What are standard precautions and when are they used?

• A. Standard precautions are infection prevention practices applied to all patients to prevent transmission of pathogens via blood, body fluids, and contact with non-intact skin or mucous membranes.
• B. They are used only for patients with known infections.
• C. They relate to patient privacy and confidentiality.
• D. They involve airborne isolation for all.

Answer: (A)

Standard precautions are the baseline infection prevention practices used with all patients to prevent transmission of pathogens that can be spread through blood, body fluids, and contact with non-intact skin or mucous membranes. This means consistent hand hygiene, appropriate use of gloves, gowns when needed, and masks or eye protection if splashes or respiratory secretions might be involved, along with safe handling of needles and proper cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment. Because infections may be present or not, these precautions are applied to everyone, not just those with known infections. They are separate from airborne isolation measures, which are used only when a patient has or is suspected to have an airborne-level threat. They also aren’t about privacy or confidentiality.