C-Diff Question

[Aneroo]

Hey! Although the micro class at the school I graduated from is an excellent one that actually covers diseases and meds, the class I took was horrible (took it at another school, then transferred).

I've always heard that once you smelled c-diff stools, you would never forget them- what does it smell like? Reason I ask is, I had a pt last night, being admitted. She had the most foul-smelling stools I have ever smelled. It smelled like rotten eggs, and (TMI) was liquidy and greenish-black. I have never cared for a c-diff pt, and was wondering if this was it. Thanks! -Andrea

[nubins397]

:roll

Sheesh!! Thanks a lot, pp! I just nose sprayed my keyboard with the fierce grape gatorade I'm drinking!! LOL!

I think c-diff stool has a sweet and creamy ordor to it. Seriously.

you are kidding, right?

[meintheUSA]

As a CNA, we can usually tell the charge nurse WHEN to have stool testing done. Only have had c-diff 3xs in present nursing home I work in, but the CNA nose caught it... LOL.... FOUL.....

[shopgal, RN]

I am well versed in C-diff, it seems like all of our pts come back from the hosp with it and then if they have it, no matter how many times we explain handwashing and contact isolation to the CNAs, magically, the roommate always ends up with it. As my co-worker always says, "That room smells like the bottom of a litter box," I think that she is right. It is usually mucusy and yellowish, sometimes olive green, more of a sweet smell, is your stomach turning yet? But yes, once you've smelled it, you will always recognize it, bring on the flagyl and vanco! (and rifampin if you're lucky!) :chuckle

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

Yes to all to all the above, but it can have an dark orangy colour to it and is difficult to clean off legs and bottoms. I think it has a nasty sweet smell, which burns your nose when you sniff up, :chuckle if you know what I mean

[begalli]

you are kidding, right?

I was serious.

Hey, I didn't say I liked it!

:chuckle

[goingCOASTAL]

One person mentioned the "mucousy" appearance. This is a good way to tell the difference between C-Diff and GI bleed, especially if the patient is "total care." If you're the one doing the cleaning, C-Diff stools are quite easy to clean, while bloody stools stain more and can actually vary in consistency -- sometimes they're smeary.

"Stools, wonderful stools!" (sang to the tune of "food wonderful food" - Oliver Twist)

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I think the ability to identify certain things comes from experience, whatever way you want to describe it. But you see, everyone has a different way to describe these things so until you actually get a pos test and have to do the clean up its hard to put 2 & 2 together.

C-diff, GI bleed, MRSA drainage after a while the tests just become a technicality.

[JVanRN]

There is something wrong with the fact that I'm sitting here eating my lunch trying to come up with how c-diff stool smells to me and reading everyone else's responses.

I guess to me it smells kind of like rotting fish.

[mandykal, ADN, RN]

Humm...I know it's against the policy but behind closed doors.....I use SHAVING CREAM only to get the chunks....(I can't believe I'm writing this)...Anyways, shaving cream somehow kills the smell, and after you get all the good stuff out....thats when I use periwash or soap and water....Never fails.

[Aneroo, LPN]

Interesting discussion a while back about shaving cream and how it works to clean that well:

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95687&highlight=shaving+cream

[mommatrauma, RN]

we use shaving cream all the time...works wonders for really caked on yuckies...and speaking of smells...pseudamonis...now THERE is an odor!!