C. Difficile Contact Precautions

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) spreads primarily by the fecal-oral route. Its spores can leave the patient in stool and travel on hands, clothing, equipment, commodes, bed rails, and other frequently touched surfaces. Contact Precautions interrupt that chain before spores reach another patient or the healthcare worker’s hands. The precaution is required for a patient with suspected CDI as well as confirmed CDI. Waiting for a test result creates an avoidable exposure opportunity. The practical nursing question is not only, “Does this patient have CDI?” It is, “Could this diarrhea represent CDI, and what must I do now to prevent transmission while the concern is assessed?” Contact Precautions protect the patient’s roommates, other patients, visitors, and staff. They do not replace assessment or treatment of the underlying illness.