Standard Precautions

Standard precautions are based on the principle that all blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions except sweat, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes may contain transmissible infectious agents. Standard precautions are the minimal protection that should be used to care for all patients at all times to protect healthcare workers and to prevent spread from healthcare worker to patient. They apply to all patients, regardless of suspected or confirmed infection status in all healthcare settings.

Hand Hygiene

This is the most important step in preventing infection transmission.

• Either soap and water or alcohol-based hand disinfection (AHD) may be used.

• Perform after touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and contaminated items.

• Perform immediately after removing gloves and between patient contact.

• Perform upon entry and exit from a patient room.

• Keep nails short, clean and free from artificial nails.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Gloves: for touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, contaminated items, mucous membranes, and non-intact skin

• Gown: during procedures and patient care activities with anticipated exposure of skin/clothes to body fluids, secretions, excretions

• Mask/eye protection: during procedures and patient care activities with anticipated splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, or secretions

Safe Injection

• Needles and syringes are single-use devices.

• Limit use of multi-dose vials, and dedicate to a single patient, when possible.

• Dispose of needles and sharp instruments in impervious containers.

Safe Handling

• Safely handle potentially contaminated equipment or surfaces in the patient environment.

• Ensure environmental cleaning and disinfection, per facility policy.

Respiratory Hygiene

• Dispose of tissues in no-touch receptacles.

• Perform hand hygiene after soiling hands with respiratory secretions.

• Use spatial separation (ideally 3 feet) if possible in common waiting areas.

• During times of high prevalence of community spread of respiratory infectons, offer masks at the entrance of the medical facility, especially to symptomatic patients and visitors.

• Wear mask when caring for patients with respiratory secrections and when performing a sterile procedure.

• Patients with respiratory secretions should wear a mask when leaving their patient room.