CRCST certification
- IAHCSMM (International Association of Healthcare Central Sterile and Material Management)
- CRCST CERTIFICATION: Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Note that both IAHCSMM and CPSPD have a lot more certifications, but we are limiting our comparison to CRCST vs CSPDT
- PREREQUISTES TO TAKE CRCST EXAM You must meet only the following conditions prior to the examination deadline: There’s no specific technical or training requirement in order to take the exam. You must submit application to IAHCSMM to allow you to take the exam. You may apply to take the exam without enrolling in a course. Whether you self-study or enroll in a course for the exam is a decision you make.
- GETTING A CRCST CERTIFICATE Two types of Certificates: Provisional certificate is issued to those who pass the exam without hands-on experience. It is valid for 6 months Full certificate is issued to those who pass the exam and obtain at least 400 hours of hands-on experience within six months of passing the exam
- Number of questions on the CRCST exam: 150 multiple choice Time to complete CRCST exam: 3 hours Passing scaled score for the CRCST exam: 70 CRCST Exam fee: $125 exam ($150 USD outside of the US or Canada) CRCST Exam Testing center: Prometric testing
- CRCST RECERTIFICATION – CONTINUE EDUCATION CRCST certificants are required to recertify annually through completion of continuing education requirements
- Testing Availability Exams offered 4 times a year
- TO RETAKE THE CRCST EXAM An applicant who fails any IAHCSMM exam must wait a minimum of 6 weeks before being allowed to retest. But can submit retest application immediately upon failing the test.
- Nationally and Internationally recognized
CSPDT certification
- CBSPD (Certification Board of Sterile Processing and Distribution)
- CSPDT CERTIFICATION: Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (CSPDT)
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PREREQUISITES TO TAKE CSPDT EXAM You must meet only ONE of the following conditions prior to the examination deadline:
Completion of a Central Service/SPD training course with a passing grade of 70 or higher
OR
Completion of 12 months of full-time employment performing SPD activities
OR
Completion of 6 months (each) of fulltime employment in related clinical healthcare profession as well as performing SPD activities
OR
Completion of 12 months of healthcare product sales or service related to the SPD profession - GETTING A CSPDT CERTIFICATE You become fully certified once you pass the exam.
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Number of questions on the CSPDT exam: 100 multiple choice
Time to complete the CSPDT exam: 2 hours
Passing scaled score for the CSPDT exam: 70% grade average
CSPDT Exam fee: $125 exam
CSPDT Exam testing center: PSI testing - CSPDT RECERTIFICATION – CONTINUE EDUCATION CSPDT certificants are required to recertify every 5 years through completion of continuing education requirements
- Testing Availability Exams offered all year round
- TO RETAKE THE CSPDT EXAM An applicant who fails the CBSPD exam can retake the exam at the next test date. There are only 4 test dates available in a year
- Nationally and Internationally recognized
CRCST vs CSPDT WHICH IS MORE PREFERRED BY EMPLOYERS?The answer depends on who you ask. Both certifying agencies are accredited, recognized globally and are accepted at most hospitals and surgery centers across the country.
My personal advice: Check career websites like indeed.com or ziprecruiter.com for sterile processing job postings and determine which certification has an edge as far as what certification hiring managers are requiring.
Website: www.iahcsmm.org
Website: www.sterileprocessing.org
WHO IS A STERILE PROCESSING TECHNICIAN?
- A sterile processing technician is someone who cleans and sterilizes used surgical instruments and other medical supplies so that they can be safely redistributed and reused on patients.
- Sterile technicians are referred to by many job titles such as
- Central processing technician (CPT)
- Sterile processing and distribution technician (SPD tech or CPD tech)
- Central service technician (CST)
- Central sterile supply technician (CSS tech)
- Surgical processing technician
- Sterile Processing Department Technician
- Central Supply assistant
- Sterile Supply Tech
- Sterile Processing
- Instrument Technician
- Materials Management
- Processing and Distribution Technician
