LESSON 1
ORIENTATION TO CENTRAL MATERIEL SERVICE
Section I. INTRODUCTION
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PURPOSE AND SCOPE
a. The CMS is an organizational unit of the department of nursing service of an
Army Medical Department (AMEDD) treatment facility with the Chief, Department of
Nursing responsible for its operation.
b. The CMS is the service within the hospital which is responsible for supplying
both sterile (defined later) and non-sterile items of supply and certain pieces of technical
equipment to the various parts of the hospital that provide patient care. The basic
objective of this service is improved patient care through providing supplies and
equipment by more efficient means and with greater economy. Improved patient care is
first among the objectives of CMS. Specific objectives of this service are:
(1)
To provide necessary supplies and equipment for patient care to all
using units.
(2) To maintain and supply special items and equipment that may be
necessary in the care of the patient.
(3) To promote better care by providing prompt and accurate service to the
medical and nursing staff.
(4) To provide supplies of sterile linen packs, basins, and instruments that
may be needed in the using units.
(5) To maintain an accurate record of the effectiveness of the various
processes of cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization.
(6) To provide service to the patient by maintaining high quality supplies and
equipment that is issued from the CMS.
NOTE:
The overall objective of the CMS is to have the right item, at the right place, at
the right time, in the right condition.
c. As an operating room (OR) specialist, you may be assigned to the CMS. The
duties you will be expected to perform include the preparation and sterilization of
supplies, the decontamination and maintenance of technical equipment, and the issue
of supplies and equipment.
MD0937
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