A 75-year-old male presents to the emergency department with complaints of severe diarrhea following a recent hospitalization where he received antibiotics for a urinary tract infection. He appears dehydrated and reports abdominal cramping. Which intervention is the most appropriate initial step in managing his condition?
Administer an anti-diarrheal medication
Initiate contact precautions and collect a stool sample for testing
Increase fluid intake and reassess in 24 hours
Immediately begin treatment with another course of antibiotics
The appropriate initial step for a patient presenting with symptoms suggestive of C. difficile infection is to initiate contact precautions and collect a stool sample for testing. This prevents the spread of the bacteria and confirms the diagnosis, allowing for specific treatment. Administering further antibiotics without testing may worsen the condition if wrongly selected, hydrating the patient while necessary, doesn’t address the underlying cause directly at this point, and monitoring vital signs, while important, is not specific enough as an initial intervention for suspected C. difficile.
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BCEN CEN
Environment and Toxicology Emergencies, and Communicable Diseases
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