Intern Gets Up-close Look at UAMS’ Sterile Processing Department
| By Khi Weston
Behind every surgical procedure at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), there is a team dedicated to making sure that every patient can expect the same standard of safety, one instrument tray at a time.
“There isn’t one person who gets the best; everyone gets the best,” said Renita Hoof, director of the UAMS Sterile Processing Department.
This phrase is not a motto, but rather the standard of care provided by the Sterile Processing Department. Before an instrument reaches a surgeon’s hands, it has already been cleaned, sterilized, tested, and inspected by a team of sterile processing technicians.
Sterile processing intern Kyndall Owens, a recent graduate of the Hall-West High School of Innovation in Little Rock, said her knowledge of healthcare once included only doctors and nurses. This fall, she will be attending the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, majoring in biology as she continues exploring where she wants to take her career in healthcare.
The summer internship, part of a collaboration involving the City of Little Rock and UAMS Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships, helped her discover an appreciation for the hard work of a team that supports the entirety of the hospital.
Before an instrument reaches a surgeon’s hands, it has already been cleaned, sterilized, tested, and inspected by a team of sterile processing technicians.
Owens spent weeks learning the process from start to finish: receiving reusable instruments from the operating room, then cleaning, decontaminating, and preparing the equipment for the next operation. Each surgical case requires a customized set of instruments to account for the patient’s unique needs.
She also learned the importance of paying attention to detail, having patience, and being collaborative. As a person who once thought of the hospital only in terms of direct patient care, she soon learned that the work starts before the patient is ever seen.
“Without sterile processing, there wouldn’t be any function to the hospital,” she said.
For an intern like Owens, this experience could serve as a steppingstone to another area of patient care. But for many others, sterile processing is a career in itself.
Hoof said sterile processing positions don’t require a college degree, adding that new employees receive extensive training on industry safety standards. She said the department offers plenty of opportunities for advancement, as many technicians have moved into supervisory and management roles.
“We want people to know that they can come to Sterile Processing and make it their career,” Hoof said. “That’s why we’re always training our employees to take the next step in this department.”
Jana McElroy, an instrument technician, said she knew she wanted to help people but wasn’t sure how she would do it. She started at UAMS in housekeeping services, and she also gained her CPR and patient care technician certifications.
After finding a position in sterile processing, she developed new skills and a growing confidence about her role in healthcare, she said.
“I feel that I’m right where I belong,” she said.
Hoof, who has worked in sterile processing for 34 years, said the department offers a supportive environment where employees hold themselves to the highest standards. She said every step of their process prioritizes consistency and patient safety.
“One of the ideas we’ve instilled in our staff is the understanding that all the instruments they work with will be used to treat somebody’s parent or somebody’s child,” she said.
LaRossi Johnson, the department’s assistant director, described sterile processing as the “heart of the hospital.” While their work is carried out behind closed doors, its impact is felt throughout the institution.
The importance of sterile processing became especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson said.
“When COVID came, this was one of the areas that UAMS leaders wanted to make sure were fully staffed and fully capable of supporting the whole hospital,” he said.
After welcoming Owens to the staff this summer, Hoof said the department is looking to provide more internship opportunities for those who are interested in working in sterile processing.
“I would love for us to be a hub that assists adults who want to start working in the healthcare field,” she said.
Khi Weston was a summer intern for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Office of Communications and Marketing.