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Medical Equipment Preparers in Puerto Rico

Thinking about a career as a Medical Equipment Preparers in Puerto Rico? Here’s what you need to know. Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.

What do Medical Equipment Preparers Make in Puerto Rico?

For a medical equipment preparers working in Puerto Rico, the median annual wage is $26,300 per year (or about $12.65/hour).Earnings range from $19,900 at the 10th percentile to $33,210 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$19,900	$9.57
25th percentile	$21,590	$10.38
Median (50th)	$26,300	$12.65
75th percentile	$28,570	$13.74
90th percentile	$33,210	$15.97

The job concentration index in Puerto Rico compared to the national average — is 0.30, meaning fewer medical equipment preparers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, medical equipment preparers earn a median of $30,227 per year ($14.53/hour), lower than the Puerto Rico median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 997,101 medical equipment preparers in the U.S.. In Puerto Rico alone, around 130 people work in this role. That’s fewer than the typical state, which employs around 890 medical equipment preparers.

Top Puerto Rico Metros for Medical Equipment Preparers

These are the Puerto Rico metros with the most medical equipment preparers in Puerto Rico.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	90	$27,600

Top States for Medical Equipment Preparers Employment

The table below shows the states where the most medical equipment preparers work.

State	Number Employed
California	8,630
New York	5,340
Florida	4,150
Texas	3,790
Ohio	3,210
Illinois	2,860
North Carolina	2,740
Pennsylvania	2,730
Michigan	2,550
New Jersey	2,230
Arizona	2,180
Virginia	2,040
Georgia	1,890
Oregon	1,690
Washington	1,680
Massachusetts	1,670
Missouri	1,610
Colorado	1,520
Tennessee	1,510
Indiana	1,500

Highest-Paying States for Medical Equipment Preparers

These states pay the most for medical equipment preparers.

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$62,710
District of Columbia	$54,390
Delaware	$52,080
Rhode Island	$51,980
New York	$51,880
Massachusetts	$51,610
Hawaii	$51,470
Washington	$51,190
New Jersey	$49,090
Oregon	$49,050

Skills

The most important medical equipment preparers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for medical equipment preparers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Medical Equipment Preparers typically:

• Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
• Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
• Record sterilizer test results.
• Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
• Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
• 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.
• Stock crash carts or other medical supplies.
• Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
• Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
• Attend hospital in-service programs related to areas of work specialization.
• Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.

Work Activities

• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Processing Information
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Getting Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software, Kronos Workforce Timekeeper

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

• Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science

Related Careers

Related occupations to medical equipment preparers include:

• Calibration Technologists and Technicians
• Anesthesiologist Assistants
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
• Cytotechnologists
• Histotechnologists
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Also Known As

Aseptic Technician (Aseptic Tech), Bandage Maker, Central Processing Technician (CPT), Central Service Technician (CST), Central Sterile Processing Technician (Central Sterile Processing Tech), Central Sterile Supply Technician (CSS Technician), Central Sterile Technician (Central Sterile Tech), Central Sterilization Technician, Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), Certified Registered Central Services Technician (CRCST), Equipment Coordinator, Equipment Technician, Health Equipment Servicer, Hot Packer.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 31-9093.00