What is a safeguard for all healthcare employees and patients at risk of exposure to infections?

Standard precautions are a foundational practice in healthcare that serve as a safeguard for all employees and patients against infection exposure. These precautions are designed to reduce the risk of transmissions of bloodborne and other pathogens in any healthcare setting. They apply to all patients, regardless of their known or suspected infection status, and include practices such as hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), proper handling of sharps, and safe waste disposal.

By implementing standard precautions, healthcare workers minimize the potential spread of infections, protecting themselves and all individuals within the healthcare environment. This universality is what distinguishes standard precautions from the other options, which are more specific approaches applied in certain situations based on the mode of transmission of particular pathogens.