There is an old saying that if you have seen one sterile processing department , you ’ ve seen one sterile processing department . In other words , they are all different .”
— Natalie Lind , CRCST , CHL
at minimum the first day on assignment , but at least within the first week . Some facilities have the traveler go through orientation , which is okay , but it needs to be specific to the facility ’ s SPD to be worth it . Some facilities just throw you on the field and we rely on our knowledge unless the OR complains , then we are told which is not the proper way to do this at all . The more facility-related specifics we know up front , the better equipped we are to not disrupt the flow of the OR .”
“ This issue is an ongoing discussion among traveling techs throughout the industry ,” Thompson says , referring to standardized P & Ps . “ If this were to happen , it would take a mix of facilities management , supervisors , hiring agencies and techs in the development of this schematic . The need for this type of out-of-the-box thinking is necessary to recruit and retain the best traveling techs . As it stands now , it ’ s a dog-eat-dog industry and not always a win-win situation . “
To that end , while it is hoped that traveling techs can blend into a healthcare institution ’ s SPD seamlessly , the truth is that difficulties exist . What might not be acknowledged widely is the potential rivalry between traveling techs and stationary workers .
“ There should not be a sense of competitiveness between stationery and traveling techs ,” Lind says . “ It is not uncommon for stationary staff to feel resentful of the wages paid to travelers or other differences in responsibilities that go with the traveler ’ s jobs . Instead of being resentful of the wages and perks awarded to travelers , I ’ d suggest looking at the wage disparity as educational for the facility ’ s administration . This experience has helped them realize that the skills and knowledge required to work in sterile processing are unique , and it is not a job that just anybody can do . It ’ s a good talking point when negotiating future compensation packages for stationary technicians . In most cases , stationery staff have been working short-handed for some time , and travelers should be viewed as a teammate to help share the workload . There should be collaboration , not rivalry .”
Thompson notes , “ The rivalry exists because of various factors , but pay is typically the most common factor . The work environment and employee relations are additional factors and can create a toxic or positive work environment .”
James emphasizes that traveling techs can help evolve the profession overall , if given the opportunity to be treated as equals and recognized for their contributions .
“ It hurts when facilities and management make it a point to constantly treat the traveler as a traveler versus a team member at that time ,” she says . “ We should be out in the daily rotations doing what the fulltime techs do so that we aren ’ t seen as outsiders . The more we are included the more fulltime staff don ’ t feel threatened or that we are just passing through . By traveling we bring a wealth of knowledge and fresh eyes that can help facilities that may be looking for help to make their department more efficient or whatever the case may be . But they need to be open to our ideas and help for the experience to be beneficial for both sides .”
James continues , “ The more facilities alienate us and treat us as temporary help to do grunt work that their fulltime employees don ’ t want to do . The more we will shy away from giving our all and truly making the experience helpful and worthwhile . Treat us as equals and appreciate the help and we will do the same .”
Despite the inherent challenges some traveling techs may prefer a nomadic lifestyle for the duration of their career , while others may eventually settle down .
“ That ’ s an individual choice and will vary , but it ’ s a great opportunity for those who chose to except the challenge -- and it is a challenge ,” Thompson says . “ The tech will gain a wealth of knowledge that will assist him or her in their career as a sterile processing professional . The trenches are full of excitement and experiences , but techs who take on the challenges need to be prepared to adjust / react and fill their toolbox with valuable learning opportunities .”
James says it depends on the traveler . “ In my case , I did not want to stay in my home state so traveling gives me the opportunity to explore other places and facilities to find the right fit . Some travelers are chasing the money , so they travel for that ; some want to do it for a little while for the experience and then settle . Some start and don ’ t like it so they settle back where they are from . It just depends .”
Balch ( 2021 ) explains that wages are partly responsible for driving the Great Resignation , and that this could benefit sterile processing techs : “ The labor market is firmly on the side of employees currently , meaning you now have more leverage than you had even a year or two ago . With the low barrier of entry to the sterile processing field ( most states still do not require any form of certification or schooling to apply for the role ), it has historically been fairly easy for a hospital to replace technicians if or when they decide to leave . In the shadow of the Great Resignation , however , employers now know it is extremely difficult to recruit new talent for this unique job description . Because of this , human resources departments across the country are scrambling to entice their current sterile processing team members to stick around by offering long-overdue wage increases , sometimes even above the local market rate . The trends around wage increases do not stop with our full-time , permanent employees . Due to the vacancies mentioned above , combined with growing surgical volume along seasonal peaks , traveling sterile processing technicians are also experiencing historically high rates for 13-week contract positions , ranging anywhere from $ 1,500 to $ 2,500-plus per week .”
Balch ( 2021 ) adds , “ In addition to general wage increases , we are also seeing a spike in competitive bonus and recruiting packages for sterile processing technicians and department leadership . These sign-on bonuses range anywhere from $ 1,000 up to $ 10,000 and are now being added to relocation assistance for certain strategic roles that are even harder to fill within the narrow skill set of sterile processing subject matter expertise . Prior to the Great Resignation , this level of sign-on bonus for nursing professionals was not uncommon , but sterile processing professionals were often excluded from the programs . This dynamic has now shifted in our favor as facilities are becoming more aware of the critical impact that our teams have on their ability to keep surgical volume flowing in a safe and efficient manner .”
Reference :
Balch W . Five Reasons Why the Great Resignation Could Be Great for Your Sterile Processing Career . 2021 . Accessed at : https :// www . ultracleansystems . com / 5- reasons-why-the-great-resignation-could-be-great-for-your-sterile-processing-career /
www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • april 2022
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