Description
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
- • Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
- • Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
- • Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
- • Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
- • Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
- • Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
- • Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
- • Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
- • Attend hospital in-service programs related to areas of work specialization.
- • Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.
- • Deliver equipment to specified hospital locations or to patients' residences.
- • Assist hospital staff with patient care duties, such as providing transportation or setting up traction.
- • Stock crash carts or other medical supplies.
- • Maintain records of inventory or equipment usage and order medical instruments or supplies when inventory is low.
- • Record sterilizer test results.
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Healthcare & Human Services
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Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
