Sterile Processing Staffing Woes - What is Driving the Divide

by Warren Nist

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Sterile Processing staffing woes are not only continuing in the current marketplace but are growing at an alarming rate, revealing a critical issue that demands immediate attention and comprehensive solutions. Our recent conversations with hospitals across various regions indicate that staffing shortages are being increasingly filled with SPD travelers at staggering rates, reaching 50% or more of staffing. These percentages have been ongoing for more than three years, signaling a persistent and troubling trend in the healthcare industry. Articles and discussions surrounding the retention of staff in this vital sector are becoming more commonplace as stakeholders recognize the need for action. In August 2021, I wrote a blog on Managing Temporary Staff in Sterile Processing, highlighting the urgent need for effective strategies to manage the growing number of temporary staff in the workplace, a trend that was already demanding attention at that time. The Great Resignation of 2021-2022 has slowed greatly; however, the issues surrounding the recruitment and retention of permanent staff in Sterile Processing departments are far from resolving themselves, leaving hospitals in a precarious position.

Sterile Processing Staffing Woes

There is a multitude of complex issues driving this alarming phenomenon, and it's important to understand that this crisis did not emerge overnight. The problem of staffing shortages has been building steadily over the last decade, creating a perfect storm of challenges that are now coming to a head. Staff are leaving sterile processing for several reasons that reflect broader trends in the workforce. The technicians I have spoken with have indicated that they are unhappy about:

• Lack of pay

• Lack of growth opportunities

• Lack of staffing, which leads to feelings of being overworked

• Lack of respect for the critical role they play in patient care

  
  

These indicators are many of the reasons you need to manage for retention effectively. However, pay has become a leading indicator of why staff leave the field or transfer into the traveling market. The reality is that with minimum wage rates being raised across various sectors and entry-level jobs now exceeding or matching the rates being paid to sterile processing technicians, this issue is only going to deepen. Pay, coupled with job dissatisfaction, creates a recipe for open positions that are difficult to fill. Travelers can command pay rates that are 1.5 to 2 times higher than what hospitals provide, and now some staffing agencies are even offering benefits that were traditionally unavailable in these roles. This disparity in compensation is driving many skilled technicians to seek opportunities elsewhere, further exacerbating the staffing crisis.

Finding Staff with Experience

The lack of employee prospects with adequate training and experience has become another significant reason why Sterile Processing departments have numerous open positions. With more hospitals requiring certification in sterile processing before hiring, the gap for prospective technicians has widened considerably. Certification is indeed necessary for the job to ensure patient safety, as the risks associated with improper sterilization practices can have dire consequences. As discussed in our blog, Dental's Dirty Little Secret, the problem of cross-contamination and the threat of disease transmission is a very real concern that cannot be overlooked. A complicating factor in this issue is the unregulated nature of sterile processing training programs. While several accredited colleges offer sterile processing certification courses, many smaller training providers also enter the market, often lacking the rigorous standards needed to adequately prepare students for the field. Consequently, many students graduate without the necessary skills and are left to fend for themselves in passing certification tests and securing employment. The statistics are alarming: HSPA reported a failure rate of 28% for the CRCST certification test in 2023, while the failure rate was around 33% in 2022. Furthermore, the CBSPD's CSPDT certification saw a staggering 50% failure rate in 2023. Such high failure rates underscore the urgent need for improved training and education in this critical field.

Building Staffing Resilience

In light of these challenges, Sterile Processing departments and their administrative partners must pivot and develop long-lasting, sustainable plans to secure technicians and maintain their employment. This involves creating robust internal programs aimed at training and nurturing talent, similar to what Surgical Services has successfully implemented for nurses entering the operating room through Periop 101 courses. Additionally, forging partnerships with reputable training establishments to enhance sterile processing certification programs can serve as a partial solution to the staffing crisis. It is essential to create clear growth plans and establish a foundation of respect for the profession, which must be supported by hospital administrators who recognize the critical importance of this role in the healthcare ecosystem. While pay will continue to be a challenge, it is crucial to address the compensation disparities that have driven many technicians away from permanent roles. Hospital associations have historically feared the certification process in sterile processing, primarily due to concerns about potential wage increases. However, this fear did not materialize in 2004 when New Jersey became the first state to require certification in the nation. Yet, times are changing, and the current workforce's perception of this profession is evolving. Without a steady pipeline of educated and well-trained sterile processing technicians, hospitals will struggle to adequately support their operating rooms, their patients, and their surgeons. The alternative may involve hospitals continuing to rely on third-party providers of sterile processing technicians or reverting to employing nurses to fill these job activities, as was common before the 1980s. Either way, if hospitals fail to adapt to the necessary changes in Sterile Processing, they will inevitably incur higher costs. The greater downside of not developing this profession further will manifest in the quality of work produced by this department, ultimately jeopardizing patient safety and the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery.

At Evolved Sterile Processing, our consultants have a greater focus on sterile processing. With our decades of experience, we will help you develop better processes and educational resources for your staff.