HLT37015 Certificate III in Sterilisation Services

nrt-logoThis course is a nationally recognised qualification under the Australian Qualification Training Framework and is offered by the Cunningham Centre, Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service. (Registered provider number: 1627). The accrediting authority for this course is the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

The Main Game

According to the National Health and Medical Research Council, there are around 200,000 healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Australian acute healthcare facilities each year. This makes HAIs the most common complication affecting patients in hospital. As well as causing unnecessary pain and suffering for patients and their families, these adverse events prolong hospital stays and are costly to the health system. Watch this video to see how vital the role of the sterilisation worker is in a health care facility.

What is this course about?

This qualification contributes to the development of knowledge and skills required to comply with the Australia/New Zealand Standards (4187:2014 and 4815:2006). Team skills and workplace health and safety requirements are also covered. In order to gain the qualification, you will be required to complete 14 units of competency, including ten core and four elective units.

Our course has been built around 'The Main Game'. Our goal for 'The Main Game' is to encourage sterilisation workers to focus on each stage, in every phase of reprocessing, to ensure that the device legitimately meets the release criteria 100% of the time. 'The Main Game' starts with governance and infection control. It's about patient safety.

Our focus over the last six years has been Queensland Health Central Sterilising areas and Oral Health staff, however we are also happy to receive applications from private organisations. Our program is a blended delivery of high quality interactive online learning and formative assessment, practical workplace log book tasks and a final workplace assessment by a qualified Trainer and Assessor from Cunningham Centre conducted onsite using your facility workplace procedures. Feedback we have received in the past has shown this blend to be a great ongoing benefit to the organisation; and we regularly hear that our graduates are able to affect change in their workplace by instantly applying what they have learnt to their workplace procedures under the guidance of their supervisor and a qualified industry expert. Our students tell us that they love the video content that we’ve included in our new online education platform, and that it helps them to understand why they do what they do. People are more likely to follow a procedure if they fully understand why they are doing it, and what will happen if they don't.

Core units

  • HLTWHS005 Conduct manual tasks safely
  • HLTINF006 Apply basic principles and practices of infection prevention and control
  • HLTSTE001 Clean and disinfect reusable medical devices
  • HLTSTE002 Inspect and pack reusable medical devices
  • HLTSTE003 Sterilise loads
  • HLTSTE004 Manage sterile stock
  • HLTSTE005 Care for reusable medical devices
  • CHCCOM005 Communicate and work in health or community services
  • HLTWHS001 Participate in workplace health and safety
  • CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people

Elective units

  • BSBFLM312 Contribute to team effectiveness
  • BSBFLM303 Contribute to effective workplace relationships
  • BSBWOR301 Organise personal work priorities and development
  • PSPGEN010 Contribute to workgroup activities

Who should enrol?

HLT37015 Certificate III in Sterilisation Services has been designed for employees working within a sterilisation environment (e.g. in a central sterilising department, oral health, theatre or similar) for a minimum of six months or if you can guarantee that you will be working in this environment while undertaking the course. This course is not suitable if you are not currently working in this environment.

Pre-requisites or admission requirements?

You should apply for this qualification if you meet the following criteria:

  • you are currently working in a central sterilising department (CSD) or an oral health facility, and
  • you are currently undertaking the full process for reprocessing reusable medical devices (RMD).

Course duration and delivery

The course is self-paced over a maximum of 40 weeks duration. Depending on your experience and workplace flexibility, it may take between 24 - 40 weeks to complete. The course is comprised of online learning and assessment, as well as log book and skills assessment activities in your workplace. You will be required to successfully complete the online components prior to undertaking the practical activities in your workplace. Workplace log book activities must be completed under observation from suitably qualified individuals in your workplace.

To successfully complete this program you will need to be able to set aside a minimum of three hours per week to complete online activities. In order to complete all practical activities for assessment, you will need to coordinate rotation through the different work stations in your Sterilising Service/Central Sterilising Department (SS/CSD) and arrange for a supervisor, or suitably qualified colleague from your workplace to observe you completing tasks in the log book. Your final workplace skills assessment will be observed by Cunningham Centre assessor. If you work from a mobile unit/small community centre, this may require you to work several shifts in a SS/CSD to ensure access to required equipment.

Cost

Prices from 1 July 2023
Tier 1 Payment by Queensland Health work unit $3,420
Tier 2 Payment by self-funded Queensland Health employee $3,420
Tier 3 Payment by participant or private organisation (Queensland) $4,305

Please refer to our fees and payments page for more detail on our pricing model and payment options.

New scholarship opportunity for health professionals working in the primary health sector and providing services to Modified Monash Model (MMM) 3 - 7. Read more under Are there any scholarships or funding I can apply for?

Course commencement dates and application

Contact CertIII_Sterilisation@health.qld.gov.au for further information or to express your interest in enrolling in this course.

Entry to this course is subject to a selection process. You will be required to complete an online application and upload the following documents to support your application (please ensure you have these available prior to commencing your application):

  • your resume
  • role description.
We recommend that you read the Cunningham Centre academic guidelines prior to enrolment to ensure that you are making a fully informed decision.

Further information

    • Reading learning guides prior to undertaking online assessment activities.
    • Log book practical activities (you will be observed by individuals in your workplace who are suitably qualified).
    • Workplace skills assessment (under observation by a Cunningham Centre assessor).
    • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment pathway for the following units of competency:
      • Core
        • CHCCOM005 Communicate and work in health or community services
        • CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
        • HLTWHS001 Participate in workplace health and safety
      • Elective
        • BSBFLM312 Contribute to team effectiveness
        • BSBFLM303 Contribute to effective workplace relationships
        • BSBWOR301 Organise personal work priorities and development
        • PSPGEN010 Contribute to workgroup activities
  • Jodie Senescall has been delivering the Certificate III in Sterilisation Services for the Cunningham Centre since 2017. Her knowledge and expertise in this area has developed over many years of experience in Oral Health in both the private and public sector and more recently providing compliance support for AS/NZS4187 across Queensland. Jodie is currently the Education Support for Queensland Sterilising Research and Advisory Council of Australia (SRACA).

    Celia O’Keefe has recently joined our team with an extensive history of Nurse Educator positions in both Queensland and NSW. A former Cunningham Centre Certificate III Sterilising student herself, Celia was keen to join the team in delivering a quality education course improving quality and safety in the industry.

    Our team provides high level advice, support and performs audits for many Hospital and Health Services within Queensland in relation to compliance with AS/NZS:4187. The team is passionate about student support and making positive changes in the industry.

  • Access to a computer, the internet, printer and a scanner is essential. Practical tasks are undertaken in your workplace; you need access to a Sterilising Service/Central Sterilising Department equipment and suitably qualified staff to observe tasks in the log book.

    Learning materials for this course are accessed through the Cunningham Centre’s online learning management system (LMS). These courses have been tested on the Queensland Health standard operating environment. As of March 2022 this is Microsoft Windows 10 20H2 and Microsoft Edge 64bit v92.

    The following software are recommended:

    • Microsoft Windows 10 or 11
    • Microsoft Edge Browser
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader

    Please be aware that:

    • Apple Mac computers running the latest version of macOS and the Safari web browser should work without issue, but are not specifically tested or supported by the Cunningham Centre.
    • Mobile devices such as iPads, iPhones or Android devices are not recommended or supported.
    • For best results, software should have any updates applied.
    • Some computers may be running additional software that affects the features and functionality of that computer. This may include, but is not limited to, anti-virus software and web browser plug-ins.
    • A broadband internet connection is required to use the LMS. Some files, including videos, may be large; please ensure that you have sufficient data allowance to download and upload data from and to the LMS.
    • If a technical issue is reported that is affecting your ability to access online materials, we will attempt to replicate the issue in the Windows 10 environment. If the issue cannot be replicated in this way, then it will be assumed that the issues lies with your computer or internet connection and responsibility for resolution will lie with you.
  • Queensland Health applicants may be eligible for funding through the Clinical Assistants' Employee Training and Development Education Incentive Fund. They also may be able to access funding through the Right to Private Practice Education and Research Trust Fund. Each Hospital and Health Service has its own fund, and applications must be made directly to the fund within your Hospital and Health Service. Please contact your local Finance team for further information about how to apply in your Hospital and Health Service.

    Health Workforce Queensland are offering scholarships for health professionals working in the primary health care sector and providing services to MMM3 - 7 to participate in activities such as this. Queensland Health applicants may be eligible if they also work in non-Queensland Health facilities.

    To find out more about this opportunity and to apply, please go to the Health Workforce Queensland website: https://www.healthworkforce.com.au/scholarship-program/.

    The Cunningham Centre is not a pre-qualified supplier with the Queensland Government, so the Certificate III Guarantee funding is not available.

    To learn more view the funding options available fact sheet.

  • Upon successful completion of all units, students will be issued with a Nationally Recognised qualification in HLT37015 Certificate III in Sterilisation Services.

    The Cunningham Centre is not a pre-qualified supplier so Certificate III Guarantee subsidies do not apply.

  • Helen Kane | A/Principal Dental Assistant

    In February 2017, Metro North Oral Health supported a cohort of 20 staff to complete the Certificate III in Sterilisation with the Cunningham Centre. The Cunningham Centre provided our staff with the resources to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to perform Sterilisation. The staff, who participated, are more confident when performing their duties with a greater understanding of processes. The course delivery allowed a majority of the content to be completed on-line. The flexibility this delivery model offered was appreciated by both Staff and Management. Staff expressed their appreciation of the Coordinators Pauline and Jodie, who made the participants feel at ease and comfortable to seek clarification. The staff are motivated to continue maintaining their education through updates and workshops offered by the Cunningham Centre.

    Lyndall Finn | CNC-Infection Prevention and Control

    I would like to say a huge thank you for your ongoing support over the past three years since I did the Certificate III in Sterilisation Services. The Cert III provided me with the knowledge and confidence I needed in my role as the CNC-Infection Prevention and Control to support the Sterilising Service and Oral Health Reprocessing staff in the remote hospitals and primary health care centres. Since undertaking Cert III my colleagues and I have implemented many changes including the centralisation of oral health services in the northern and western sectors. The Cert III highlighted the fact ‘that you don’t know what you don’t know’ and now all staff working in a TCHHS Sterilising Department must have completed a Cert III or be working towards completion.

    The TCHHS is currently working hard to ensure all the reprocessing of reusable medical devices complies with AS/NZS: 4184-2014. This is a huge task and there is no way I would have had the skills, confidence or understanding if I had not completed the Certificate III in Sterilisation Services. The Cert III along with your fantastic expertise in the sterilisation area has made this challenging journey possible.

    Thanks again for all your support. I would highly recommend the Certificate III in Sterilisation Services to anyone working in the reprocessing area and especially Infection Prevention and Control staff.

  • Sterilisation Services | Nursing Education and Training
    t. 07 4699 8041
    e. CertIII_Sterilisation@health.qld.gov.au

Last updated: 13 February 2024