Sterile

The Sterile program is an 18 week to one-year vocational program that prepares students to work on a multidisciplinary team that includes registered nurses and physicians who are caring for patients in an operating room or surgical practice setting. The Sterile program integrates theory, simulations, mock-surgery laboratories, and clinical practice to prepare students to take the National Exam for Certification as a surgical technologist. The curriculum is designed to develop a student's ability to promote and maintain a safe perioperative environment by integrating surgical asepsis and skill competency to intervene therapeutically for the health of the surgical patient. The Sterile program will be accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Allied Health Education Schools and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in collaboration with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. Before acceptance to the Sterile program students must complete the following prerequisite courses with a "C" or higher: Bio 55 Introductory Anatomy and Physiology, STSP 050 Medical Terminology for Surgical Technologists, and STSP 051 Pharmacology for Surgical Technologists.

Based on "The State of the San Bernardino County Economy" 2017 Annual Report, one of the top industry by growth in San Bernardino County is the Health Care sector with 2.1% growth annually. We anticipate a minimum of 15 students and a maximum of 30 students earning a certificate or degree in the Sterile program within the first year. Currently for the Inland Empire there are 1393 Surgical Technologist (SOC 292055) and Medical Equipment Preparers (SOC 319093). We expect our program to grow annually because occupational projections of employment in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA for Surgical Technologists and Medical Equipment Preparers will increase by 204 positions annually (CA LMI 2017-2022). In addition, the Regional Labor Market Assessment 2018, projected Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians to grow 22% through 2022.

Upon completion of the required courses at San Bernardino Valley College's Sterile program, students will earn a Certificate of Achievement, or an Associate degree in Science, that will prepare them to take the National Exam for Certification as a Surgical Technologist or Sterile Processing Technician. This program will enable students to be employed as Surgical Technologist or Sterile Processing Technicians in hospitals, surgical centers and clinics.

Sterile program requirements include courses in sequential order, so students master concepts and skills required for program completion, national certification, and employment in hospitals, surgical centers, and clinics. The program consists of the following courses for a total of 30 units for Surgical Technologists: STSP 060 Principles of Surgical Technology and STSP 061 Surgical Patient Care Concepts lab STSP 070 Surgical Specialties and STSP 071 Surgical Procedures STSP 080 Clinical Practicum for Surgical Technologists