Course Code: FA-HLTH1119Host Course Name: Ident, Care, Handling of Instrumentation
Introduces students to the principles of decontamination including instrument/equipment disassembly, various methods of cleaning/disinfecting, use of decontamination equipment (automated), proper workflow, standard precautions and the safe handling of sharps and medical bio-hazardous waste materials.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
This course introduces students to the proper techniques for the assembly, wrapping and/or packaging of surgical instruments, supplies and patient care equipment. Advances in surgical technique have resulted in the regular use of a wide assortment of complex and sophisticated surgical instrumentation. Healthcare professionals need to make sure these delicate and expensive items are protected, and sterilized according to the medical device manufacturer's written instructions to minimize and eliminate patient risk.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
The proper sterilization of medical devices, surgical instruments, supplies and equipment utilized in direct patient care and surgery is a critical aspect of the modern health care delivery system and directly impacts patient safety. Sterilization is a complex process, it's imperative technicians involved in the reprocessing and sterilization of medical devices have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles and methods of sterilization utilized in today's health care settings. In this course many of these principles will be introduced and common sterilization processes will be compared and evaluated. NOTE: Final exam must be proctored.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
This course introduces students to sterile storage, inventory control, distribution systems including the case care system, portering, and stock rotation.
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
This 150 hour field placement will provide the opportunity to apply theory to the practical processes in the sterile processing setting.
Students must contact Online Education (onlineplacement@lambtoncollege.ca) at least 6 months in advance of their desired placement start date.
Students entering Sterile Processing program must meet specific field/clinical requirements to be eligible for placement with our community partners. For further details, please refer to the More Information section of the Sterile Processing program page at www.lambtoncollege.ca/STRC
Prerequisite(s):
- STR-1062 Sterile Storage, Inventory Control
- MDL-1103 Medical Terminology
- STR-1023 Identification, Care and Handling
- STR-1042 Assembly, Wrapping and Packaging
- STR-1012 Microbiology and Infection Control for Sterile Processing
- STR-1033 Decontamination Principles, Procedures and Practices
- STR-1053 Disinfection and Sterilization Concepts and Techniques
Please contact us to find out when the next start date will be.
Have Questions?
If you have any questions about our online programs, the courses offered, the registration process, or any other Online Education related questions, reach out to us.
Contact
Online Education
After Graduation
Employment Opportunities
Graduates may find work in sterile processing positions within hospital and medical office environments.
Placement
Finding Placements
Students are required to arrange their own field placement opportunity.
Students must contact onlineplacement@lambtoncollege.ca at least six months in advance of their desired placement start date.
Passport to Placement Clearance
Students heading out on placement are required to complete the Passport to Placement clearance process before heading into a facility. Students considering this program should be aware that there are field and clinical placement requirements. Placement facilities may require students to have proof of certain vaccinations and police record checks.
Once you've applied, you can log in to mylambton.ca and view the program-specific Field & Clinical Placement Requirements. If you need information about these requirements before applying, please contact onlineplacement@lambtoncollege.ca.
How to Register for Placement
The Sterile Processing clinical placement consists of 150 hours and is usuallly completed over four weeks. Registration is valid for a set period of time, and placement hours must be completed within the provided time frame.
It is advised that students work out a schedule with their placement provider that is beneficial to both the student and clinical provider.
The following steps must be completed before students begin the process of finding a field placement:
- Students must recieve a passing grade in all prerequisite courses or be registered in the final term of courses before registering for field placement - please be aware that instructors have three weeks from the end of the term to post final grades.
- Contact the Online Placement department at onlineplacement@lambtoncollege.ca to begin the placement process six months prior to the desired placement start. Students will be required to meet specific requirements to be eligible to participate in placement.
Have Questions?
If you have any questions about our online placements, reach out:
Online Placement Office
GENERAL PLACEMENT QUESTIONS
More Information
Prepare for Success
Remember to review the important dates associated with this program - some deadlines may be different depending on how your program is delivered and what section you're enrolled in.
Technology Requirements
It is required that students purchase a laptop with a Windows operating system.
Internet Speed Requirements
For best performance for students learning remotely, an internet connection with a minimum of 40 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speed is recommended in order to effectively use video conferencing and remote lecture delivery software as well as, other online resources remotely. Due to the large area over which students may be dispersed, we are unable to recommend a specific provider, so you will need to inquire around your area to find one that best suits your needs.
Minimum Laptop Requirements
In order to access the internet and virtually-delivered software and courseware, student laptops should include the following at a minimum. By meeting the following specifications, students will be equipped to access software and courseware on their laptop through the internet:
- Intel i5 8th Gen Processor or equivalent
- 16 GB of RAM (with a minimum of 8 GB)
- 100 GB HDD or more
- HD Graphics
- Webcam with a microphone
- Wireless 802.11n/ac 5ghz capable
- Windows Operating System (Windows 11)
Software
To ensure students are getting the most our of their classroom experience, some software will be required.
Lambton College has made this software easily accessible online. Students can leverage our Microsoft Office 365 software packages and services. In addition, much of the software you require for your courses will be available on demand for use on any device - on or off campus.