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NCLEX · General

A nurse is caring for a client with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). Which infection control measure is essential?

Correct answer

Use contact precautions and wash hands with soap and water (alcohol-based sanitizer does not kill C. diff spores)

  1. A Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer only
  2. B Use contact precautions and wash hands with soap and water (alcohol-based sanitizer does not kill C. diff spores)
  3. C No special precautions needed
  4. D Use airborne precautions

Why this is the answer

For C. DIFFICILE (C. diff — causes severe diarrhea, spread by spores): use CONTACT PRECAUTIONS (gown and gloves) AND wash hands with SOAP AND WATER — because alcohol-based hand sanitizer does NOT kill C. diff SPORES (the mechanical action of soap and water physically removes them). NCLEX safe care/infection control. Also: dedicated/disposable equipment; clean the environment with a sporicidal agent (bleach-based); private room. KEY POINT: C. diff (and other spore-formers) is the exception to the 'alcohol sanitizer is fine' rule — you MUST use soap and water. Norovirus is similar (soap and water preferred). Knowing that C. diff requires soap-and-water handwashing (not alcohol gel) plus contact precautions is a heavily tested NCLEX concept.
Source: NCLEX Safe Care — C. diff Precautions

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