C Diff Resources 2
Posted by Patti on May 18th, 2006 / 
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How can C. difficile-associated disease be prevented in hospitals and other healthcare settings?
* Use antibiotics judiciously
* Use Contact Precautions: for patients with known or suspected C. difficile-associated disease:
o Place these patients in private rooms.If private rooms are not available, these patients can be placed in rooms (cohorted) with other patients with C. difficile-associated disease.
o Perform Hand Hygiene using either an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
+ If your institution experiences an outbreak, consider using only soap and water for hand hygiene when caring for patients with C. difficile-associated disease; alcohol-based hand rubs may not be as effective against spore-forming bacteria.
o Use gloves when entering patients’ rooms and during patient care.
o Use gowns if soiling of clothes is likely.
o Dedicate equipment whenever possible.
o CONTINUE THESE PRECAUTIONS UNTIL DIARRHEA CEASES
* Implement an environmental cleaning and disinfection strategy:
o Ensure adequate cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces and reusable devices, especially items likely to be contaminated with feces and surfaces that are touched frequently.
o Use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered hypochlorite-based disinfectant for environmental surface disinfection after cleaning in accordance with label instructions; generic sources of hypochlorite (e.g., household chlorine bleach) also may be appropriately diluted and used. (Note: alcohol-based disinfectants are not effective against C. difficile and should not be used to disinfect environmental surfaces.)
o Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for disinfection of endoscopes and other devices
o Infection control practices in long term care and home health settings are similar to those practices taken in traditional health-care settings
