Thursday, July 23rd at 1:00pm (CST)

CHL holders: While the eligibility requirements for the Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL) certification remain unchanged from the updates HSPA shared in recent weeks (which take effect in October), we must now request one form of supporting documentation to accompany your attestation. This update is in response to a revision to ISO 17024, the international standard under which our CHL is accredited through ANAB, which aims to ensure our accreditation remains in good standing and that your credential stays valid and strong. To learn more and to ask any questions regarding the attestation or documentation requirements, we are hosting three webinars with varying dates and times to meet your schedules: Wednesday, May 27; Tuesday, June 23; and Thursday, July 23, 2026. We invite you to join and bring your questions.

July–December 2026 

Second Thursday of each month, 11 a.m.–12 noon CT 

Education is the foundation of patient safety, helping Sterile Processing departments (SPDs) develop and maintain the highest standards. Investing in training and education supports compliance and efficiency while empowering technicians and building stronger teams. 

New for 2026, this webinar series was created to provide an advanced understanding of SP education. It will help guide educators, new and experienced, through SP challenges and provide tools that can be used to develop robust educational programs. 

Each webinar is a live event with a recording available afterward. Complete all six webinars to receive six continuing education (CE) credits. Cost: $79 HSPA members, $150 non-members

Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) lessons provide members with ongoing education focusing on the maintenance and handling of endoscopes. These lessons are designed for CER recertification, but can be of value to any CRCST

This lesson is set to expire August 31st, 2030

Directions:

1. Click the "Handouts" tab to download and read the Lesson Plan
2. Click the "Contents" tab to begin the Quiz

Sterile Processing (SP) professionals are uniquely positioned to thrive in Infection Prevention (IP), but making the career leap can feel overwhelming. In this webinar, Garrett Hollembeak explores how SP professionals can transition into IP roles by building on their existing expertise, leveraging certification pathways and aligning with infection prevention goals. As the complexity of medical device reprocessing increases and the margin for error decreases, infection preventionists with frontline sterile processing experience are necessary to patient safety. Tune in to learn how to prepare for a career in IP, address the unique challenges of this transition, and make a compelling case for why SP professionals are not only qualified but essential to this evolving field.

Guest Speaker: 

Garrett Hollembeak is an experienced infection preventionist with a background in sterile processing, regulatory compliance and epidemiology. He currently serves as a System Infection Preventionist – Medical Device Reprocessing at Bon Secours Mercy Health. Prior to this role, Hollembeak worked for Cincinnati Children's Hospital's Sterile Processing department, where he gained frontline experience as a technician, instrument coordinator and department manager. He holds certifications in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) and medical device reprocessing (CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL). Hollembeak is an educator, frequent speaker and content creator with a mission to bridge the gap between sterile processing and infection prevention.

In this three-part series, Doretha Bailey examines the importance of critical-thinking skills in the Sterile Processing department (SPD). In part two, she reviews strategies for enhancing critical-thinking skills. Sharing examples from her department’s training and education programs, Bailey explains how to promote a culture of inquiry and continuous improvement.

Guest Speaker: 

Doretha Bailey is the systemwide Sterile Processing educator at Memorial Herman Health Systems in Houston. In her current role, Bailey engages with the entire perioperative team, developing educational programs, providing professional development related to sterile processing, and serving as a mentor. She also helped create a sterile processing educational program for Houston City College. Bailey has a proven record of success, consistently helping other healthcare professionals pass their certification exams.

As a new educator, Yohaira Espinal felt the weight of continuous training and was witnessed the challenges her preceptors faced. These realizations led her on a two-year journey to create an improved method for training and onboarding new staff members. In this webinar, Espinal describes her path and outlines an in-depth course that transforms the first week of training into a strong foundation for continuous learning.

Guest Speaker: 

Yohaira Espinal, MSN, RN, CRCST, CHL, CFER, has 23 years of nursing experience. She attended nursing school at Antillean Adventist University in Puerto Rico and has had the privilege to serve in the perioperative environment for about 18 years, practicing within Pre/Post-Op, PACU and GI Lab areas. Espinal has been with Loma Linda University Medical Center for 10 years. In her current role, she is the Educator for the SPD and GI Lab in 2020, serving five hospital campuses. Espinal strives to improve training programs and empower learners to position them for success.

Infection preventionists (IPs) are often viewed as the “audit police,” showing up, pointing out mistakes, and leaving people feeling anxious or discouraged. Too often, audits feel one-sided with Sterile Processing (SP) teams being told what to do but not why. Without context, internal audits can feel punitive rather than protective. In this webinar, Eva Ghabrial explains how her team initiated a conscious shift from enforcement to partnership. She explores how intentional listening and meaningful education helped others view IPs not as critics but as supporters and, following the change, how compliance improved naturally.

Guest Speaker: 

Eva Ghabrial is an experienced Infection Preventionist working at Loma Linda University Health. She holds two master's degrees in addition to infection control and sterile processing certifications. Ghabrial’s passion for safe patient care and education is clearly displayed in her role overseeing all high-level disinfection (HLD) activities at the academic Level 1 trauma center that spreads over four campuses. She actively contributes to advancing clinical practice through promoting engaging and meaningful staff education. Before moving to California in 2013, Ghabrial practiced as an OB/GYN physician for almost 20 years in her home country of Egypt.

In this three-part series, Doretha Bailey examines the importance of critical-thinking skills in the Sterile Processing department (SPD). In part three, she expands on how to teach critical-thinking skills using real-world scenarios. Through case studies and simulations, Bailey demonstrates how to use critical thinking to enhance problem solving, increase readiness and promote team building. 

Guest Speaker: 

Doretha Bailey is the systemwide Sterile Processing educator at Memorial Herman Health Systems in Houston. In her current role, Bailey engages with the entire perioperative team, developing educational programs, providing professional development related to sterile processing, and serving as a mentor. She also helped create a sterile processing educational program for Houston City College. Bailey has a proven record of success, consistently helping other healthcare professionals pass their certification exams.

Sterile Processing (SP) at times suffers from poor packaging. Our departments are tucked away. Our work is behind the scenes. We as SP professionals may not view our duties in the same light as other work in the hospital, so we diminish our role in conversations or are reluctant to speak up in a group of our peers.

In episode 153, host Casey Czarnowski talks with Jamelle Ross about enhancing our professional image in the healthcare community. Ross emphasizes the value and necessity of the Sterile Processing department. She discusses how to show up with intelligence, confidence and integrity and offers tools to present our viewpoints effectively. Listen to learn how to advocate for SP’s role as a necessary and integral component of the perioperative team.

ABOUT OUR GUEST Jamelle R. Ross Regional Director of Clinical Operations for Instrument Processing Services STERIS Jamelle R. Ross, RN, BSN, MHA, CRCST, is responsible for implementation of on-site sterile processing improvement projects, including performing work as a clinical liaison, educator and quality systems evaluator. Ross has more than 30 years of progressive, hospital-based perioperative experience and is skilled in AORN, AAMI and Joint Commission regulations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Health Services Administration and certifications in Perioperative Nursing, Nursing Administration, Trauma Nursing, Legal Nurse Consulting, Forensic Nursing and Sterile Processing.

Sterile Processing professionals talk about work and life aboard a mission ship.

Every year, the HSPA Foundation offers scholarships for Sterile Processing technicians to serve on a Mercy Ships mission, bringing their expertise and passion to those in need in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In episode 152, host Casey Czarnowski speaks with Kimberly Polard and Oliver Etcu about the Mercy Ships organization and life on a medical mission ship. Polard describes the application process and her experiences onboard. Etcu reviews how Mercy Ships collaborates with local governments to select ports of call and identify the inviting country’s most urgent medical and educational needs. Listen to learn about the life-changing work of Mercy Ships.

Etcu also recommends watching The Mercy Ships, a reality show being filmed on board, which he says is “a very good way to experience what the ship has to offer from a volunteer’s point of view.” Stream season 1 here.

Our Guests

Kimberly Polard, Sterile Processing Technician

Kimberly Polard, CRCST, CIS, CHL, CER, is an SP technician with five years of experience, including time spent serving on Mercy Ships. Her time at sea deepened her appreciation for the power of teamwork and dedication in healthcare. She is passionate about the critical role sterile processing plays in ensuring safe, successful surgeries.

Oliver Etcu, Sterile Processing Clinical Coordinator, Mercy Ships

Oliver Etcu is a Medical Device Reprocessing Technician based in Canada who specializes in sterile processing and infection prevention. Through his work with Mercy Ships, he has supported surgical teams by ensuring the safety and sterility of critical medical instruments in high-impact, resource-limited settings. Passionate about patient safety and global health, Etcu brings a behind-the-scenes perspective on the essential role sterile processing plays in delivering life-changing surgeries.