Sterile Processing Technician
Posted Oct 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 4, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about a time you found a mistake in a tray someone else assembled.
What they are checking: Whether they report and fix errors constructively rather than ignoring them or blaming.
How do you stay accurate doing repetitive work over a whole shift?
What they are checking: Focus and self-checking habits in work where one lapse can cause a surgical infection.
What would you do
The OR calls and needs a tray in 20 minutes for an urgent case, but it isn't processed yet. What do you do?
What they are checking: Refusing to skip steps under pressure while communicating options and timing clearly to the OR.
A surgeon complains loudly about a tray that came up incomplete. How do you respond?
What they are checking: Professional handling of criticism and turning complaints into fixes instead of getting defensive.
About the work
Walk me through how an instrument tray goes from the OR, through decontamination, to being ready for the next case.
What they are checking: Whether they understand the full reprocessing cycle and why every step protects the next patient.
What would make you pull an instrument out of a tray instead of sending it on?
What they are checking: Inspection habits that catch damage, bioburden or missing parts before they reach the sterile field.
How do you read the indicators and records that show a sterilizer load is good?
What they are checking: Understanding of chemical and biological indicators and what to do when a load does not pass.
How do you protect yourself in decontam, and why does it matter?
What they are checking: Taking PPE and exposure risks seriously in the dirtiest part of the department.
How do you follow manufacturer instructions for an instrument you've never seen before?
What they are checking: Knowing that each device has specific instructions for use and looking them up instead of guessing.
Do you hold a CRCST or a similar certification, or what's your plan to get one?
What they are checking: Commitment to the professional standards and knowledge base of sterile processing.
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Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by ThedaCare.