Clostridioides difficile nurse driven protocol: A cautionary tale

Am J Infect Control. 2020 Jan;48(1):108-111. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2019.06.010. Epub 2019 Jul 27.

Abstract

In a 12-month study, a nurse driven protocol was implemented at a tertiary academic medical center. The purpose of the nurse driven protocol was to identify community-onset Clostridioides difficile infections, expeditiously isolate patients with presumed C difficile diarrheal illness, and prevent transmission while simultaneously decreasing the incidence of hospital-onset C difficile. The overall adherence to fidelity of the protocol was poor and failed to have a significant impact on infection rates.

Keywords: Antibiotic stewardship; C difficile; Diagnostic stewardship; Infection prevention.

MeSH terms

  • Academic Medical Centers
  • Clostridioides difficile
  • Clostridium Infections / microbiology
  • Clostridium Infections / nursing*
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control*
  • Diarrhea / microbiology
  • Diarrhea / nursing*
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
  • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / nursing*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infection Control / organization & administration*
  • Nursing Service, Hospital
  • Patient Isolation