C. Diff Research Paper

587 Words2 Pages

Clostridium Difficile, also known in the medical community as C. diff, is a multi-drug resistant organism that can cause symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to life threatening kidney failure. Typically known to only affect older adults who are being cared for in a hospital or long-term care facility and who had recently been taking antibiotic mediations, C. diff is shown to be increasing in younger, healthier individuals who have no previous antibiotic use or health care setting exposure. As nurses the idea that we could be exposing patients to C. diff is alarming.
C. diff can be acquired in two ways, by direct contact with the C. diff organism or through anti-biotic therapy that leads to an overgrowth of C. difficile. Recently, a newer, …show more content…

Diff presents with many symptoms but the most common is mild to moderate non-bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include cramping in the lower abdomen, vomiting, colitis, abdominal distention, and systemic complications including sepsis, electrolyte imbalance and hypotension.
One simple way that nurses can help to stop the spread of C. diff is by ensuring that hand hygiene is taken seriously. It has been shown that alcohol-based hand rubs may be ineffective against the C. difficile spores. This means that a nurse’s routines may not focus as much on “gelling in and gelling out” but on “gelling in, gelling out and washing.” Hands should be washed with an antimicrobial soap for at least 15 seconds, but 30 seconds is preferable. It’s also important that the nurse takes the time to educate the patients and the patients family members about the importance of hand hygiene and proper technique.
Contact isolation techniques are required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for patients that present with C. diff. In her article titled “ Clostridium difficile – Associated Disease : Diagnosis, Prevention, Treatment, and Nursing Care, Maria Pelleschi states, “ All persons entering the patient’s room, including the patient’s family members, must use protective gowns and gloves. Use of dedicated equipment such as thermometers and stethoscopes is also

Open Document