The Sterile Processing (SP) profession, like most medical fields, is rapidly evolving due to frequent advances in medical procedures and surgical instrumentation. Because of the ever-changing improvements being made in healthcare, all HSPA certifications are dependent upon completion of annual continuing education (CE) credits in an effort to promote ongoing learning and professional development. All certification renewals must be received no later than the expiration date of the certification to avoid any lapses in current certification status.
All individuals certified by HSPA should stay current with the frequent advances in Sterile Processing (SP) standards and guidelines as well as surgical instrumentation, which is why annual submission of continuing education is required. All HSPA certifications are current for one-year time periods, and SP professionals holding an HSPA certification are required to renew annually.
The certification renewal process consists of submitting continuing education (CE) credits and an annual renewal processing fee. Certification renewals must be received no later than the last day of the anniversary month of your certification. Any additional certifications held will also be due for renewal that same month–and although the renewal fee is inclusive for all certifications held, additional CE credits will be required per certification held.
Application requirements are subject to change. Please ensure you have a current HSPA renewal application for your submission.
Earn Continuing Education (CE): Each certification requires the completion of CE, as detailed below. These CE may be earned through various offerings, including but not limited to:
(See further details below).
Pay the Renewal Fee: There is a $50 fee required to renew your certification (no matter how many certifications you may hold). HSPA does not charge additional fees per certification. If you would like to purchase membership as an optional addition, there is an extra fee of $10.
Application requirements are subject to change. Please ensure you have a current HSPA renewal application for your submission.
| CRCST | CIS | CER | CHL | CCSVP | CHMMC | ACE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CE Required | 12 CE credits | 6 CE credits + ongoing CRCST | 6 CE credits | 6 CE credits + ongoing CRCST | 6 CE credits | 6 CE credits | Ongoing CRCST certification |
| Type of CE (ie: must focus on...) | Information and advancements relevant to the SP field and be of a technical nature. | Information and advancements relevant to instrumentation and be of a technical nature. | Information and advancements relevant to endoscopes and be of a technical nature. | Information and advancements relevant to management or supervisory topics. | Information and advancements relevant to the SP field and be of a technical nature. | Information and advancements relevant to materials management and be of a technical nature. | Attendance at HSPA's Annual Conference and Educator's Forum at least once every two years. |
CE credits reported for your renewal must have occurred within your renewal year.
If, for example, your renewal date is May 31, and you renewed early on May 4 last year, then your CE credits for this year must have occurred on or after May 5 of last year.
If, for example, your renewal date is May 31, and you renewed late last year on June 10, then your CE credits for this year must have occurred on or after June 11 of last year.
Reading lesson plans are available for all HSPA certifications. Plans are published in PROCESS magazine, and available to read online. Scoring of the quizzes must be completed online, and successful passing scores are worth 2 CEs.
Covering a wide range of topics, HSPA webinars provide a visual learning tool to achieve continuing education toward HSPA certifications. Successful completion of a webinar followed by a survey will grant 1 CE.
The HSPA Process This! podcast shares conversations with known and upcoming leaders within the SP profession, available wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. Each edition is typically worth 0.5 CE, after successful completion of a quiz.
HSPA has solidified valuable partnerships with affiliate and allied healthcare organizations to ensure Sterile Processing (SP) professionals are kept informed of the latest standards and practices. These organizations offer a variety of options in which to earn CE toward your renewal. CE amounts vary.
Why is Continuing Education (CE) important?
Continuing Education (CE) keeps certified individuals abreast of changes in the industry, new and emerging technologies, and informed on policies that directly impact the Sterile Processing (SP) department.
Why did HSPA stop random auditing of points?
To better ensure that all certified individuals are completing their required Continuing Education (CE), HSPA stopped doing random auditing in 2001, and began requiring the submission and review of points from all currently certified individuals.
Where can I get Continuing Education (CE)?
HSPA offers a variety of online options including Lesson Plans, Webinars, and Podcasts (some for a nominal fee). By purchasing items through our online learning center (https://elearning.myhspa.org), you can then read, watch, or listen and then take quizzes. Your grades are immediately submitted to your HSPA online portal and applied toward your renewal application.
Are there other options to get Continuing Education (CE)?
Yes. HSPA has solidified valuable partnerships with affiliate and allied healthcare organizations to ensure Sterile Processing (SP) professionals are kept informed of the latest standards and practices. These organizations offer a variety of options in which to earn CE toward your renewal. CE amounts vary. See the button above for details.
Can I use Continuing Education (CE) acquired at a Chapter event to renew my HSPA certification?
Yes. All Chapters request CE credit approval from HSPA prior to their meetings. These CE may be used to renew your certification.
Do I need to fill out the CE Approval Form to renew my certification?
No. It is not for individual use. The CE Approval Form is specifically for chapters and companies looking to have in-services, seminars, webinars or other items pre-approved by HSPA for CE credit. Once the chapter or company receives approval from HSPA, they would issue you a certificate indicating how many CE credits you would receive by attending.
If I've taken courses through Vendors or other Organizations, what do I submit to HSPA?
You should receive a certificate of completion following each lesson or course. The certificate needs to display the following:
Do my Continuing Education (CE) credits roll over to next year?
No. CE credits cannot be rolled over from year to year. Any credits submitted need to have taken place within a year of the last year’s renewal date.
You may submit CE amounts over and above what is required, but they will not roll over to the next year.
How do I complete my renewal online?
To complete your renewal online, please follow the 4 steps below:
STEP 1: Visit myaccount.MYHSPA.org and log in using your email address and password.
STEP 2: On your profile page, navigate to the top menu and select “View/Renew My Certification” under the “Certification” dropdown.
STEP 3: On your certification page, click the link to “View/Renew My Certification” to make your online payment and the link to “Report CE Credits” to upload digital copies of your CE credits.
Note: The $50 option is for your certification(s) only. The $10 add-on fee includes your certification fee and membership.
STEP 4: Once you checkout and make your payment, you may check back to your online profile at myaccount.MYHSPA.org for account updates.
How do I make my renewal payment online?
To make your renewal payment online, please follow the 3 steps below:
STEP 1: Visit myaccount.MYHSPA.org and log in using your email address and password.
STEP 2: On your profile page, navigate to the top menu and select “View/Renew My Certification” under the “Certification” dropdown.
STEP 3: On your certification page, click the link to “View/Renew My Certification” to review your online application and make your payment. Follow the prompts until you see the button to PROCESS & PAY.
If you would like to add the membership to your renewal for $10, you can add that to your cart.
If not, you can click to Continue Order.
An emailed receipt will be sent automatically to the primary email address on your account.
How much does it cost to renew my certification?
The renewal fee is $50 for certification only; or $60 for certification + membership.
The fee remains the same regardless of how many certifications you may hold.
The renewal payment may be made online, or by mailing in a Money Order or Check with your renewal statement.
How often do I need to renew my certification?
You must renew your certification every year.
In order to successfully renew your certification, you must submit the required amount of continuing education credits, and pay the renewal fee.
HSPA will mail renewal statements to your primary mailing address a month prior to your renewal date.
How long does my renewal take to be updated after I've submitted my documents?
Renewals are typically processed within 3-5 business days of receipt.
How do I upload CE's for my renewal?
To upload your Continuing Education (CE) credits online, please follow the 4 steps below:
STEP 1: Visit myaccount.MYHSPA.org and log in using your email address and password.
STEP 2: On your profile page, navigate to the top menu and select “View/Renew My Certification” under the “Certification” dropdown.
STEP 3: On your certification page, click the link to “Report CE Credits” to upload digital copies of your CE credits.
You may upload CE for review throughout the year.
How do I track my Continuing Education (CE)?
To track your Continuing Education (CE) credits online, please follow the 4 steps below:
STEP 1: Visit myaccount.MYHSPA.org and log in using your email address and password.
STEP 2: On your profile page, navigate to the top menu and select “View/Renew My Certification” under the “Certification” dropdown.
STEP 3: On your certification page, click the link to “View My Credit History” to review your CE.
*Please note the date, as only items that are of CEU Status = Confirmed, Verified? = True and dated after your last renewal will count toward your current renewal application.
How can I verify that my certification has been renewed?
In addition to the hard copy of the certificate, individuals or their employers can verify a certification status by visiting https://verify.MYHSPA.org, and entering the individual’s last name and HSPA ID #. You can then print a “Letter of Verification”.
Am I still certified during the 6-week grace period?
During the 6 week grace period, your certification is suspended and you are not considered to be certified. You cannot use your credentials or state that you are certified until your reinstatement is completed.
All certified individuals are responsible for submitting CE credits to renew each of their certifications annually. Continuing Education is to be accrued in hour increments:
1 hour equals 1 CE credit, ½ hour equals ½ CE credit, and ¼ hour equals ¼ CE credit.
There are several ways of achieving CE credit and you may use any combination of hours accumulated. The following are the four categories of CE available. More detailed information on each category can be found on the Continuing Education (CE) Submission Form.
Individuals may submit lesson plans, webinars, and podcasts online through www.myhspa.org, have lesson quizzes scored by Purdue University or submit approved lessons and certificates from other sources.
If you are submitting from vendors or other association websites, make sure the certificate printouts include your name, the completion date, the topic, and the CE value.
Individuals may submit attendance from HSPA conferences or meetings, or attendance from other pre-approved meetings/seminars.
If you are submitting Certificates of Attendance from conferences or seminars, make sure they include your name, the meeting date(s), the topic(s), the CE value provided, and the HSPA CE approval code.
Individuals may submit inservices or meetings from their place of employment, relevant to Sterile Processing or job performance.
If you are submitting in-services or staff meetings, make sure they are either submitted on HSPA’s CE Submission Form or listed on your facility’s letterhead and include the date, topic, and duration/CE value of each event. Regardless of whether you use HSPA’s form or your facility’s letterhead, be sure both your name, and the name, title and signature of your supervisor/manager/educator are provided.
Individuals may submit completion of a technical, community or secondary college course applicable toward Sterile Processing or job performance with a C grad or better.
If you are submitting transcripts from a course, make sure you provide an official transcript with the course completion date, title/topic, and your grade (C or better.)
All information provided by and about you in regard to your certification maintenance must be accurate and correct. If any information provided in relation to your certification renewal or any other document relating to your certification, is determined to be false or purposefully misleading, HSPA can reject your re-certification and disqualify you from future certification. The HSPA Certification Council will review all such instances and determine the appropriate recourse, up to and including the possible revocation of any certifications which have been granted and the denial of recertification.
If all required CE credits and fees are not received by your certification expiration date, your certification(s) will be suspended and you will be considered non-certified. You will then automatically be granted a six week grace period in which to submit all past-due fees and CE credits. During this suspension period you are not considered certified and cannot use the title of CRCST, CER, CIS, CHL, CCSVP, or any other designation you may normally hold with HSPA.
If all required past-due CE credits and certification fees are received within the six week grace period, your certification(s) will be reinstated. If all required fees and CE credits are not received before the end of your grace period, you will no longer be able to renew your certification(s). No further extensions will be available. If your certification(s) is terminated, you are required to test in order to become certified again.
To avoid having your certification(s) suspended, or possibly revoked, HSPA strongly encourages you to renew prior to your expiration date.
