Four C-Diff patients in one patient room - Yuck!

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

I work at a facility that has serveral 4-bed patient rooms on the med/surg floors. I floated to the med/surg unit the other night and I was caring for a patient in contact Isolation for C-Diff, but the patient was in "Isolation" with three other c-diff patients in the 4-bed room. How is this even possible or legal? It is beyond unsanitary and its a superstrain waiting to happen. Did i also mention that the bathroom was sharred with another 4-bed patient room this time with HEALTHY NON C-DIFF PATIENTS!!! Even if they weren't in "Isolation" the thought of 8 random strangers sharring one toilet is vile and disgusting.

Specializes in Adult Stem Cell/Oncology.

That's horrible! I helped take care of a baby with C. diff a couple of weeks ago and he was in a private room, and I had to wear gloves, a gown, and a mask to go into his room!

And yes, the thought of eight patients sharing one bathroom in the hospital is repulsive! If any of the C. diff patients don't wash their hands, they'll be spreading bacteria all over the place..... and not to mention the fact that they have to share a toilet! I wonder how long it'll take until all eight have C. diff? So unsafe! :angryfire

Specializes in Cardiothoracic Transplant Telemetry.
That's horrible! I helped take care of a baby with C. diff a couple of weeks ago and he was in a private room, and I had to wear gloves, a gown, and a mask to go into his room!

And yes, the thought of eight patients sharing one bathroom in the hospital is repulsive! If any of the C. diff patients don't wash their hands, they'll be spreading bacteria all over the place..... and not to mention the fact that they have to share a toilet! I wonder how long it'll take until all eight have C. diff? So unsafe! :angryfire

As C. diff spreads spores, the infected patients really don't have to fail to wash their hands to spread it. The spores have probably aerosolized (sp) and are all over that bathroom. I can understand rooming all of the infected patients together as gross as that is, but it is wrong to make uninfected patients use the same toilet!

Specializes in Critical Care.

This is exactly why private rooms should be the standard of care for any acute admission. Between infection control and HIPAA shared rooms and facilities are disasters waiting to happen.

Specializes in ICU, PACU, Cath Lab.

And exaclty why I am so happy we are all private rooms!! YUCK!

Specializes in Intensive Care and Cardiology.

If a pt. at my hospital has C-Diff they automatically get a private room and isolation cart :)

I work at a facility that has serveral 4-bed patient rooms on the med/surg floors. I floated to the med/surg unit the other night and I was caring for a patient in contact Isolation for C-Diff, but the patient was in "Isolation" with three other c-diff patients in the 4-bed room. How is this even possible or legal? It is beyond unsanitary and its a superstrain waiting to happen. Did i also mention that the bathroom was sharred with another 4-bed patient room this time with HEALTHY NON C-DIFF PATIENTS!!! Even if they weren't in "Isolation" the thought of 8 random strangers sharring one toilet is vile and disgusting.

I was just wondering if the facility is a really old building?

Didn't it use to be common in older buildings to have these 4 bed wards?

The old old hospital building we have in my town, had some rooms that didn't even have a toilet!!

You had to carry bedpans or bedside commodes down the hall to empty/clean them.

That building is no longer in use as a hospital.

We have a newer more up to date hospital now.

Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.
I was just wondering if the facility is a really old building?

Didn't it use to be common in older buildings to have these 4 bed wards?

The old old hospital building we have in my town, had some rooms that didn't even have a toilet!!

You had to carry bedpans or bedside commodes down the hall to empty/clean them.

That building is no longer in use as a hospital.

We have a newer more up to date hospital now.

This hospital has an old building (built in the 1950's, I think) and a newer 5 story patient tower that was built in 1998. The unit I work on is in the new tower and features 18 private and 2 semi-private rooms per floor. I rarely have to float and so when I did, I had to go to Med-Surg on the old building. That unit had four 4-bed rooms, two 3-bed rooms, and 10 semi-private rooms. It was disgusting and dirty. Knock it down and rebuild a new wing:no:

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