# What is (possibly) going on in this medical hypothetical?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 17, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768 "2014-09-17T21:48:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768/1 "2014-09-17T21:48:50Z")

</div>

I’m just curious. A client in the nursing home has a “See nursing staff before entering” and the staff has to glove/gown before entering. (Not sure if they are wearing masks but I think so.  
My initial thought was MRSA but then I saw the bright bluish light they have set up over the bed. I don’t even know what it is. I worked in a hospital (surgery, though) and in a nursing home years ago but I never saw this sort of set up.  
Speculation?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768/2 "2014-09-17T22:45:00Z")

</div>

Sounds like the patient has _C. difficile_ infection, or “C diff”. Easily spread by staff to other patients, so gowns and gloves are prudent.

Is the blue light on when the patient is there? If not it’s probably uv, for infection control.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768/3 "2014-09-17T22:49:58Z")

</div>

That is considered ‘contact precautions’ and would apply to patients with a variety of different ailments, including MRSA or C-Diff among others.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768/4 "2014-09-17T22:59:08Z")

</div>

Here’s an article about using uv to fight c diff.

[http://rochester.twcnews.com/content/news/576760/hospitals-test-new-uv-light-machines-to-fight-c--diff-infections/](http://rochester.twcnews.com/content/news/576760/hospitals-test-new-uv-light-machines-to-fight-c--diff-infections/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-possibly-going-on-in-this-medical-hypothetical/698768/5 "2014-09-17T23:08:30Z")

</div>

Hmmm. I’m not sure if she is in there when the light was on; I assumed so because it’s early morning and she wouldn’t be off anywhere else. C-Diff would make sense; she seemed to get pretty sick pretty quickly. I hadn’t seen it treated in a facility. Interesting; thanks for the link!