Standard precautions are meant to reduce the risk of transmission of bloodborne and other pathogens from both recognized and unrecognized sources . They are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used, as a minimum, in the care of all patients.
What is the most important standard precaution?
Hand hygiene is the most important measure to prevent the spread of infections among patients and DHCP.
Why universal precautions are important?
Universal precautions are intended to prevent parenteral, mucous membrane, and nonintact skin exposures of health-care workers to bloodborne pathogens . In addition, immunization with HBV vaccine is recommended as an important adjunct to universal precautions for health-care workers who have exposures to blood (3,4).
What is the purpose and principles of standard precautions?
Standard precautions are a set of infection control practices used to prevent transmission of diseases that can be acquired by contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin (including rashes), and mucous membranes.
What PPE is used for standard precautions?
Standard precautions consist of the following practices: hand hygiene before and after all patient contact. the use of personal protective equipment, which may include gloves, impermeable gowns, plastic aprons, masks, face shields and eye protection . the safe use and disposal of sharps.
What are the 5 types of precautions?
- Contact Precautions. ...
- Droplet Precautions. ...
- Airborne Precautions. ...
- Eye Protection.
What is the universal precaution trying to prevent?
Universal precautions are intended to prevent parenteral, mucous membrane, and nonintact skin exposures of health-care workers to bloodborne pathogens .
What are universal safety precautions?
Universal Precautions. Use barrier protection at all times . Use gloves for protection when working with or around blood and body fluids. Change glove between patients. Use glasses, goggles, masks, shields, and waterproof gowns/aprons to protect face from splashes.
What are the 3 universal precautions?
- Using disposable gloves and other protective barriers while examining all patients and while handling needles, scalpels, and other sharp instruments.
- Washing hands and other skin surfaces that are contaminated with blood or body fluids immediately after a procedure or examination.
What are the 3 methods of infection control?
- hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
- the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- the safe use and disposal of sharps.
- routine environmental cleaning.
- incorporation of safe practices for handling blood, body fluids and secretions as well as excretions [91].
What is the difference between universal and standard precautions?
The term universal precautions refers to the concept that all blood and bloody body fluids should be treated as infectious because patients with bloodborne infections can be asymptomatic or unaware they are infected. ... Standard precautions must be used in the care of all patients , regardless of their infection status.
What are the minimum infection control precautions?
Standard precautions include: hand hygiene , use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe injection practices, safe handling of potentially contaminated equipment or surfaces in the patient environment and respiratory hygiene /cough etiquette.
What are airborne precautions?
Airborne precautions are required to protect against airborne transmission of infectious agents . Diseases requiring airborne precautions include, but are not limited to: Measles, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Varicella (chickenpox), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
What are the basic principles of infection control?
These include standard precautions (hand hygiene, PPE, injection safety, environmental cleaning, and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette) and transmission-based precautions (contact, droplet, and airborne).
What PPE is removed first?
The order for removing PPE is Gloves, Apron or Gown, Eye Protection, Surgical Mask . Perform hand hygiene immediately on removal. All PPE should be removed before leaving the area and disposed of as healthcare waste.
What are the three basic elements of airborne precautions?
The three major components of airborne isolation precautions as a strategy for reducing transmission of aerosol transmissible diseases are (1) physical space and engineering controls , (2) healthcare personnel respiratory protection and personal protective equipment, and (3) clinical protocols, policies, procedures, and ...
