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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Collect and sort reusable mortuary items and equipment.
   • Identify, prepare and use personal protective equipment.
   • Check, segregate and prepare mortuary items and equipment for appropriate cleaning or sterilisation requirements.
   • Identify and transport reusable mortuary items and equipment to appropriate areas.
   • Identify and report faulty or damaged items and equipment.
   • Segregate and dispose of sharps and waste according to relevant legislation.
2. Prepare load for sterilisation.
   • Select appropriate sterilisation method for mortuary items and equipment.
   • Identify appropriate packaging requirements according to manufacturer guidelines.
   • Wrap, label and secure instrument trays and items according to manufacturer guidelines.
   • Close and secure containers according to manufacturer guidelines.
   • Load sterilising equipment according to manufacturer guidelines.
3. Operate and sterilisers.
   • Conduct and document sterilising equipment test cycles.
   • Operate and monitor sterilising cycle according to manufacturer guidelines.
   • Clean and maintain sterilising equipment.
   • Record maintenance program.
   • Identify and report equipment faults.
4. Complete sterilisation procedures.
   • Check monitoring devices and record results on completion of cycle according to manufacturer instructions.
   • Remove sterilised items immediately on completion of cycle and check to ensure specified sterilisation criteria have been met.
   • Remove and record damaged items or packaging and take corrective action.
   • Conduct cooling down procedures according to manufacturer guidelines.
5. Store sterile stock.
   • Identify storage areas for sterile items and equipment.
   • Cover and label sterile items and equipment.
   • Check and complete relevant documentation.
6. Clean and disinfect reusable items and equipment.
   • Select and prepare cleaning equipment according to manufacturer guidelines.
   • Conduct water quality and temperature checks.
   • Perform equipment test cycles as required according to current Australian standard.
   • Select instrument cleaning chemicals as required according to current Australian standard.
   • Clean reusable items and equipment.
   • Identify and report faulty or damaged appliances and reprocess items as necessary.
   • Clean equipment and work area.
7. Process cleaned items.
   • Transfer items to appropriate area.
   • Check items for functionality according to manufacturer specifications and take corrective action.
   • Assemble and pack cleaned reusable items and transfer to appropriate areas.
   • Complete required documentation.
8. Operate sterilisers.
   • Conduct and document sterilising equipment test cycles.
   • Operate and monitor sterilising cycle according to manufacturer guidelines.
   • Clean and maintain sterilising equipment.
   • Record maintenance program.
   • Identify and report equipment faults.
9. Collect and sort reusable mortuary items and equipment.
   • Identify, prepare and use personal protective equipment.
   • Check, segregate and prepare mortuary items and equipment for appropriate cleaning or sterilisation requirements.
   • Identify and transport reusable mortuary items and equipment to appropriate areas.
   • Identify and report faulty or damaged items and equipment.
   • Segregate and dispose of sharps and waste according to relevant legislation.
10. Prepare load for sterilisation.
    • Select appropriate sterilisation method for mortuary items and equipment.
    • Identify appropriate packaging requirements according to manufacturer guidelines.
    • Wrap, label and secure instrument trays and items according to manufacturer guidelines.
    • Close and secure containers according to manufacturer guidelines.
    • Load sterilising equipment according to manufacturer guidelines.
11. Operate sterilisers.
    • Conduct and document sterilising equipment test cycles.
    • Operate and monitor sterilising cycle according to manufacturer guidelines.
    • Clean and maintain sterilising equipment.
    • Record maintenance program.
    • Identify and report equipment faults.
12. Complete sterilisation procedures.
    • Check monitoring devices and record results on completion of cycle according to manufacturer instructions.
    • Remove sterilised items immediately on completion of cycle and check to ensure specified sterilisation criteria have been met.
    • Remove and record damaged items or packaging and take corrective action.
    • Conduct cooling down procedures according to manufacturer guidelines.
13. Store sterile stock.
    • Identify storage areas for sterile items and equipment.
    • Cover and label sterile items and equipment.
    • Check and complete relevant documentation.
14. Clean and disinfect reusable items and equipment.
    • Select and prepare cleaning equipment according to manufacturer guidelines.
    • Conduct water quality and temperature checks.
    • Perform equipment test cycles as required according to current Australian standard.
    • Select instrument cleaning chemicals as required according to current Australian standard.
    • Clean reusable items and equipment.
    • Identify and report faulty or damaged appliances and reprocess items as necessary.
    • Clean equipment and work area.
15. Process cleaned items.
    • Transfer items to appropriate area.
    • Check items for functionality according to manufacturer specifications and take corrective action.
    • Assemble and pack cleaned reusable items and transfer to appropriate areas.
    • Complete required documentation.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

identify, sort, handle and store reusable mortuary items and equipment safely

load, unload, test, operate and maintain cleaning and sterilising equipment to ensure integrity of process using appropriate cleaning chemicals safely

use work health and safety/occupational health and safety procedures, including standards precautions and the use and maintenance of personal protective equipment

complete relevant cleaning and sterilisation documentation.

Evidence of performance of cleaning and sterilising mortuary items and equipment on two or more occasions is required to demonstrate consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.

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Knowledge Evidence

Demonstrated knowledge of:

reusable mortuary items and equipment requiring cleaning, disinfecting or sterilising

sterilising methods, including:

steam under pressure

low temperature ethylene oxide gas

low temperature hydrogen peroxide vapour or plasma

chemical

dry heat

safe operating procedures for sterilisers, including procedures for corrective actions, including repeating cycles, reporting faults and disposing of items

workplace requirements for cleaning, disinfecting, sterilising and disposing of mortuary items and associated recording procedures

types and characteristics of effective cleaning chemicals for manual cleaning of mortuary instruments and equipment

use, care and maintenance of personal protective equipment

workplace documentation reporting requirements including reporting for time, pressure and temperature of each sterilisation cycle, sterilising equipment maintenance, test cycle, cleaning and faults

federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations that impact on cleaning, sterilising and disposing of mortuary items, including work health and safety/occupational health and safety and infection control

environmental impacts in relation to cleaning and sterilising mortuary items and equipment and minimal impact practices to reduce these, especially those that relate to resource, water and energy use

correct and environmentally sound disposal methods for all types of waste and in particular for hazardous substance including chemicals used for sterilisation

Australian standards for testing, operation and maintenance of equipment, and use and storage of chemicals.

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