Achieving consensus on the curriculum system for central sterile supply department nurses: a modified Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Nursing education
• Infection prevention and control

Background:

• Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) nurses are crucial in preventing healthcare-associated infections.
• Enhancing CSSD nurse competencies is vital for patient safety.
• A standardized training framework is needed for continuous professional development in CSSD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an evidence-based training framework for CSSD specialists.
• To establish a standardized benchmark for continuous professional development in CSSD.
• To improve the core competencies of CSSD nurses.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and expert group discussions initiated the framework development.
• Two rounds of Delphi surveys (April-June 2024) involved 25 experts across China.
• Consensus on the index system was achieved using descriptive statistics and predefined thresholds.

Main Results:

• Expert response rates were high (92.59% and 100%), with a strong authority coefficient (0.912).
• The Delphi process refined the training index system, resulting in a comprehensive structure for both process and content.
• Kendall's W coefficients indicated significant improvement in expert consensus for both training process and content (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The developed training index system is scientifically sound and reliable.
• This framework serves as a valuable reference for CSSD specialist nurse selection.
• It supports curriculum design and quality assurance in CSSD training programs.