NH with no infection control

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I am a CNA at a pretty good nursing home.....or so I thought. I have been here since September and I have really been impressed with how they care about the staff and residents. However, a resident on my unit has just contracted cdiff....and they are not providing us the kind of PPE we need. I asked a nurse and she gave me that "Universal Precautions" answer.....but I've always been taught that for cdiff you must gown/glove/mask. That's how it's been at every other facility I've worked. I asked the nurse if we are supposed to be wearing gowns in there and she said, "That's your choice." There are only masks sitting on a dresser INSIDE the room. (So you have to cross the doorway barrier just to get your mask on) There are no gowns anywhere to be found....if I want one I have to ask for it. There's no sign on the door. There are no biohazard bins in the room. The soiled trash and linen go in with the regular trash and linen!! I totally get the "universal precautions" thing but cdiff is a spore.....therefore it gets on your uniform and everywhere else. My question to allnurses is this: is there some kind of new protocol I'm not aware of regarding cdiff? I'm still fairly new here and don't want to cause issues by bringing it up. Have any of you worked at a NH that had this same protocol? Is it to protect patient dignity or something? She's in a private room so they didn't have to move anyone out......but I am totally taken aback by this "policy". I feel like DHEC would be having a field day with this. I love this place but I'm very concerned.....not so much about me contracting it but I don't want this coming home to my family. Is it a good idea to blow some whistles? Thanks for any and all advice :)

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

No way in hades would I go in w/o gowns/gloves...or masks if providing incontinence care in bed (have had some near-hits with powerful "sharts.") It's putting other residents at risk!! Plus yourself and your family. No way. And yes, I would escalate it.

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Definitely NOT okay. If I were you I would consider doing an anonymous report to OSHA. This is a problem that needs to be addressed.

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https://www.nhqualitycampaign.org/files/EarlyID_Assessment.pdf

Hells to the no. Here's the link to CDC site with info.

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