Level up for Growth, Quality Outcomes

BY TONY THURMOND, CRCST, CIS, CHL, FCS

T he status quo and bare minimum are unacceptable in the fast-paced, challenging sterile processing (SP) environment. SP professionals across all titles and experience levels must strive to improve in their roles, share their knowledge, and push forward to elevate service and promote patient safety. Many opportunities exist for SP employees to sharpen their skill sets, boost their confidence and encourage their peers to do the same.

For SP technicians, the frontline employees in the department, continuing to grow and advance professionally is the best way to become one of the most respected, trusted and well-rounded team members in the department – and earning that trust and respect will help position technicians for leadership roles and other advancement opportunities. What follows are some effective ways SP professionals can position themselves for enduring success within the department and broader discipline.

• Stay focused on excellence – SP technicians need to function as a strong team, but it is important to distance oneself from those who do not demonstrate a commitment to quality, safety and best practices. Many of us have worked with someone who does just enough to get by but doesn’t aim higher in the level of service provided. We may have also worked alongside a quality-focused teammate who is nonetheless negative in the way they communicate, routinely complains or, perhaps, downplays their departmental peers’ contributions. When working with challenging individuals, it is often beneficial to limit communication to workrelated matters and strive to maintain a positive approach to addressing departmental problems and solutions. We cannot make our colleagues do the right thing, but serving as a model for quality, safety and best practices is an effective way to indirectly mentor and encourage others.

• Identify personal strengths and weaknesses – We each have unique skills and traits that help us succeed in our roles (and can help others become more successfully) and we also have areas in need of improvement. Being honest about where we shine and where we fall short is crucial to helping us grow and advance in our professional journeys. A strong natural leader who exudes patience, confidence and empathy in the role, for example, could make an effective lead technician, supervisor or even manager or educator. An efficient worker who is keenly focused on the task at hand but struggles to communicate effectively with peers or customers, or who readily expresses frustration and anger, will benefit from sharpening their verbal communication skills, especially if seeking a leadership role. Writing down one’s personal strengths and weaknesses and identifying ways to leverage the positives and improve upon the negatives can be especially effective. Chapter involvement, which offers both educational and networking opportunities, is just one way SP professionals can level up in their careers. Are you considered “the expert” in a certain departmental function and would like to gain more speaking experience? Try submitting a proposal for an educational session. Are you good with a camera or computer? Consider assisting the chapter in those important areas? Leaders and prospective leaders can also gain valuable experience serving on the chapter board of directors. Simply attending educational events also provides valuable networking opportunities and the ability to ask questions and share best practices.

• Stay inquisitive – Throughout our careers, many of us have had questions but either assumed it wasn’t the best time to ask or were afraid to ask for fear of judgment or embarrassment. Asking questions leads to some of the best learning opportunities, and every SP professional (including those who are most experienced) must never stop growing in knowledge. Education should be a perpetual pursuit, and so should sharing our knowledge with others.

• Escape the comfort zone – Many SP professionals are reluctant to leave their comfort zone and seek new opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and expertise. Sometimes, staff members wait for others to speak up, and critical time could be lost in correcting oversights or possible conflict. Reaching beyond our self-imposed boundaries can seem unpleasant and unsettling; however, when we do, we open ourselves to new experiences, insights and opportunities for improvement, and we may also be more inclined to share our knowledge with others.

Conclusion

All SP professionals should stay committed to deepening knowledge and skill sets, and this is true regardless of title or experience level. Even the most senior leaders must continue to learn and grow and encourage their teams to do the same. Striving to stay positive, professional and quality-focused, even during the most challenging times, helps build trust, confidence, better departmental and interdisciplinary relationships and, above all, ensures that safety service and quality outcomes remain the top priority.

– Tony Thurmond, CRCST, CIS, CHL, FCS, serves as central service manager at Dayton Children’s Hospital. He is also an HSPA pastpresident and currently serves on HSPA’s Board of Directors.