Currently, the importance of those who work in the Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) of hospitals or in companies in the sterilization industry is growing. In this area, the nurse provides important, but indirect, care to patients. This is because he/she ensures the quality of the medical-hospital materials used during care.
For many years, CSSD was practically "invisible" within hospitals. But after years of poor sterile processing and sterilization of healthcare materials, the eyes of the health agency turned to ensure that the CSSD provides good practice requirements for the processing of health products. Along with the requirements presented in the resolution by the health agency, there was a growth in inspection, which became increasingly rigorous.
Parallel to the changes in the legislation, there was the technological advancement of equipment, which are more modern, sophisticated, delicate, and expensive. This has demanded from the nurses at the Central Sterile Services Department constant updates, both related to procedures and to new equipment. In the eyes of the administration, this qualification becomes even more relevant when the costs of the equipment are analyzed. A forceps used in robotic surgery, for example, costs about $1,250. Besides being expensive, they are delicate and even require specific washers.
A new era for the Sterile Services Department
By performing a complex procedure in the processing of these materials - quite different from the recent past, when it was done with only the washing, drying, and autoclave steps - the CSSD nurse has been increasingly valued. Inclusively, he/she is called as soon as the surgeon demonstrates the desire to use a new piece of equipment. The nurse must verify the conformation of the material, if it is likely to undergo processing and if this processing can be done inside the hospital. If it is not feasible to perform it within the health unit, it will be necessary to send it to a specialized company, such as Jensen Instrument Technologies, which follows all the norms for processing hospital materials.
In this scenario, it is not surprising that the relevance of CSSD has grown, as well as the need for trained professionals. Today, what is taken into consideration when choosing the staff of the CSSD are the knowledge, technical skills, and the ability to manage stocks, supplies, and equipment and their maintenance and periodic qualifications.
