All About Medical Equipment Preparers
Job Description & Duties Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
Daily Life Of a Medical Equipment Preparer
- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
- Assist hospital staff with patient care duties, such as providing transportation or setting up traction.
- Record sterilizer test results.
- Install and set up medical equipment, using hand tools.
- Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
- Maintain records of inventory or equipment usage and order medical instruments or supplies when inventory is low.
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What a Medical Equipment Preparer Should Know
These are the skills Medical Equipment Preparers say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Other Medical Equipment Preparer Job Titles
- Laboratory Equipment Cleaner
- Central Sterilization Technician
- Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT)
- Inhalation Therapy Aide
- Health Equipment Servicer
Is There Going to be Demand for Medical Equipment Preparers?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 54,200 jobs in the United States for Medical Equipment Preparer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 6,000 new jobs for Medical Equipment Preparer by 2026. There will be an estimated 7,600 positions for Medical Equipment Preparer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Medical Equipment Preparer are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Illinois, or Oklahoma. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Medical Equipment Preparer
The salary for Medical Equipment Preparers ranges between about $25,350 and $53,540 a year.

Medical Equipment Preparers who work in California, Alaska, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Medical Equipment Preparers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $28,120 |
Alaska | $46,320 |
Arizona | $36,660 |
Arkansas | $35,540 |
California | $47,430 |
Colorado | $41,600 |
Connecticut | $40,270 |
Delaware | $39,700 |
District of Columbia | $42,830 |
Florida | $32,650 |
Georgia | $34,430 |
Hawaii | $43,600 |
Idaho | $33,410 |
Illinois | $37,810 |
Indiana | $34,930 |
Iowa | $35,150 |
Kansas | $34,440 |
Kentucky | $34,400 |
Louisiana | $31,710 |
Maine | $34,380 |
Maryland | $42,160 |
Massachusetts | $46,570 |
Michigan | $35,730 |
Minnesota | $43,060 |
Mississippi | $30,420 |
Missouri | $32,320 |
Montana | $31,510 |
Nebraska | $35,460 |
Nevada | $44,830 |
New Hampshire | $37,380 |
New Jersey | $39,420 |
New Mexico | $36,210 |
New York | $43,450 |
North Carolina | $31,900 |
North Dakota | $36,120 |
Ohio | $35,710 |
Oklahoma | $31,430 |
Oregon | $40,740 |
Pennsylvania | $34,790 |
Rhode Island | $43,460 |
South Carolina | $33,470 |
South Dakota | $32,070 |
Tennessee | $32,480 |
Texas | $33,920 |
Utah | $36,600 |
Vermont | $35,380 |
Virginia | $36,790 |
Washington | $40,470 |
West Virginia | $34,990 |
Wisconsin | $35,240 |
Wyoming | $38,890 |
What Tools do Medical Equipment Preparers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Medical Equipment Preparers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Database software
- MEDITECH software
- Inventory tracking software
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper
- Pyxis MedStation software
- Calendar software
- McKesson ANSOS One-Staff
How do I Become a Medical Equipment Preparer?
Education needed to be a Medical Equipment Preparer:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Medical Equipment Preparers?

The table below shows the approximate number of Medical Equipment Preparers employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Medical Equipment Preparer might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Medical Equipment Preparer in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via U.S. Air Force photo
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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