vanc=CDiff?

[MrsWampthang, BSN, RN]

Anyone else noticed that when a patient is on vanc for any length of time, they end up getting Cdiff? Now this patient who wasn't in isolation is, and you have to gown/glove whenever you're in the room. It is such a PIA! I see so many patients on polyATBS and they seem to just keep getting infections anyway' VRE, MRSA, Acincobacter just to name a few. It's getting really frustrating, especially when the patient has several ATBS IV that are all supposed to be hung at the same time! Sorry about this post. Guess I'm just venting a little. Anyone else as frustrated as I am?

Pam

[Franksters]

I know what you mean. We have more and more patients ending up in isolation. My goal has become, "Get the patient discharged ASAP before we give them something".

[bigjay]

C-diff is pretty much endemic is hospitals. Anti-biotic therapy tends to decimate the body's normal flora which leaves it open to invasion by opportunistic organisms like C-diff. Without doing a lit search I can't be sure but I think Vanco leaves one especially vulnerable to it.

Proper handwashing for staff, patients and families is the most effective way of preventing these types of infections but in a hospital setting where c-diff spores are all over the place, it's hard to completely prevent it.