Standard Precautions:
Standard Precautions are a set of guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent the transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings. Standard Precautions are based on the understanding that all patients are potentially infected or colonized with an infectious agent and should be treated as such until proven otherwise.
Standard Precautions include the following:
- Hand hygiene: Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection. Healthcare workers should clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after caring for each patient.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Healthcare workers should wear PPE, such as gloves, gowns, masks, and goggles, to prevent contact with infectious agents. The type of PPE worn depends on the type of procedure being performed and the risk of exposure to infectious agents.
- Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette: Patients who are suspected or confirmed to have a respiratory infection should be instructed to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and to use tissues that are disposed of immediately.
- Environmental cleaning: Surfaces that may be contaminated with infectious agents should be cleaned regularly with a disinfectant solution to prevent the spread of infection.
- Injection safety: Needles should be used only once and disposed of properly to prevent the spread of bloodborne pathogens.
- Sharps safety: Sharp instruments, such as needles and scalpel blades, should be handled with care to prevent injury and the spread of infectious agents.
- Isolation precautions: Patients who are infected or colonized with an infectious agent should be placed in isolation to prevent the spread of infection to others. Isolation precautions may include the use of gowns, gloves, masks, and gowns, and placement in a private room or negative pressure room.
Special Infection Control Precautions:
Special Infection Control Precautions are additional measures that may be necessary to prevent the spread of certain infectious agents, such as multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) or airborne pathogens. Special Infection Control Precautions may include:
- Contact Precautions: Contact Precautions are used to prevent the spread of infectious agents through direct contact with the patient or their environment. Healthcare workers should wear gloves and gowns when caring for patients with infections that are spread through direct contact, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
- Droplet Precautions: Droplet Precautions are used to prevent the spread of infectious agents through droplets generated by the patient when they cough or sneeze. Healthcare workers should wear masks when caring for patients with infections that are spread through droplets, such as influenza.
- Airborne Precautions: Airborne Precautions are used to prevent the spread of infectious agents through the air. Healthcare workers should wear masks, gowns, and goggles when caring for patients with infections that are spread through the air, such as tuberculosis.
- Protective Environment: A Protective Environment is a specialized environment designed to prevent the spread of certain airborne pathogens, such as Aspergillus. Protective Environments may include the use of negative pressure rooms, laminar airflow hoods, and air filtration systems.
In conclusion, Standard Precautions and Special Infection Control Precautions are essential components of infection control in healthcare settings. Healthcare workers must be knowledgeable about Standard Precautions and Special Infection Control Precautions and must adhere to them consistently to prevent the spread of infectious agents and protect patients, themselves, and others.