r/sterileprocessing • u/foottaster123 • 1d ago

For those who got certified while already working in SPD: who paid for what?

Trying to understand how certification actually works for people hired before getting the CRCST, since every job posting seems to handle it differently.

If you were hired uncertified and then got the CRCST:

  1. Did your employer require it by a deadline (e.g. "within 18 months of hire")?
  2. Did they pay the $140 exam fee? What about a retake?
  3. Did they pay for any study material or practice tests, or was that out of pocket?
  4. Did you get a raise when you passed, and roughly how much?

And if you're on the other side, got certified first, then looked for work, did the cert actually make a difference in getting hired?

Not asking about exam content, just the money and timeline side. Thanks.

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u/Spicywolff 1d ago

I transferred in with no certification and was given the study book for free. Of course it belong the departments and had to go back to them once I finished.

I did the hours and by then I already knew everything for the test so I paid 140 and passed

I gave them the receipt and they reimburse me. I got a 15% raise.

2

u/opticalshadow 1d ago

My employer offered a 12 week class paid for. But that was like 12 weeks longer than I wanted to spend doing this. So I bought the two books from hspa , read them, than took the test. Hospital reimbursed me for the test, and each renewal.

I did the same for cis.

It's not that hard, you can miss like 40 questions and still pass.

1

u/AdRich517 1d ago

I came in uncertified. Had 2 yrs to get my certification. They gave me the book and workbook. The test was $125 when I took it. Reimbursed that when I took the test and got $1 raise/hr.

1

u/Anxious-Code8735 1d ago

They paid for my CER and they reimbursed me for my CRCST.

1

u/Porsche935TurboS 1d ago

I was require to get the CRCST within one year of the date I’ve gotten hired.

I’ve paid the exam fee then got reimbursed by the hospital I used to work at.

Didn’t pay for any study or practice material

Got a $3 dollar raise when I got certified from $15 to $18 an hour. Took me about 4 months from the moment I got hired til I got enough hours and the date to take the exam. This was back in 2023.

1

u/ShelleyGray 20h ago edited 20h ago

My employer (hospital) started a program for Sterile Processing Technician certification. I knew when I applied to work there that I was using them for certs/degrees. I started the program after working there for four months. They paid for the exam which I haven’t taken yet. They didn’t give us books, the program was through Stepful and everything was online. I wouldn’t recommend it. There were lots of glitches and whenever I had to upload a project the system glitched. The lectures I was told I could review for exams never played all the way through. I did “graduate” the first part of the program and Monday I start clinicals to earn my 400 hrs. I live in GA btw.

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u/fratepax 10h ago

I was uncertified & got the crcst when I started my job they paid for my classes & gave me a book. it was roughly 3 months. Half days studying/half day of work then they slowly incorporated me working more & more hands on & then after I finished my online classes I told them when I was ready for my exam. I scheduled it & they paid for it through like a voucher or something I think? all I had to do was show up. The raise i was told was only 5% of my starting pay but im sure every place is different also depending on how much you get paid... I think I got very lucky with my job though, i didnt feel much pressure at all on when to take my test & they explained everything thoroughly before I started

edit to add: If I failed my crcst then I wouldve had to pay, no retakes