Best Practices in Caring for Patients Infected With Clostridium difficile

Q: What is the isolation protocol for patients infected with Clostridium difficile? How long should routine cultures be done once a patient has a confirmed diagnosis? Any special nursing interventions or treatment for this diagnosis? What is best practice in caring for these patients?

A: Susan Smith, aprn, dnp, acns-bc, and Jennifer Taylor, rn, msn, reply:

The number of C difficile infections (CDIs) has doubled from 2000 to 2009, and C difficile now rivals methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as the most frequent cause of health care–associated infection in the United States.¹  It is the most common cause of health care–associated diarrhea and accounts for 15% to 25% of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.^2,3  Costs are estimated to be more than $1.3 billion per year.²  For many reasons, CDI has captured the interest of both insurers and the public. Beginning in 2017, the Centers...