Hospital’s nurse-driven protocol reduces C. difficile infections by 90%

Nursing leaders on an inpatient nephrology unit at Henry Ford Hospital implemented protocol changes that reduced hospital-acquired Clostridoides difficile infections by 90%. Before the changes, the Detroit-based hospital nephrology unit recorded a hospital-onset C.diff infection rate of 34 per 10,000 patient days between January and April 2023, well above the hospital average of 3.8, the authors report in NEJM Catalyst. Nursing leaders and hospital teams launched a coordinated intervention entailing multidisciplinary cleaning to bleach-clean shared equipment and high-touch surfaces. Infection prevention and unit leadership led interactive education using case studies to highlight missed opportunities. Staff received reference cards outlining C.diff protocol. A culture shift enforced accountability around personal protective equipment and infection control peer coaching. The authors say other units can adapt their model. (MedPage Today article, 8/19/26)