The Perception of Nursing Professionals Working in a Central Sterile Supplies Department regarding Health Conditions, Workload, Ergonomic Risks, and Functional Readaptation

Abstract

Background. The central sterile supply department (CSSD) is wrongly seen as a place in the hospital environment that does not require skills and physical effort, being commonly a hospital sector for the relocation of functionally-readapted professionals. However, CSSD is a work environment that demands professional experience and presents itself as a sector that does not have a healthy work environment. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of comorbidities and functionally-readapted people among nursing professionals allocated to a CSSD and, also, to seek the perception of these professionals about the ergonomic risks and the degree of difficulty to perform activities within a CSSD. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed the opinions of nursing professionals who work in the CSSD of public hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Nurses, nursing technicians and nursing assistants aged ≥18 years were included. Results. Seventy-two nursing professionals were consecutively evaluated. It was observed that 43 of them (59.7%) had never worked in a CSSD. The most prevalent comorbidity in the present study was chronic rhinosinusitis, observed in more than half of the sample, although it is interesting to note the high frequency of participants with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) and repetitive strain injuries (RSI). There is a relationship between previous work in a CSSD and the ability to identify surgical tweezers by visual recognition ( p = 0.031 ). There is a relationship between the time the participant had previously worked in the hospital and the skill regarding the information contained in the conference folders for preparing the tray surgical procedures (τb = −0.34, p = 0.001 ). Conclusion. Almost a third of nursing professionals working in a CSSD are rehabilitated, with a high prevalence of WMSD and RSI. The commitment of managers to an internal health policy aimed at workers is necessary for health promotion.

Incidence of Adverse Events in Central Sterile Supply Department: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

“…CSSD nursing human resources shortage, 25 human resources shortage reasons are the CSSD is the department that is most easily overlooked, not only the closed environment, low income, low promotion, heavy work, and highly repetitive and mechanized operating processes, leading to poor immersion in nursing work, loneliness in the workplace, professional identity and work enthusiasm are also poor, the quality of equipment management in the CSSD is not ideal. 26 Therefore, standardizing the management of the CSSD and improving the enthusiasm of the department staff are also the key Risk Management and Healthcare Policy 2023:16 https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S423108 DovePress 1617 contents of the current construction of the CSSD. At the same time, the establishment of general workers admittance system (such as: educational requirements, work experience, professional quality, family stability).…”

Assess The Workload Management Model and Enhanced Quality Control in The Central Sterile Supply Department: A Study Protocol.

“…By promoting a culture of appreciation and respect for CSSD and its contributions to patient safety, hospitals can enhance the quality of surgical care and uphold their commitment to patient-centred excellence. 6 With the increasing use of sophisticated medical equipment in healthcare settings, ensuring comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of instruments has become increasingly challenging. Recent outbreaks or incidents associated with inadequate reprocessing of endoscopes have highlighted the urgent need to maintain stringent standards in sterilization or reprocessing departments.…”

Prevalence and factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorder among Central Sterile Supply Technicians in Thailand

“…Since this issue has a major impact on their workforce as a whole [6], musculoskeletal problems are more common among healthcare workers [7] due to the nature of their jobs, and the incidence of these disorders is especially high among those who work in healthcare facilities [8,9]. Further research and the integration of physical and demographic factors appears warranted [10] because of the complexity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the differences in working in developing countries, the evolution of Central Sterilize techniques, and the accessibility of Central Sterilize Supply Department (CSSD) facilities. Central sterile supply technicians (also known as sterile processing technicians or sterile technicians) are crucial members of the healthcare team responsible for ensuring the cleanliness, sterilization, and organization of medical instruments, equipment, and supplies.…”