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Infection in the Nursing Home Resident

Aka: Infection in the Nursing Home Resident

See Also
1. Pneumonia in the Nursing Home
Symptoms
1. Functional Decline
2. Altered Level of Consciousness
3. Confusion or Delirium
4. Decreased Appetite
5. Incontinence
6. Behavior Change
7. Falls
Signs: Fever
1. Single Temperature >100.0 F (37.8 C)
2. Repeated Oral Temperatures >99.0 F (37.2 C)
3. Repeated Rectal Temperatures >99.5 F (37.5 C)
4. Increase in Temperature > 2.0 F (1.1 C)
Labs: Initial Testing
1. Complete Blood Count with platelets and differential
  1. White Blood Cell count >14,000 cells/mm3 or
  2. Total Band Neutrophil Count >1500 cells/mm3 (or 6%)
Labs: As indicated
1. Urinalysis and Urine Culture
2. Influenza nasal swab
3. Gastrointestinal illness
  1. Giardia Antigen
  2. Clostridium difficile Toxin
Imaging: As Indicated
1. Chest XRay
Management
1. See Pneumonia in the Nursing Home
2. Urinary Tract Infection
  1. Treat for 7 days in women (10-14 days for men)
Precautions
1. Review Advanced Directives prior to evaluation and treatment

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 12/10/2011 and last published on 5/18/2012.

This is one of 5740 pages in the Family Practice Notebook