Certificate III In Sterilisation Services

Timetable

• Days per week: 3
• Hours per day: 6
• Expected hours of self-directed learning per week: 3

Students will attend ZOOM on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays as their practical day.

Learning is conducted partially in-person and partially online or remote.

Study units

Unit code	Unit Description
HLTSTE004	Manage sterile stock
HLTSTE003	Sterilise loads
BSBMED301	Interpret and apply medical terminology appropriately.
HLTSTE005	Care for reusable medical devices.
HLTSTE002	Inspect and pack reusable medical devices.
HLTSTE006	Chemically disinfect reusable medical devices.
HLTSTE001	Clean and disinfect reusable medical devices.
HLTWHS005	Conduct manual tasks safely
CHCCOM005	Communicate and work in health or community services
HLTWHS001	Participate in workplace health and safety
HLTHSS009	Perform general cleaning tasks in a clinical setting
CHCDIV001	Work with diverse people.
HLTAID011	Provide First Aid
HLTINF006	Apply basic principles and practices of infection prevention and control

Assessment methods

• Observation
• Questioning or Test/Quiz
• Project
• Portfolio

Admission requirements

• Minimum age requirement: You must be 18 or over at time of placement commencement.

Inherent requirements

Our inherent requirements are a guide to help you decide if a course is right for you.

If you are a student with a disability, long-term illness, mental health condition or are a primary carer of an individual with a disability, you can apply for support through our Equitable Learning and Disability Support team.

Physical:
• Stand and / or walk for prolonged periods (>30 minutes) of time when working and be able to carry tray sets of instruments
which can weigh around 15 kgs as instrument technician.
• Provide basic cleaning duties including but not limited to, wiping down surfaces, mopping, carrying cleaning products of
varying weights including buckets, cleaning agents and other pieces of equipment between locations and ability to operate a
step ladder safely.
• Perform repetitive movements such as cleaning.

Cognitive/Emotional:
• Robust interpersonal skills including written, verbal and non-verbal practices.
• Work within infection control and general WHS guidelines.
• Work within AS/NZ 4187:2014 guidelines.
• Ability to recognise instruments names and functional group.
• Emotional flexibility and stability to cater for surgical patient needs and the ability to handle general stressors (meeting
deadlines, managing expectations, task management, etc.)

Industry:
• Ability to carefully examine items for cleanliness and note signs of damage.
• Ability to use and interpret quality control tests to measure the effectiveness of machinery.

Digital Literacy:
This course requires students to hold a basic level of digital literacy skills. Students are required to bring a laptop to class.

Language, literacy and numeracy

You are required to complete a language, literacy and numeracy skills test before course commencement. This will determine course suitability and if you may need additional support.

We use an approved online skills review tool to determine your language, literacy and numeracy skills within the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).

Below are the levels required for this course:

• Language and literacy: 2 (Working level 3)
• Numeracy: 2 (Working level 3)

Practical placement

You can complete 80 hours of practical placement within a hospital organised by Chisholm as part of your course.

Work placement is undertaken over two weeks, Monday to Friday, in hospital sterilisation units across Melbourne’s major hospitals.

Documentation or licences required for practical placement

There is a high risk of potential exposure and injury in any Health Care facility, especially for inexperienced staff. For this reason, all students need to show proof of immunisation prior to placement as determined by third-party host organisations.

The following immunisations may be required by all staff working in the healthcare industry:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella
• Tubercules
• Polio
• Influenza
• Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis
• Varicella

Covid-19: A host placement provider's vaccination policy may require COVID-19 vaccination prior to commencing roles or placements within their setting.

You must also:
• Hold a valid Working with Children Check (volunteer or employee) for the duration of the program.
• Hold a valid National Police Record Check. If you believe there would be a disclosable issue on your National Police Check, a confidential conversation will be required before enrolment to determine suitability for work within the healthcare environment.

Simulated work environment

You will be required to be in the sterilisation simulation labs every week from the start of the course. When in the labs you are required to wear your Chisholm top, black plants and black shoes. We consider the sterilisation lab as a real work environment so you will be required to dress as if you were going to be on placement.

You will need to be able to:
• Standing for long periods
• Use manual handling equipment
• Wash your hands regularly using either soap and water or hand sanitiser

The following dress code applies on campus and/or on placement:
• Shoes – black, non-slip, covering your whole foot to your ankle
• Uniform – as provided by Chisholm
• Hair – must be kept above your shoulders (long hair tied up into a bun)
• No eye lash extensions
• Nails – must be kept short, no acrylic nails, no nail polish
• Piercings – no large loops
• Jewelry – kept to a minimum, hand jewelry limited to a single band (no stones)
• Personal hygiene – showering and wearing of deodorant is expected.

Chisholm is a smoke free campus. Should you choose to smoke off premises during your lunch break, your uniform MUST be covered. If you are dealing with clients, you will need to ensure your breath is freshened along with removal of any smoke odor. If the trainer can still smell smoke residue you will be asked to address this.

Course and career pathways

Nationally recognised training	Certificate III In Sterilisation Services
Possible job outcome	sterilisation technician sterilisation assistant

Fees

Tuition fees* (GST exempt)

Fees
Fee Type	Fee Amount	Select
Concession	$665	ConcessionAmount
Government subsidised	$3,323	GovernmentSubsidisedAmount
Full fee paying	$8,342	FullfeeAmount
Mandatory other fees** (GST inclusive)
Materials	$185	MaterialFeeAmount
And one of: Student services – concession (annual) OR	$140	studentservicefeewithConcession
Student services - no concession (annual)	$280	studentservicefeewithnoConcession

Total fees

*Student tuition fees are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Please note: Fees will be subject to change if the course runs over two or more calendar years. Check here to see if you are eligible for government-subsidised training. Training to eligible students is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth funding. Students with a disability are encouraged to apply for this course using Skills First funding.
**You are required to pay additional fees for materials and support services, not covered by your tuition fees. This may include things like learning resources, personal protective equipment/clothing, and vary depending on the course you study. Material fees are also subject to change given individual circumstances. Please note: You will also be required to pay the Student Services fee for each year of enrolment.

Help with fees

Payment plans

At Chisholm, you can spread your tuition costs over the year by making part payments via direct debit on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Payment plans are available for local students enrolling in certificate level courses only. Read more about payment plans.

Scholarships

Annual scholarships may be available to eligible students suffering financial hardship through the Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation. Find out more about the scholarships, which to date have supported more than 150 students with grants ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on circumstance and the area of study.

Government-subsidised training

Check here to see if you are eligible for government-subsidised training. Training to eligible students is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth funding. Students with a disability are encouraged to apply for this course using Skills First funding.

Skills recognition

Your current skills, knowledge and experience can help you get a qualification.

Find out about skills recognition and RPL for certificate to advanced diploma courses.

Find out about advanced standing for graduate certificate and bachelor degree courses.

Learn essential sterilisation skills to work in a meaningful role in healthcare

Tuition fees* (GST exempt)

Mandatory other fees** (GST inclusive)