What Do Medical Equipment Preparers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Medical Equipment Preparers prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment. They also operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.

Other tasks include:

• Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
• Record sterilizer test results.
• Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
• Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
• Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
• Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.

We asked Medical Equipment Preparers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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68% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Medical Equipment Preparers organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed. They clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.

A typical day for a Medical Equipment Preparer will also include:

• Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
• Deliver equipment to specified hospital locations or to patients’ residences.
• Maintain records of inventory or equipment usage and order medical instruments or supplies when inventory is low.
• Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
• Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.

We asked some Medical Equipment Preparers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	100% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	60% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	80% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	53% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	37% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	69% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Medical Equipment Preparers also attend hospital in-service programs related to areas of work specialization. They may also check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Medical Equipment Preparers Assist hospital staff with patient care duties, such as providing transportation or setting up traction. They might also Maintain records of inventory or equipment usage and order medical instruments or supplies when inventory is low.

In addition, they Stock crash carts or other medical supplies.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.

To some Medical Equipment Preparers, it is also their responsibility to Deliver equipment to specified hospital locations or to patients’ residences.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Medical Equipment Preparer, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

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