What are "standard precautions" in healthcare?

Standard precautions refer to a set of infection control practices that healthcare workers must follow to prevent the transmission of infections, including blood-borne pathogens and other infectious agents, regardless of the patient's diagnosis or presumed infection status. These precautions are essential in maintaining a safe environment for both patients and healthcare personnel.

By applying standard precautions, healthcare providers use protective measures such as hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe injection practices, and proper handling of potentially contaminated surfaces or equipment. This comprehensive approach minimizes the risk of spreading infections in healthcare settings, ensuring that all patients receive care in a safe and hygienic manner.

In contrast, special practices for emergency situations focus on urgent scenarios that may require different protocols, and patient medication pertains to treatments prescribed for individual patients rather than infection control. Guidelines for staff dress code do not directly address the prevention of disease transmission and therefore do not fall under the category of standard precautions.