Qualification details

Title / New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 4)
Version / 1 / Qualification type / Certificate
Level / 4 / Credits / 60
NZSCED / 069999 Health> Other health> Health not elsewhere classified.
Qualification developer / The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
Next review / December 2021
Approval date / March 2016
Strategic purpose statement / The purpose of this qualification is to provide the reusable medical device reprocessing industry with technicians who have the knowledge and skills to reprocess reusable medical devices to the required standard in support of safe, patient-centred healthcare in health service organisations.
Graduates will be able to work independently.
Outcome Statement / Graduate profile / Graduates will be able to:
·  Apply knowledge of reprocessing standards to the reprocessing of reusable medical devices to the relevant standards in a clinical context
·  Apply infection prevention and control and safe work practices for each stage of the reprocessing cycle to prevent injury to self, transmission of contaminants and damage to reusable medical devices
·  Apply communication and problem solving skills to the reprocessing of reusable medical devices.
Education pathway / This qualification builds on the New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 3) [Ref: 3218].
This qualification leads to the New Zealand Diploma in Sterilising Technology (Level 5) [Ref: 3220].
Employment pathway / This qualification provides the minimum qualification required to work as a sterile services or endoscopy technician.
Graduates will have the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to work as a sterilising technician in either community or hospital health service organisations undertaking reprocessing of reusable medical devices.
Opportunities in employment include progression to senior technician roles or other related roles and occupations.

Qualification specifications

Qualification award / This qualification may be awarded by any education provider recognised as a programme owner, accredited under section 250 of the Education Act 1989 to deliver a programme leading to this qualification.
Evidence requirements for assuring consistency / Evidence may include the following:
-  Programme statistics such as completion data and graduate destination data
-  Graduate portfolios at the programme level demonstrating that graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes.
-  Evidence from internal and/or external moderation processes.
-  Evidence that programmes continue to meet current industry needs.
-  Feedback such as employer surveys.
Minimum standard of achievement and standards for grade endorsements / Achieved.
Other requirements for the qualification (including regulatory body or legislative requirements) / Experience using sterilising technology prior to programme entry is an advantage.

General conditions for the programme leading to the qualification

General conditions for programme / Programmes must adhere to the relevant standards applicable to sterilising technology and infection prevention and control including:
·  AS/NZS 4187 Reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations
·  AS/NZS 4815 Office-based health care facilities – Reprocessing of reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment, and maintenance of the associated environment
·  NZS 8134.3 Health and disability services Standards, (Infection prevention and control)
The programme should incorporate a commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and be delivered in a manner sensitive to the cultural diversity of learners present in reusable medical device reprocessing environments.
Use of the Guidelines for cultural safety, the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori health in nursing education and practice, Nursing Council of New Zealand is recommended as the reference document for cultural safety content. These guidelines can be accessed at http://www.nursingcouncil.org.nz/
It is expected that learning of technical knowledge and skills will be reinforced through application in a reprocessing environment. The learner should have at least 4 hours supervised workplace experience per week during the course of their study. This should include the opportunity to work for a minimum of 20 hours with at least one form of sterilisation during the supervised workplace experience.
Workplace verification will be required to validate the evidence provided by the learner as part of the programme. The verifier will need to, as a minimum, be a graduate of a relevant sterilising technology qualification with appropriate experience in supervision and verification of performance.
Programmes must use Spaulding’s classification for defining classes of reusable medical devices (critical, semi-critical and non-critical) and the level of reprocessing required for each class to permit safe reuse of the medical device.

Conditions relating to the Graduate profile

Qualification outcomes / Conditions
1 / Apply knowledge of reprocessing standards to the reprocessing of reusable medical devices to the relevant standards in a clinical context.
Credits 20
2 / Apply infection prevention and control and safe work practices for each stage of the reprocessing cycle to prevent injury to self, transmission of contaminants and damage to reusable medical devices.
Credits 30 / Programmes must include diseases and blood borne viruses presenting risk to health workers.
3 / Apply communication and problem solving skills to the reprocessing of reusable medical devices.
Credits 10

Qualification Reference 3219 Page 1 of 3

© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016