Standard Precautions

In Canada the baseline infection prevention practices described here are called Routine Practices, and the US equivalent is Standard Precautions; additional precautions are added on top of them when the transmission route requires it. This lesson uses the title term Standard Precautions for the baseline practices. The differentiating mechanism in Standard Precautions is the risk of bloodborne and body-fluid exposure, which exists even before a diagnosis is made. This inherent risk necessitates the use of baseline barriers to protect both patients and healthcare staff. Understanding this mechanism clarifies why the assessment must focus on several key factors: potential exposure to body fluids, presence of skin breaks, risk from sharps, contamination of linens, opportunities for hand hygiene, and the need for personal protective equipment (PPE). When preparing and giving injections, the same exposure thinking applies to sharps, vials and the clean preparation area. A useful memory anchor is the sequence of cue, priority action, and reassessment of the patient's response. In the context of Standard Precautions, the critical question is: what cue changes the RN's priority, prompting immediate action to prevent...