Recognizing and managing Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea poses a significant physical risk and cost to the recovery of hospitalized older adults. C. difficile is responsible for 75% or more of the diarrhea-associated enteric infections acquired during a hospital stay (Gerding, Johnson, Peterson, Mulligan, & Silva, 1995). C. difficile is easily spread by direct or indirect contact, therefore placing other patients at great risk for contamination by this organism. Nursing plays a significant role in early identification, management, and control of the spread of this potentially lethal infection.
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