Standard precautions include which of the following?

Standard precautions include which of the following?

• A. Hand hygiene only
• B. Hand hygiene and PPE only
• C. Respiratory hygiene only
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Standard precautions require hand hygiene, PPE, and respiratory hygiene as baseline measures to prevent transmission in every patient encounter. Hand hygiene reduces the spread of organisms via hands. PPE protects you and the patient when exposure to blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin is possible. Respiratory hygiene or cough etiquette helps prevent the spread of infections through droplets in settings where people gather. Because all three components target different routes of transmission, the best choice is including all of them together. Relying on only one or two aspects leaves other transmission pathways unaddressed.

Standard precautions require hand hygiene, PPE, and respiratory hygiene as baseline measures to prevent transmission in every patient encounter. Hand hygiene reduces the spread of organisms via hands. PPE protects you and the patient when exposure to blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin is possible. Respiratory hygiene or cough etiquette helps prevent the spread of infections through droplets in settings where people gather. Because all three components target different routes of transmission, the best choice is including all of them together. Relying on only one or two aspects leaves other transmission pathways unaddressed.