Sterile Processing – Diploma
Play a role in the exciting operation room – prepare, sterilize, and install health care equipment.

Program Summary
- Program PDF
- Develop the skills needed to maintain the cleanliness, functionality, and inventory of health care instruments and equipment.
- Everything that goes through the surgical department must be sterilized, inspected, and cataloged through the whole process.
- Study topics such as hospital organization, safety and legal issues, aseptic technique, and surgical procedures.
- Program Features:
- Live online virtual lectures you can attend with classmates.
- Support of a live faculty member.
- All lectures are recorded for you to review later.
- Traditional classroom feel with the safety and flexibility of online.
- Note – Courses requiring a lab, simulation and externship placement may be delayed until later in the program due to COVID-19
Employment Projections
- 260 new Sterile Processing Technician jobs will be added annually in Arizona from 2016-2026.(1)
- 33% growth in Arizona from 2016-2026 which is much faster than the national average for all occupations.(1)
Employment Options
- Plastic Surgery Offices
- Outpatient Care Centers
- Dental or Eye Care Offices
What Classes will I Take?
- Surgical Instrumentation
- Equipment Safety Management and Tracking
- Decontamination & Sterilization Procedures and Practices
What are typical class hours?
Morning Classes: Start at 8:00 am and end at 12:00 pm. (TUCSON CAMPUS ONLY)
Evening Classes: Start at 6:00 pm and end at 10:00 pm. (TEMPE CAMPUS ONLY)
Breaks are scheduled after 50 minutes of instruction and last for 10 minutes.
Students also viewed
Surgical Instrumentation
Equipment Safety Management and Tracking
Decontamination & Sterilization Procedures and Practices
32 CREDITS – 810 CLOCK HOURS – 42 WEEKS
The Sterile Processing program is designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills required to practice in the operating room environment. Sterile Processing Technicians work under the supervision of a surgeon and an operating room nurse to ensure that the operating room environment is safe, equipment is functioning properly and during the operative procedure all team members are maximizing patient safety. Students study topics that include hospital organization, safety and legal issues, anatomy and physiology, aseptic technique, surgical procedures.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have acquired the skills required for entry-level positions in a variety of settings. Brookline College prepares students in the Sterile Processing diploma program to take certification and/or licensure exams related to their program of study.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Sterile Processing diploma program, graduates will:
- Discuss the responsibilities of the Sterile Processing Technician and show sensitivity to diversity in this field.
- List the qualities a Sterile Processing Technician should possess and explain patient confidentiality.
- Demonstrate communication and interpersonal skills in the operating room when relating to others.
- Describe how to meet basic human needs in relation to patients and families along with describing safety measures in the health care facility.
- Define and interpret medical terminology, describe surgically treated diseases and disorders of the body system, and define and identify structural characteristics of basic anatomy and physiology, general regions of the human body, and principles of cellular functions.
- Describe the organization of the surgical suite, methods of chemical and physical disinfecting of the surgical environment, and the surgical technician legal responsibilities in the handling of drugs, solutions, and medications.
- Identify the composition of the surgical team, OSHA requirements relating to patient and staff safety, and methods of patient transportation. State the purpose of patient identification, the purpose of the consent, and responsibilities of informed consent.
- Categorize the team members according to the “scrubbed” and “unscrubbed” along with applying the principles of aseptic technique as it relates to infection.
- Obtain CPR certification in accordance with the American Heart Association.
- Perform sponge, needle, and instrument counts before, during, and after a procedure.
- List and describe various suturing procedures, identify various surgical instruments according to surgical procedures, and describe the various roles of the “scrubbed” and “unscrubbed” personnel.
Program Concentration – 26 Credits – 720 Contact hours | Credit Hours | Lecture Hours | Lab Hours | Practicum |
---|---|---|---|---|
SPD 101 Introduction to Sterile Processing | 4 | 60 | 0 | 0 |
SPD 102 Surgical Instrumentation | 4 | 40 | 40 | 0 |
SPD 103 Decontamination & Sterilization Procedures and Practices | 4 | 40 | 40 | 0 |
SPD 104 Equipment Safety Management and Tracking | 4 | 40 | 40 | 0 |
SPD 105 Externship I | 9 | 0 | 0 | 405 |
SPD 107 Certification Review | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Additional Course Requirements – 6 Credits – 90 Contact hours | Credit Hours | Lecture Hours | Lab Hours | Practicum |
---|---|---|---|---|
SS 100 Student Success | 3 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
PD 299 Professional Development | 3 | 45 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 32 | 285 | 120 | 405 |
Sterile Processing Technicians work behind the scenes to prepare for a surgery. While they are not present at the time of the actual surgery, they provide a variety of functions related to the processing of medical equipment and tools to support surgeons. They oversee proper technique is used during the decontamination and sterilization process. If problems arise or errors occur, they will report to the surgeon and may also be tasked with finding replacements. Individuals seeking a career in this field must be a team player, detailed oriented, and communicative.
Your education is a big investment and Brookline College believes no investment offers more potential. A new career can transform your life, and we’re here to help you make that happen.
- At Brookline College there are no hidden costs. Our tuition includes books, supplies and all fees.
- Tuition: Please call or click Request Info to determine your cost.
- Program length: 42 weeks.
- More than 88% of Brookline College students use some form of financial aid(2) to help cover the cost of their education(3). That’s why we offer personalized counseling from a Student Finance Advisor to help make your college experience more affordable.
- We have also provided The Net Price Calculator that will provide preliminary, non-binding estimates of federal, state, and institutional aid eligibility based on federal methodology.
(2) Student loans, grants and scholarships are available to those who qualify.
(3) Percentage calculated by Brookline College for the 2015-16 school year.
We want to be sure your career goals are in line with your selected program of study. Our admission process will help you understand our programs and the career expectations in the field.
Five Simple Steps:
- Visit the campus. See what Brookline and the Sterile Processing program is all about.
- Complete a Visitor Information Form.
- Complete a financial aid interview to develop a financial plan.
- Complete the Enrollment Agreement with an Admissions Representative to include collecting all necessary documentation.
- Meet with the Director of Education, or an appropriate Department Director to discuss any unusual enrollment circumstances or accommodations needed to successfully complete the program.
Once all requirements have been completed, the Director of Admissions, Director of Education, and Campus Director reviews the application for approval. Applicants are notified of their acceptance promptly.
Accreditation is the recognition that an institution maintains the standards required to achieve the credentials for professional practice. It is the status granted to an institution that meets or exceeds specific criteria of educational quality as defined by the accrediting agency.
Institutional Accreditation: Brookline College’s Phoenix, Tucson, Tempe, and Albuquerque campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
Brookline College has been approved by Arizona to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. For more information, visit: http://nc-sara.org/
- Programmatic Accreditation: Programmatic accreditation, also known as specialized or professional accreditation, is designed for specialized departments, programs, schools, or colleges within a university or institution that has already received accreditation.
The Baccalaureate degree program in nursing and Master’s degree program in nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington DC 20001. 202-887-06791.
Nursing Accreditation Disclosures
The BSN pre-licensure program is fully approved by the New Mexico Board of Nursing, nmbon.sks.com.
Brookline College - Tempe Campus
1140 S. Priest Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 545-8755
TempeCampus@brooklinecollege.edu
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5441 E. 22nd Street
Suite 125
Tucson, AZ 85711
(520) 748-9799
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