A new study – just published in Nursing Research – has uncovered concerning disparities in patient outcomes, specifically related to nursing care, within hospitals that predominantly serve Black communities. The research, which analyzed data from over 3,000 hospitals across the United States, reveals that these Black-serving hospitals (BSHs) exhibit significantly higher rates of specific adverse patient events.

C. difficile (C. diff) is one of the most common and contagious hospital-acquired infections. Research has found that C. diff spreads more than three times more than previously thought. C. diff can spread covertly from surface to surface and remain undetected for weeks until it infects a patient. The results could spur more rigorous preventive measures that stop hidden spread of the disease.