Policy

All persons are expected to observe Standard Precautions during patient contact and when in contact with blood or other potentially infectious material. All blood or other potentially infectious material is to be considered infectious, regardless of the perceived status or safety of the material.

Why

Standard Precautions are the minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, regardless of the patient's suspected or confirmed infection status, and in any setting where healthcare is delivered. These practices are designed to both protect HCP (health-care personnel) and prevent HCP from spreading infections among patients. Standard Precautions also protect patients by ensuring that healthcare personnel do not transfer infectious agents to patients via their hands or equipment used during patient care.

Standard Precautions combine the major features of Universal Precautions and Body Substance Isolation (BSI). They are based on the principle that all blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions except sweat, nonintact skin, and mucous membranes may contain transmissible infectious agents. 

Standard Precautions include:

1. Hand hygiene

2. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

3. Safe injection practices (not applicable for LifeCare)

4. Safe handling of potentially contaminated equipment or surfaces.

5. Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette.

Detailed guidelines and training follow in subsequent sections.