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Ask the Expert
Q. I have a concern about the transport of sterile items at my facility. We have two separate elevators, one for clean and one for dirty items; however, when sterile unused items are returned to our department, they are sometimes sent down on top of a soiled case cart. I believe that those items should be considered contaminated, but some of my co-workers just put on clean gloves and pass the items to the clean side. Is that an acceptable practice?
A. No. Sending sterile items to the CSSD on top of a dirty case cart—via an elevator that is dedicated for soiled items—is not an acceptable practice. No items transported in such a manner should be considered sterile. It is a shortcut that could easily put both patients and staff at risk. Speak to your supervisor. He/she must ensure that adequate policies are in place and educate both the CSSD and OR staff on the dangers of this practice.
