Bunbury-based Training Officer’s passion for Sterilisation Services

She’s trained and assessed more than 55 staff and after 13 years in the role, Sterilisation Services Training Officer Cheryl Braeckmans is still future focused.

Cheryl, who has worked in Sterilisation Services for almost 20 years, said she is passionate about developing and upskilling her colleagues at Bunbury Regional Hospital.

“My plan is to continue building their knowledge to ensure our health service has strong leaders and mentors for future trainees and technicians,” she said.

“Trainers are responsible for the development and training of new and existing sterilisation staff to ensure competency in the processes required for the safe reprocessing of surgical instruments.”

While it’s impossible to overstate the importance of our Sterilisation Services teams, Cheryl said their role in delivering safe clinical care is not always well-known.

“The public don’t always fully understand the vital role Sterilisation Technicians play in ensuring the safe reprocessing of reusable medical devices,” she said.

“Providing sterile instruments is essential to enabling surgeons to perform surgery with a focus on patient safety and positive outcomes.”

All Sterilisation Services staff are required to have obtained or be working towards completing a Certificate III in Sterilisation Services.

Cheryl also had to complete a Certificate IV in Training and Assessing before stepping up to the role of Bunbury Sterilisation Services Department Training Officer.

The job involves completing annual assessments of all Sterilisation Services staff to ensure compliance and competency across the board.

To ensure current practices are implemented and adhered to, she also facilitates upskilling opportunities and provides support to other regional sites for training and assessments.

Cheryl joined WA Country Health Service in 1999 as a Patient Care Assistant before completing her Certificate III in Sterilisation Services in 2007.

“I was interested in learning about the behind-the-scenes requirements for sterilisation and wanted a career that was both rewarding and patient focused,” she said.

“I became aware of an opportunity to join the Sterile Supply Department team and went on to assist in training. I’ve been in my current role as Training Officer since 2012.”

For Cheryl, living a stone’s throw from her workplace just one of the perks of a career in country healthcare.

“Bunbury has everything we need – it’s the perfect mix of being close enough to anything you need and far away enough from the chaos of the city,” she said.