Which patient should be assigned to a private room?

Assigning a patient with Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) to a private room is crucial due to the highly contagious nature of the infection. C. difficile is a bacterium that can cause severe diarrhea and colitis, with the potential to spread through spores that can survive on surfaces for extended periods. Placing this patient in a private room helps to prevent the transmission of the infection to other patients, especially since C. difficile can easily spread through contact when proper hand hygiene or environmental cleaning is not performed.

In a clinical setting, isolation practices are designed to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. This includes the need for enhanced cleaning protocols and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for a patient with C. difficile. Hospital policies typically dictate that patients infected with such conditions should be managed in isolation to safeguard the health of other patients and staff.