CENTRAL STERILE SUPPLY DEPARTMENT

To provide solutions for hospital infection, the CSSD (Central Sterile Supply Department) has come into place.

A CSSD is like a manufacturing plant for sterile items. The collection of soiled items from operation theaters, ICU’s, wards, out patients department and other specialties are received by the CSSD for processing, then returned to the end users in a sterile state.

The CSSD centralises the sterile processing activities, in which reusable medical devices and surgical instruments and equipment (excluding the operating theatre procedures) are processed and issued for diagnostic and patient care procedures.

Receipt: This includes receiving the materials, supplies and equipment, dressings and other specialised surgical items for processing.

Cleaning: This function means cleaning of the used equipments/materials, rubber and plastic goods either manually or by machines eg., ultrasonic cleaner, water jet cleaners, washer disinfectors, tubing washers and dryers. This function may also include cleaning of the delivery trolleys.

Checking, Assembling and Packaging: It includes checking of glass items for breakages, needles and instruments for sharpness and damage, assembling of the equipment after washing and drying, making sets and packaging for sterilisation.

Sterilisation: It renders materials bacteriologically safe for quality patient care.

Labelling: Easy identification for prompt and proper use.

Storage: The function includes storage of sterilised packs, containers and sets, dressing materials, spare parts of machines or sterilisers for routine maintenance and broken/ unserviceable items for disposal. Paper is fast replacing linen wrappers. Space should also be provided for storing distribution trolleys. Sterile store maintains inventory of all types of sterile packs.

Issue and Distribution: The function entails issue of the sterilised packages, dressings, linen, instruments and disposables to various departments of the hospitals and theatre.