Which infection control practices are part of standard precautions?

• A. Hand hygiene, gloves, eye protection, mask or face shield, and PPE as appropriate
• B. Only hand hygiene
• C. Only gloves
• D. Hand hygiene and a respirator only

Answer: (A)

Standard precautions require using protective barriers and hygiene to prevent transmission during every patient interaction. The key idea is to treat all patients as potentially infectious and to apply the appropriate level of PPE based on the exposure you anticipate. Hand hygiene is fundamental because hands are the most common route of transmission, so washing or sanitizing before touching a patient and after removing gloves is essential. Gloves provide a barrier when you expect contact with blood, bodily fluids, or contaminated surfaces, and they must be changed between patients and whenever they are compromised. Eye protection and a mask or face shield are used whenever there’s a risk of splashes, sprays, or droplets to the eyes, nose, or mouth. PPE as appropriate covers any additional barriers you might need, such as gowns or aprons, when clothing could become contaminated. Together, these practices reduce the chance of spreading infections and are applied consistently to every patient encounter.