Cdiff.

[IdianaCNA1993]

At my facility there is always someone who has Cdiff or a suspected case of Cdiff. They get a little end table sat out side there door with masks, gowns, gloves, and bleach whipes. They also get there own private room. Well when I first started they told me Cdiff is in the stool and that wearing gloves should be fine and washing my hands afterwords, I have seen lots of nurses, aides, and RTs do it so I thought it must not be that serious. I was told that its not that seriouse in the healthy and since I dont have my gallbladder that it was less likely for me to contract it any way. And that you have to be on an antibiotic to develope symptoms.

Well guess who has had painful diarreah for the past 2-3 weeks and thought nothing of it till yesterday and the day before when they was going everytime they moved, tried to pass gas, no more than ten minutes after eating, and had really bad stomach cramps, wanted to puke but couldnt and had hot flashes, plus has went over like 20 times wednesday and it was strait water and mucous and smelt so foul they almost wanted to puke and had a loss of appetite? Thats right ding ding ding this lucky SOB!

So after starting to feel weak, drinking a power aide and then running to DQ to get my mom dinner and me a shake and then going back home. I decided that after doing my research to go to the ER. On the way there I came short of almost rear ending someone because I felt so bad and weak that my foot wasnt applying enough pressure to the break. So I check in to the front desk they almost laughed when I said "I think I need to be checked for Cdiff" the nurse almost laughed too when she came out and asked why are we seeing you today and that it will be about 10 minutes. I almost wanted to say "Sorry I know how to use a computer and I work around it 2 days out of the week and that I have the common sense to put two and two together" but thats not the point I thought that I would share that. Any way so they take my temp and it was 99.2 and my blood presure was really high, normally it runs on the low side. The nurse aksed me what was going on I told her all of the thinks that I listed above in the last paragraph. Her smile sort of went to a straight "***" look. Then the doctor came in and he's a really nice doctor to. He looked me over and said "well with what you told us Im going to wirte you a couple of prescriptions one to slow down the diareah and an anti-biotic to treat Cdiff plus Im going to have the lab send you home with the stuff to collect the cultures, but its going to take about 3 weeks to find out because I have a few more people who may have it also." then I asked thinking well if I do have it and got it form a resident at the nursing home should I even be going to work? So I asked. he replied "You should be fine to go to work If you dont have a fever and you aren't in pain and you are drinking lots of fluids."

So is that true should I be going to work if I have a probable case of Cdiff? I always wash my hands after I use the restroom.

[mindyfromcali]

Well if the doctor says it's ok, then it's ok. I would probably tell my employer, though, just to be safe. Just as a note, you're supposed to wear gown and gloves when dealing with people who have Cdiff and wash your hands thoroughly (no alcohol-based hand sand sanitizer) to be thoroughly clean and not get it or spread it. That blows you got it

I make it a policy to follow contact precautions if they have diarrhea all the time and aren't hooked up to a G-tube or NG-tube just in case. It has a very distinct smell, too, that most CNAs and nurses know by smell once you've been around it enough.

[loriangel14, RN]

Always gown,glove and wash your hands when caring for someone with c diff.Not having your gall bladder has nothing to do with it and you don't have to be on antibiotics to have symptoms.You need to let your employer know you are c diff positive and let them decide if you should be at work.I wouldn't think you should be.

[IdianaCNA1993]

Its not confirmed yet though the doctor is just going off what I said I still have to produce a sample and take it back to the hospital.

[student forever]

I am sorry about your getting that. I too have worked with several that have had c-diff and the bad thing is they aren't tested right away, just like you, so that we could be suseptible without knowing it. I do gown up and often mask, with every pt that has it. It slows you down but I gown up every time, and double or triple glove.