Central sterile services provides sterile and non-sterile supplies and equipment to specialized departments in a hospital. There are three patterns for administratively structuring central sterile services: 1) under pharmacy control where a pharmacist handles procurement, storage, distribution, and sterilization; 2) under nursing control where a senior nurse is in charge of cleaning, packaging, and distribution; 3) with dual control of pharmacy and nursing where pharmacy handles procurement, storage, sterilization, and nursing handles cleaning and distribution. The workflow of central sterile services involves receiving non-sterile items, sorting and cleaning them, sterilizing them, storing the sterile items, and distributing the items to departments through a clean area.

1. Prepared By: Mr. Anand P Kakde
Assistant Professor RMDIPER
Chapter 5: Central sterile services
What are Central services? Write three different administrative patterns of Central
services.
Central services is alternatively called central supply department which provides essential
supplies and equipment. Both sterile and non sterile –to all specialized departments.
There are three different patterns of the administrative structure of the central service
departments.
1) Dept. under PHARMACY control:
a) Well trained & qualified pharmacist handle various function- Procure, storage &distribution of
medical supplies. b)Operate & maintain different sterilizer. c) Ability of Mfg. various parenteral
preparation aseptically.
2) Dept. under NURSING control:
a) Senior nurse is in charge of this department. b) Nursing in charge handle various functions
like-Cleaning, packaging, & distribution of medical supplies & equipment & majority of items
supplied by CSS are used by nurses for their patients & they are familiar with these items.
3) Dept. under dual control of PHARMACY & NURSING: Dual function-
1) Procure, storage, & distribution of medical supplies b)Operate & maintain different sterilizer
c) Ability of Mfg. various parenteral preparation aseptically under pharmacy control 2) Cleaning,
packaging, & distribution of medical supplies & equipment under nursing control
Work flow pattern of CSS
It consist of series of working station in dirty ,non sterile area which are separated from sterile by
Autoclaving and different sterilizing equipment. In layout ,sterile area is established having
different sterilizers
i) Once entrance receive Non sterile items like gloves, syringe and needle ,rubber gloves
,surgical instrument and dressing ,urine and blood collection set ,solution.
ii) The Non sterile item then passes for sorting and disassembly purpose
iii) It goes for general cleanup process for washing purpose, powdering process for gloves and all
this assembled according to types of items. Linen material goes to the linen storage section
iv) Then these items pass through partition zone to sterile area for sterilization in different
sterilizer.
v) Finally the sterilized item comes to the sterile storage area.
vi) From this area, these items are issued or distributed to various departments through clear
area.

2. Prepared By: Mr. Anand P Kakde
Assistant Professor RMDIPER
The purpose of such layout is to minimize cross flow of non sterile item with sterile item ,there
by eliminating the possibility of error of contamination.