Live Webinar: Tuesday, November 17th, 2026

Description: Tune in monthly and join HSPA’s Certification Department to hear program updates, ask questions regarding your application requirements, and chat with department leadership. During this month’s Town Hall we’ll give an overview of HSPA’s voucher code program for schools and organizations, provide a refresher on understanding exam reports, and review HSPA’s policies regarding the release of exam information.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the voucher program and how to utilize voucher codes
2. Accessing and interpreting your exam report
3. Discuss applicant confidentiality and the release of exam details

No CE is offered for this webinar

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

Live Webinar: Thursday, November 5th, 2026 - 10:00-11:00(CST) 

The success or failure of the Sterile Processing department depends on several factors. Equipment must be functional, supplies must be available, and systems must work as designed. SP’s success also depends on the team that helps ensure every process and every detail is correct. To be successful, that team must share the same goals, communicate effectively, understand how to work through issues and deal with stress. This webinar will examine strategies to enhance knowledge and communication skills to minimize quality issues and to build a more cohesive workgroup.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:
1. Explain the impact that staff performance has on quality
2. List issues that can impact communication and teamwork
3. Identify tactics to address current staff issues
4. Describe strategies to enhance relationships between existing staff and prepare new staff for the workgroup

Speaker Bio:

Natalie Lind

Natalie Lind is the Education Director for the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA).  She has extensive experience in the sterile processing profession, having served as a technician, department manager and director, professional educator, consultant, and author. 

Along with her experience in healthcare facilities, Natalie served as Program Director for the Minnesota State College and University Health Systems’ Processing program for 11 years. She holds a Fellowship in Sterile Processing and has served as education editor for two national magazines. Natalie has published over 240 articles on a wide variety of sterile processing topics. She has served as co-editor on several HSPA (IAHCSMM) publications.

Natalie has presented several programs on sterile processing techniques throughout the United States and has partnered with facilities in Russia, China, Japan, Latin America, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to provide sterile processing education.  

She is the recipient of several awards including International SP Educator of the Year, the Minnesota Excellence in Technical Education Award, and three IAHCSMM’s President’s awards. She has been listed in the Who’s Who in Infection Prevention and in 2022, was awarded the HSPA Award of Honor.

Eligible for 1 CE

"Effective endoscope processing has never been more important than it is today. The margin for error is exceptionally small in a process that is both technically complex and highly dependent on executing numerous interconnected steps consistently. Even minor deviations can allow microorganisms to survive, potentially placing patients at risk for healthcare associated infections.

This lesson is set to expire December 31st, 2030

Directions:

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

Live Webinar: Tuesday, October 20th, 2026

Description: Tune in monthly and join HSPA’s Certification Department to hear program updates, ask questions regarding your application requirements, and chat with department leadership. During this month’s Town Hall we’ll discuss certification program policies, expectations, and address frequently asked questions regarding certification exams and renewals.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key certification documents and resources
2. Review the exam application process and understand exam policies and procedures
3. Explain the certification renewal process and requirements 

No CE is offered for this webinar

Live Webinar: Thursday, October 15th, 2026 - 10:00-11:00(CST) 

Sterile Processing plays an important role in patient safety and procedural support. Like the rest of healthcare, Sterile Processing is growing and changing to meet facilities’ needs. This program examines the field of Sterile Processing; what it was, what it is and where it is going. Join us for a fun and interactive review as we celebrate the field of Sterile Processing and learn more about our profession.

Learning Objectives

Attendees will:
1. Recognize the benefits of knowing the history of our profession
2. Discuss challenges and advances that have impacted Sterile Processing through the years
3. Discover similarities between today’s Sterile Processing and earlier SP departments 
4. Share experiences and visions for the future

Speaker Bio:

Karen Owens, RN, MSN, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, FCS, CQIA

Karen Owens is Senior Director, Clinical & Customer Education, for STERIS Corporation.  She has 39 years of nursing, management, and operational experience in healthcare. Her holistic approach to understanding and addressing the issues facing today’s Central Sterile and Perioperative environments combines clinical requirements, lean philosophies, management systems and cultural change factors to improve patient outcomes while meeting business objectives. Karen’s nursing background is primarily OR nursing. She has direct management experience in CS for 10 years and 5 years as a System Director of Sterile Processing covering 11 hospitals.  

Karen is triple certified in Sterile Processing, CRCST, CIS and CHL along with being a Fellow in Central Processing (FCS) through HSPA, a speaker on various CS related topics, quoted as a CS expert in multiple publications and a Registered Nurse with a Master’s in Nursing Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She was voted “Who’s who in Infection Prevention”, Infection Control Today in 2008, and led her previous CS department to be ranked third in the world for number of technicians holding triple certification as well as CS/SPD of the year for Healthcare Purchasing News, May 2016. Karen was the President of the Kentuckiana IAHCSMM Chapter, 2016-2018.

Eligible for 1 CE

Live Webinar: Thursday, October 1st, 2026 - 10:00-11:00(CST) RESCHEDULED FROM SEPTEMBER 17th, 2026

Learn how to improve high-level disinfection and infection prevention across your facility. Explore regulatory requirements, common compliance gaps, and best practices for cleaning, transport, and storage of ultrasound probes. Gain practical strategies to reduce risk, improve consistency, and strengthen patient safety.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
1. Understand the Joint Commission and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) requirements related to reprocessing and infection prevention.
2. Describe common regulatory citations and barriers to compliance in relation to high-level disinfection & sterilization, transport and storage of ultrasound probes, scopes and surgical instrumentation. 
3. Describe solutions to common barriers to patient safety concerns and compliance issues related to high-level disinfection, sterilization, manual cleaning, storage and transport.

Speaker Bio

Jill Holdsworth, CIC, AL-CIP, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL

Jill earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College and her Master of Science in Exercise Physiology from Marshall University, launching her career as a Cardiac Rehabilitation Therapist. She began her work in Infection Prevention in 2009, achieved Certification in Infection Control (CIC) in 2010, and was named a Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) in 2016. Jill has held several leadership positions within local APIC chapters, including serving as President of the Washington, DC chapter. She has also contributed at the national level as a member of the APIC Board of Directors and as Co-Chair of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Protective Barriers Committee. Currently, Jill serves on the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Certification Council. She is presently the Medical Affairs Manager for CS Medical.

Eligible for 1 CE

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

"Device processing requires a high level of technical skill and attention to detail. Technicians must master detailed manufacturer instructions for use (IFU), understand differences between various endoscope models,
recognize different types of damage and retained soil, and consistently perform hundreds of sequential steps. Each step of manual cleaning, leak testing, visual inspection, high-level disinfection or sterilization, drying and storage plays an important role in making endoscopes as safe as possible for patient use."

This lesson is set to expire October 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.