Attire, Hand Hygiene, Traffic Control and Ergonomics

Departmental Attire, Grooming, and Personal Protective Equipment

Sterile processing technicians play an essential role in patient safety by executing the cleaning, decontamination, inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization, and storage of medical instruments. Technicians must consistently follow the manufacturer's instructions for use and facility policy. Because microorganisms travel on clothing, skin, and personal items, strict attire standards must be maintained across all processing environments. Technicians must wear clean, facility-provided or facility-approved laundered scrub attire in semi-restricted and restricted processing areas. Street clothing is strictly prohibited in the decontamination, prep and pack, and sterile storage areas. Scrub attire must be changed daily or immediately if it becomes wet or visibly soiled. Scrubs must never be taken home to be laundered by the technician, as domestic washing machines cannot provide the controlled thermal and chemical parameters required. When leaving processing areas for unrestricted areas, technicians must follow facility policy for covering scrub attire with a clean cover garment.

Personal grooming is directly linked to infection prevention within the department. All head and facial hair, excluding eyebrows and eyelashes, must be completely covered by a clean surgical cap or hood before entering clean or processing areas. Fingernails must be kept short, clean, and neatly trimmed to prevent tearing gloves and harboring bacteria. Artificial nails, acrylics, and nail wraps are strictly prohibited in the sterile processing department because they harbor moisture and fungal or bacterial pathogens. If nail polish is permitted by facility policy, it must not be chipped, cracked, or worn beyond facility-designated timeframes, as flakes of polish can shed into clean instrument sets.

Jewelry introduces significant contamination and safety risks into the department. Wristwatches, bracelets, and rings must be removed prior to entering processing areas because they harbor microorganisms and can tear protective gloves. Furthermore, piercing jewelry that cannot be covered or that poses a snagging or shedding hazard must not be worn in processing areas. Footwear must provide adequate protection from falling instruments and liquid spills; technicians must wear non-skid, closed-toe, and closed-heel shoes in the sterile processing department.

In the decontamination area, where technicians clean contaminated surgical items, specialized personal protective equipment is essential to prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogens and liquid sprays. Decontamination PPE includes a fluid-resistant, long-sleeved gown, heavy-duty utility gloves, and face protection. In decontamination, technicians must also wear fluid-resistant shoe covers or other protective footwear when required by the splash risk assessment and facility policy. When splashes or sprays are possible during manual cleaning, technicians must wear a mask and eye protection, such as goggles or a full face shield, according to facility policy.