The role of nurses in the sterilized material center: Literature review

The Center for Materials and Sterilization (CME) is the department responsible for processing health products (PPS) and its mission is to provide properly processed materials for nursing services. This study aimed to describe the role of nurses in the sterilized material center. The Methodology is a bibliographic review of the literature, with a search in the Scopus, Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (Lilacs), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), PubMed and Virtual Health Library (BVS) databases.). Central axes of the work of nurses in the CME stand out, such as the development of department management and educational activities. In addition, some of the challenges faced by professionals can be identified. The nurse's role in the CME begins in the unit's planning phase, where he selects the physical and human resources based on the activities to be carried out in the sector. The nurse is responsible for the selection, training and adequacy of the team, taking into account the operations and activities to be carried out in the unit. It is concluded that the nurses who work in the CME and evaluate the frequency with which the activities assigned to this professional were carried out in this professional unit, which is characterized as a sector of a health institution and whose work process includes specific knowledge and practices, whose goals and objectives differ from the other units of the institution. Due to its characteristics, it is recognized for the nature of the work of indirect production of care, which instrumentalizes help in the field of health, providing the necessary support for the various care activities.