Which statement best describes standard precautions?

• A. They aim to prevent infection by treating all bodily fluids as potentially infectious and using hand hygiene and PPE
• B. They only apply to surgical settings
• C. They rely on vaccination status
• D. They replace the need for PPE

Answer: (A)

Standard precautions are universal infection-control practices used with every patient. The idea is to treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, so you perform hand hygiene before and after patient contact and wear the appropriate personal protective equipment based on the level of exposure you anticipate. These precautions apply across all settings, not just surgical ones, and they don’t depend on a patient’s vaccination status. PPE is not replaced by standard precautions; PPE is a core part of what you do, used whenever there’s a risk of exposure to blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or non‑intact skin. If a specific transmission risk is suspected (airborne, droplet, contact), additional precautions are layered on, but standard precautions form the universal foundation.