Standard precautions are infection prevention practices used with all patients. Which elements are typically included?

• A. They are applied only to patients with known infections.
• B. They rely on isolation rooms for all patients.
• C. They require PPE only for invasive procedures.
• D. They include hand hygiene, PPE as needed, safe injection practices, and respiratory hygiene.

Answer: (D)

Standard precautions are the baseline infection prevention practices used with every patient to prevent transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings. They include hand hygiene before and after patient contact, wearing PPE as needed based on the likelihood of exposure to blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, or mucous membranes; safe injection practices such as using sterile, single-use equipment and proper needle disposal; and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette to limit the spread of respiratory droplets. These measures are applied universally, not just for patients with known infections, and they do not require isolation rooms for all patients or PPE only for invasive procedures. Hence, including hand hygiene, PPE as needed, safe injection practices, and respiratory hygiene best captures standard precautions.