Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

Contact precautions are the most appropriate initial infection control measure for a patient suspected of having C. difficile infection. C. difficile spores can survive on surfaces for extended periods and are resistant to many common disinfectants. Contact precautions include wearing gloves and gowns when entering the patient's room and using dedicated or disposable equipment. This helps prevent the spread of C. difficile to other patients and healthcare workers.

Standard precautions, while always important, are not sufficient for C. difficile. Droplet precautions are used for respiratory infections, which is not the primary concern here. Airborne precautions with N95 masks are used for diseases like tuberculosis, not C. difficile.