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CVCC: Central Venous Catheter Care

CVCC is High Impact Intervention No2 in the DoH Saving Lives: a delivery programme to reduce Healthcare Associated Infections including MRSA. Details of the intervention can be found on the DoH website.

C-diff: Clostridium Difficile

C-diff usually is not harmful in the patients that have it in their GI tract. However, under certain circumstances, C-diff can grow out of control in the GI tract. This overgrowth of C-diff produces toxins within the GI tract that result in severe infectious diarrhoea and inflammation of the large intestine (colitis). It is when these things occur that C. diff goes from normal, harmless GI flora to dangerous infectious organism. In fact, C. diff is the most common cause of hospital-associated diarrhoea.

CPAP: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

CPAP refers to a medical device used primarily for the treatment of Sleep Apnoea, although it may also be employed to transition patients in hospitals from breathing tubes, or intubation, to regular breathing. Those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or other breathing disorders may also use a CPAP at night