What is the CBSPD?
The Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc.
(CBSPD), formerly the NICHSPDP, is a non-profit Certification Board which plans, develops and administers competency-based certification examinations for personnel performing cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and inventory management activities, regardless of the setting. The CBSPD is administered by a Board of Directors who have extensive expertise in the profession of healthcare sterile processing and distribution. In 1988 the NICHSPDP was organized and founded and is incorporated in the state of New Jersey. Since its inaugural examination in 1991, the CBSPD has credentialed over 16,000 personnel internationally. We can be reached by phone at 908-454-9555 or
800-555-9765 (toll free answering service) Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm Eastern Time, by Fax at 908-454-9554.
Standards and Guidelines
The CBSPD's Certification Program meets the American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association and National Council on Measurement in Education's joint technical standards for testing. The program has been designed to comply with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, which are the highest in the industry.
The CBSPD is recognized by the American Society for Healthcare Central Service Professionals (ASHCSP) of the American Hospital Association and DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-traditional Educational Support) and is a member of The National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA), formerly The National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
ACCREDITATION - The CBSPD's Technician, Supervisor and Manager certifications are accredited by The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The Surgical Instrument Processor certification is pending approval.
The CBSPD Certification Program
There are five levels of certification that the CBSPD offers; Technician, Surgical Instrument Processor, Ambulatory Surgery Technician, Supervisor, and Manager. The examinations for each level are given 4 times per year.
Exams inside the U.S. are given on computer. For tests outside the U.S., exams are still given in paper/pencil format. The examinations are offered at test sites throughout the U.S. and internationally (as a DANTES approved program our examination can be administered at any military base in the world). There are now over 1,000 test sites throughout the U.S.
Upon successful completion of the examination, your certification remains valid for five years. No other organization offers this length of certification.
The cost to take our Technician or Surgical Instrument Processor or Ambulatory Surgery Technician exams is 115 U.S. dollars. For the Supervisor or Manager exams, the cost is 150 U.S. dollars. To view individual requirements to take the exams, please see our certification program overview page.
Re-certification can be accomplished through re-examination or a combination of work experience and continuing education.
Study Material
The CBSPD offers Study Guides for each examination; Technician, Surgical Instrument Processor, Ambulatory Surgery Technician, Supervisor, and Manager. The prices for all of our Study Guide's are $20 USD each. Most major credit cards are accepted as well as purchase orders. There are many options for ordering study material.
Continuing Education
The CBSPD reviews educational programs for continuing education credits towards re-certification for those individuals certified through the CBSPD. Seminars should be submitted by the program sponsor at least 6 weeks prior to the Seminar date. Departmental Inservices should be submitted by the department Supervisor or Manager within 30 days of providing the Inservice.
Regardless of the continuing education received, all continuing education must be documented. The CBSPD requires that a certificate of attendance be provided for each Inservice/Seminar. At a minimum, the certificate should include the individual's name, date of the education, topic(s), number of contact hours approved, approval code number and signature of the department head or Seminar representative.
It is the candidate's responsibility to retain all their continuing education records in a safe place until such time for re-certification.
For those facilities which have computerization of Inservice education, the department manager should write in the Approval Code numbers for each program and sign the Inservice documentation sheet certifying that the employee attended all the programs listed.