2.

THE PHARMACY CENTRAL

STERILE SUPPLY ROOM:
THE CENTRAL SUPPLY DEPARTMENT OF THE
HOSPITAL HAS BEEN DEFINED AS: -
“A centralized unit which provide professional
supplies and equipments (Sterile, Non-Sterile) to all
specialized departments”.

The central sterile supply area in the hospital

organization: unlike pharmacy which has been
accorded full departmental status, the central sterile
supply area in many hospitals, considered as a sub-
department. In these institutions the department
may fall under the aegis of the operating room
supervisor, or the nursing service
• Under this type of organization the director, supervisor or
manager of the unit doesn’t report to the administrator
or his assistant but to some major departmental head.

• The head of central sterile supply area is

again operating at sub-departmental level. The
pharmacy and central sterile supply area have a joint
responsibility.
• RESPONSIBILITIES OF PHARMACY & CENTRAL
STERILE SUPPLY AREA: -
• The pharmacy prepares the solutions in bulk and
transport the task to the central sterile supply area for
bottling and sterilization.
• Pharmacy prepares and packages the solution for
sterilization by the central sterile supply area.
• Pharmacy prepares concentrated solutions which is then
diluted, packed and sterilized in the central sterile supply
area.
• Pharmacy prepares a mixture of chemicals in the dry
state which is then packed and sterilized by the
pharmacy central sterile area personnel.
• QUALIFICATION OF THE HOSPITAL PHARMACIST
TO MANAGE THE CENTRAL STERILE SUPPLY
AREA: -
• The hospital pharmacist should be better qualified to
manage the central sterile supply area than is the nurse.
• The pharmacist as a part of his daily practice in the
operation of hospital pharmacy, performs many functions
which are either identical to or closely resemble those
which are performed by his counter part in the central
sterile supply area.
These duties consist of.
• Interviewing sales personnel.
• Purchasing of supplies.
• Meeting and discussing procedures or specific problems
with medical staff.
• Dispensing of supply in small lots.
• Distribution of supplies to pavilions.
• Receiving and storing of supplies.
• Practices the principles of standardization.
• Manufactures in bulk.
• Manufacture in small lots, both sterile and non-sterile
products.
It appears that the pharmacist is qualified both by
education and experience to supervise the activities of
the central sterile supply area.
LOCATION OF CENTRAL STERILE
SUPPLY AREA:
• The central sterile supply area should be located
centrally, in relation to the areas requiring the greatest
utilization of its services. The central sterile supply area
must be able to supply large quantities of linens from
the laundry, shipments of sterile intravenous and
irrigating fluids, if these are not manufactured by the
hospital.

• If the pharmacy and central sterile supply area

management are agree than it is possible that the two
units should be combined or should be at least adjacent
to one another.
PLANNING THE CENTRAL STERILE
SUPPLY AREA:
• Central sterile supply area consists of a series of special
work stations in a “dirty area” which is separated from
the “clean area” by autoclaving and sterilizing
equipment.
• In this way all the contaminated, non-sterile and other
supplies enters from one side of the room, passes
through the various work stations, sterilizers and finally
refer in the sterile storage area & becomes ready to be
dispensed from the clean side of the room.
• The purpose of such a layout is to minimize the cross
flow of the non-sterile and contaminated goods with
these of clean or sterile. There by eliminating the
possibility of cross contamination.
• The number, type and size of work stations
depend upon the size and the nature of the
hospitals because the planning of a central
sterile supply area’s space requirements
cannot be reduced to a square foot per bed
formula. Any hospital pharmacist who
undertakes to assist in the development,
planning and construction of the central sterile
supply area should avail himself to technical
know how and experience that can be
provided by the design staff of a reputable
producer of such equipments.
• GENERAL CONCEPT OF THE
MATERIAL FLOW IN A CENTRAL
STERILE SUPPLY AREA.

• See the schematic diagram please.