Essentially, Clostridium difficile can still be transmitted through high-touch areas within healthcare facilities. Durovic et al. (2018) acknowledge that Clostridium difficile refers to a healthcare-related pathogen and should be prevented by various infection control measures. Therefore, it is crucial to initiate extended cleaning and disinfection procedures in the healthcare settings regardless of symptomatic carriers’ location (Durovic et al., 2018). Important to add that the preventive measures, such as cleaning high-touch surface areas, will significantly reduce the possibility of patients getting infected by Clostridium difficile. Durovic et al. (2018) also emphasize that hands may become contaminated after direct contact with symptomatic patients or with asymptomatic carriers of Clostridium difficile, as well as after touching contaminated areas. Thus, disinfection of high-touch areas with sporicidal agents, assigning dedicated sanitary installations, and increasing usual precautions should be implemented (Durovic et al., 2018). Consequently, it is vital to educate and inform patients and staff on the importance of cleaning routines. Moreover, I completely agree that if you want to become an ICU nurse, you must take extra care in disinfecting patients’ rooms to prevent the Clostridium difficile spread.
Additionally, another way to prevent the infection spread can be combined with disinfection of the most frequent touch areas. Abad et al. (2020) suggest that another strategy that contributes to the reduction in C. difficile infections in immunocompromised patients is cohorting of patients, staff, or both. According to Abad et al. (2020, p. 706), cohorting refers to “the creation of a dedicated ward or separate unit or just sectioning off a part of the unit.” Essentially, cohorting is a highly effective method to control the spread of the infection.
References
Abad, C. L., Barker, A. K., & Safdar, N. (2020). A systematic review of the effectiveness of cohorting to reduce transmission of healthcare-associated C. difficile and multidrug-resistant organisms. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 41(6), 691-709.
Durovic, A., Widmer, A. F., & Tschudin-Sutter, S. (2018). New insights into transmission of Clostridium difficile infection—narrative review. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 24(5), 483–492.