POLICY

Central Sterile Supply Room

INTRODUCTION

Central Sterile Supply Room (CSSR) is an integrated service in hospitals that

performs sterilization and other actions on medical devices, equipment and

consumables. This unit ensures safe management of decontamination services in the

hospital through safe, efficient, effective and reliable procedures

PURPOSE

The purpose of this is to provide a framework to enable the clinical and non-

clinical department to understand the operational and management of CSSR service.

To ensure that all medical instruments, equipment, and supply are properly cleaned,

sterilized, and prepared for patient care. The CSSR plays a critical role in infection

control and patient safety by maintaining a high standard of cleanliness and preventing

the transmission of infection.

POLICIES

Identification of all globally accepted, items that can be decontaminating, terminally sterilizing,

and cleaning all reusable items; disposing of disposable items

All CSSR staff members should receive appropriate training and demonstrate

competency in sterilization techniques, infection control, and handling of sterilization

equipment and supplies.

Designate qualified personnel, such as certified central service technicians, to manage the CSSR.

Reusable items may include equipment, instrument, glass, bottles and containers by

collecting after use and separate form non-reusable items, carefully washed and sterilized

by the DOH approved method such as autoclaving.

All doors opening into the main corridor are to remain closed at all times

Only CSSU personnel are allowed to enter the unit.

Other personnel that require entry into CSSU e.g. engineers, technicians, support service

staffs, physicians and administrative personnel must apply Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE) before being allowed to enter the Unit.

Limited entry by staff to the Unit.

Promote effective communication and collaboration among CSSR staff members, as well

as with other departments involved in the instrument management process, such as

Operating Room (OR) staff and Nursing.

Encourage open lines of communication for reporting issues, sharing knowledge, and

addressing concerns related to CSSR operations.

These policies ensure that the CSSR is adequately staffed with trained professionals who

can perform their responsibilities effectively, maintain patient safety, and adhere to

industry standards and regulations.

PROCEDURES

a. All personnel entering the Decontamination Zone shall be properly attired

PROCEDURES ON RECEIVING AND HANDLING CONTAMINATED MEDICAL

DEVICES AND EQUIPMENTS RETURNED TO CSSR.

1. Delicate and precision instruments shall be handled with care to avoid damage.

2. Returned supplies shall be inspected to ensure all parts of medical instrument

are complete.

3. Notify CSSR Staff for any missing parts or instruments received.

4. Malfunctioning instruments shall not be used and to be kept in a separate place.

5. Users are responsible to return all instruments regardless opened or

disassembled (if applicable) prior to cleaning and disinfection.

6. Any single use items received shall be discarded and not to be processed.

7. Gross soil shall be removed at the point of use where immediate containment,

transportation and cleaning may not be feasible.

8. Personnel shall wear appropriate PPE and follow good work-practice when

handling contaminated medical devices.

PROCEDURES ON DECONTAMINATION AND STERILIZATION

1. The first step is to clean the instruments and equipment thoroughly to remove

debris, blood, and other contaminants.

2. Manual or automated cleaning methods may be used, depending on the nature

of the items.

3. After cleaning, the instruments and equipment are inspected for any damage or

signs of wear.

4. Damaged or faulty items are identified and separated for repair or replacement.

5. Sterile processing technicians assemble instrument sets according to

predetermined configurations.

6. Instruments are carefully placed in appropriate sterilization containers or

packaging materials.

7. The sterilization method is selected based on the type of instruments and

equipment being processed.

8. Common sterilization methods include steam sterilization (autoclaving), ethylene

oxide (ETO) sterilization, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, and others.

9. Each sterilization method has specific parameters, including temperature,

pressure, and exposure time, which must be followed for effective sterilization.

PROCEDURES ON PACKAGING AND STORAGE

1. Packaging material shall ensure sterility of package contents until opened for

use.

2. Physical Set Up The room shall be equipped with: Air conditioning to maintain

positive pressure

3. Packing table should be constructed of suitable material (stainless steel material

/ epoxy coated) with attached magnifying lamp.

4. All wrappers shall be double layered.

5. Medical devices shall be wrapped completely and packed to provide aseptic

opening.
6. Chemical Indicators shall be placed for all sets. The Internal Indicator shall be

examined before use.