C-Diff in Spec. Ed student

Arnu · Mar 13, 2012

In order for them to request a home tutor they would first need a dr's note saying he's not to be at school and I believe it has to be so many days that they are out for a tutor to happen. Wouldn't the principal be the one to organize all this (once the note is brought in and you are informed).

lissaq10 · Mar 13, 2012

I should add that the school would like him to be in school, parents are just the ones that area adamant that he is not in school. How do you handle c-diff in school? Just normal precautions?

Arnu · Mar 13, 2012

Its important what his dr's think. just because his parents don't want him in school that doesn't mean the school needs to provide teachers and tutors for home. If the Dr. writes a note or calls the school saying he's NOT to be in school for X amount of days and those days surpass the 'limit' and a tutor is needed THEN the school should provide it, not just on what the parents want.

I've never delt with C-diff so I can't really comment on c-diff in a school setting.

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2012

I am not a school nurse so take my words with a grain of salt.. C-diff is very contagious and hospital's place them on isolation. We must gown and glove before entering the room. We MUST wash our hands after dealing with anything in the room because C-Diff is a spore and the hand sanitizers do nothing against them. If this is a true case of C-diff in a special needs student, I would be very worried about transmission to the other students and staff..

I would have the parents bring in the note from the DR stating how many days the child "should" be out of school and state the DX as well as check your school's policy or the counties policy on C-Diff if it is a true case.

Flo., BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2012

I work in a spec ed school now and one of our kids has a bad case of c-diff. Accoridng to school policy she should be at home but thanks to school politics and a note from the infectious control doc she is at school. And its a mess. We don't have the proper PPE to be taking care of her and the TAs don't understand the importance of wearing gloves or the proper disinfecting technique.

The best place for a kid with c-diff is at home. Safest for the other students and staff. Plus I think the kid would be more comfortable.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 13, 2012

http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/cdiff/Cdiff_tagged.pdf

CDC - C diff Q and As - HAI

Imwould think for everyones sake the child should be at home to prevent the spread and the child from being teased for the smell is unique to C-diff. These links will help

Jolie, BSN · Mar 13, 2012

C diff does not require isolation @ home if the student is capable of controlling his bowels, or there is a mechanism in place to carry out isolation precautions, coupled with custodial support.

This involves a thorough knowledge of the student's capabilities regarding toileting and handwashing, knowledge of the likelihood of explosive or uncontrollable bowel movements, capability to train staff in assisting the student to use the restroom and wash hands or capability to train staff in proper isolation precautions, as well as training of the custodial staff on routine cleaning and disinfection techniques.

In all probability, you already have students and/or staff members in your building with c-diff infection. You just don't know it :)

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Mar 14, 2012

We don't share bathrooms if someone has CDiff. The spores go everywhere. I wouldn't want my kids sharing a bathroom with someone with CDiff.

ChristinP · Mar 14, 2012

It may be recommended but, family members do not have to use isolation precautions when living with patients with c-diff, mrsa, etc - although visiting nurses or CNA, etc. who enter the home do.

An MD working with the school nurse can usually help develop a plan to help with this situation. The school nurse should let the MD know of the schools limitations and lack of appropriate PPE if that is the case.

Contact the local health department for rules and regulations applying to reportable illnesses and exclusions. I work in a high school health room and am an employee of the health dept. our sup will ask for a note from the MD. Most cases a student or staff member cannot be excluded if the MD refuses and the school must comply. The childs parents might be able to convince the MD to allow the child to stay home while u/c due to his limited capabilities.

Unfortunately, we are not always aware of a health issue/communicable disease that a student or staff member may have in our building. People are not always honest and will hide the illness fearing others reactions. We recently had a staff member with shingles, a pregnant co-worker developed chicken pox soon after. We could not exclude the staff with shingles since he had a return to work notice.

PetsToPeople · Mar 14, 2012

"It may be recommended but, family members do not have to use isolation precautions when living with patients with c-diff, mrsa, etc"

They may not have to use isolation precautions but they ABSOLUTELY be advised on using standard precautions that they may not necessarily be using at home!

wooh, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2012

It requires a major decontamination in the hospital setting, but at school I'm sure it's not contagious at all... :lol2: