Foundations of Sterilising Practice

STE404

Level 4
20 Credits
0.1667 EFTS
Delivery type:

Online
Delivery Type
Online study with Open Polytechnic means:

You work through your course materials online, at a pace that suits you, between the course start and end dates.

You need a laptop or desktop computer and reliable internet to access your course.

Your course facilitator will be there to guide you through the course and answer your questions, and you'll have support from our Student Mentor and Library and Learning Centre teams.

There is no need to travel to a campus and no scheduled online classes to fit into your week.

For some courses there will be an in-person component that you need to attend. These could include noho marae, workshops, labs, practicum, work experience or school-based learning, exams or presentation-based assessments. You may also need to gain workplace verification for assessments.

Find out more about online study with us
Course duration: 16 weeks
Course Duration
The course duration, or enrolment period, is the number of weeks from the course start to the course end date.

When you start your course, you will have a study guide to follow that outlines what topics to aim to work on each week.

For many courses the study guide will be based on teaching weeks, which is shorter than course duration. This is to allow time at the end of the course for assessment marking, extensions and exams.

Withdrawal dates are based on the course duration. Learn more about withdrawals and course transfers.
Course cost:

$0 NZ Domestic

Course Cost

This is an approximate cost for fees only.

It does not any include costs that some courses may have, such as for textbooks, software, external exam fees, or travel to noho marae, practicum, workshop, lab or exams.. If your course has any of these, information will be included below.

More about Fees and funding

$3,103 NZ International
Workload - Approximately 13 hours per
week
Workload

Workload is an estimate of how many hours you need to study each week for the course. A course’s workload is calculated using:

Number of credits times 10 divided by the number of teaching weeks for the course.

The hours are rounded up to the nearest whole number.

Workload is only a guide – you may need more or less time each week. You might also need to allow more time when you have assessments due or exams.

Check our time information and calculator to help you decide if you can fit study into your life:

How much time will you need?

Availability

Monthly course availability for upcoming periods
Not available Nov	December enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 8 Dec 2026 21 Dec 2026 9 May 2027	2027 January enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 12 Jan 2027 25 Jan 2027 13 Jun 2027	February enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 9 Feb 2027 22 Feb 2027 11 Jul 2027	March enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 9 Mar 2027 22 Mar 2027 8 Aug 2027	April enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 6 Apr 2027 19 Apr 2027 5 Sep 2027	May enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 4 May 2027 17 May 2027 3 Oct 2027	June enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 8 Jun 2027 21 Jun 2027 7 Nov 2027	July enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 6 Jul 2027 19 Jul 2027 5 Dec 2027	August enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 3 Aug 2027 16 Aug 2027 2 Jan 2028	September enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 7 Sep 2027 20 Sep 2027 6 Feb 2028	October enrolment dates Enrol by - Course starts - Course ends - 5 Oct 2027 18 Oct 2027 5 Mar 2028

This course introduces learners to the role of the sterilising technician and the principles of infection, prevention and control within healthcare environments.

This online sterlisation technology course will provide you with the foundational knowledge of microbiology, health and safety, and the cultural and legal responsibilities involved in working with contaminated medical devices.

Students who successfully complete this online course will be able to:

Identify the role, responsibilities, and scope of practice of a sterilising technician in New Zealand healthcare settings
Apply infection, prevention and control principles in sterile services, including the safe use of PPE and hand hygiene
Describe the chain of infection and key blood-borne microorganisms
Apply cultural awareness and tikanga Māori in a sterilising setting.

Course pass requirements:

To pass this course students must achieve a minimum of 50% in each assessment, demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes, and meet the work experience hours requirement.

Computer and internet requirements

This course is delivered online, so you will access your course material and submit assessments online. Our online courses may include reading, videos, quizzes or activities, and you may need to download content.

For online learning you need:

Access to a laptop or desktop computer
Reliable internet and data plan.

If you are unsure if your current computer, Windows or internet access will allow you to study online, please contact us before applying to enrol.

Find out more about online learning

How to apply

Apply to study a programme

You can study this course as part of any of the programmes listed below.

Click on a tile to go the programme information, including the entry requirements and how many courses you'll need to do to complete the programme.

From there you click 'Apply now' and start your study journey.

Certificate

New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 4) NZ3219

Fees free study

Micro-credentials

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