March 23, 2007
Taking their skills to the next level
The MGH has long been committed to providing employees with
educational opportunities to further their career goals and dreams. A
group of MGH central processing technicians from the Departments of Nursing
and Sterile Processing are the most recent beneficiaries of this dedication,
completing a 15-week preparation course for sterile processing and distribution
certification made possible through a partnership between the MGH Operating
Rooms (OR) Administration and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC).
In order to participate in the program, each student first was required
to pass a reading comprehension placement exam. MGH Training and Workforce
Development provided funding for the course, which covered the cost of
books, the certification exam, exam review sessions and additional fees.
The hospital also provided paid release time and flexible scheduling options
to help students accommodate their class schedules. After completing the
course, all of the students successfully passed the Certification Board
for Sterile Processing and Distribution, the national certification exam
for the profession.
In addition to the increased skill levels among those who participated,
there were many unexpected benefits of the program, such as improved department
morale, shared learning opportunities and increased communication between
managers and staff. According to Max Gomez, administrative manager of
the MGH Sterile Processing Department, "Before this program, only
nine of the 63 central
processing technicians working in the department were certified. We are
very happy to be able to add the newly certified technicians to that group.
Our central processing technicians have always been professional, dedicated
and knowledgeable. Now, the new graduates have the credentials to prove
it."
Many MGHers from across the hospital collaborated to create this educational
opportunity, including Agnes Flaherty, director of the of the Sterile
Processing Unit; Carlene Krey, clinical service coordinator for the Main
OR Instrument Room; Jeff Davis, senior vice president for Human Resources;
Helen Witherspoon, program manager, and Carlyene Prince-Erickson, director,
both of Training and Workforce Development; as well as Jayne MacPherson,
BHCC course instructor. "On behalf of the Sterile Processing Department,
I want to thank everyone responsible for the success of this unique program,"
says Gomez. "It would not have been possible without the hard work
of many people."
Some of the recent graduates