Standard Precautions in The Hospital Setting

According to World Health Organization (WHO). Standard precautions are meant to reduce the risk of transmission of blood borne and other pathogens from both recognized and unrecognized sources. 

They are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used as a minimum in the care of all patients.

Hand hygiene is a major component of standard precautions and one of the most effective methods to prevent transmission of pathogens associated with healthcare.

In addition to hand hygiene the use of personal protective equipment should be guided by risk assessment and the extent of contact anticipated with blood and body fluids, or pathogens.

In addition to practices carried out by health workers when providing care, all individuals

(including patients and visitors) should comply with infection control practices in health Care settings.

The control of spread of pathogens from the source is key to avoid transmission.

Among source control measures, respiratory hygiene/cough etiquettes developed during the severe/acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, is now considered as part of standard precautions.

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

STANDARD: Standard can be defined as something used as a measure or falling within an accepted range.

PRECAUTIONS: Precautions is a measure taken before hand to ward off (i.e prevent) evil  or secure good or success.

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS: Are group of infection prevention practice that apply to all patients and residents , regardless of suspected or confirmed  infection status, in any setting in which health care is delivered . It include hand hygiene, cough etiquette, safe injection practices, and use of 

Mask for insertion of catheters or injection of material into spinal or epidura space via lumber puncture procedures.

                  

              Check list

  (1)  Hand hygiene is a major component of standard precautions and one of the most effective method to prevent transmission of pathogens associated with health care.

(i)Perform hand hygiene by means of hand rubbing with alcohol-based preparation.

(ii) Perform hand washing with soap and water, if hand are visibly soiled,  or exposure to spore-forming organisms proven or strongly suspected, or after using the rest room, if resources permit, perform hand rubbing with alcohol –based preparation.

(iii)Ensure availability of hand washing facilities with clean running water

(iv)Ensure availability of hand hygiene products (clean water, soap, single use clean towels, alcohol-based  hand rub)

(2) PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

  Assess the risk of exposure of body substance or contaminated surface before any health care activity. Make this a routine! Then select PPE based on the assessment of risk.

The PPE include:

(i)Clean Non-sterile gloves

(ii)Clean non sterile fluid resistant gown.

(iii)Mask and eye protection or a face shield

(3)RESPIRATORY HYGIENE AND COUGH ETIQUETTE

(i)Education of health workers, patients and visitors to cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

(ii)Hand hygiene after contact with respiratory secretions.

(iii)Spatial separation of persons acute febrile respiratory systems.

(iv)Epidemic or pandemic alert Response

HEALTH CARE FACILITY RECOMMENDATION FOR STANDARD PRECAUTIONS

  KEY ELEMENTS AT A GLANCE

(1)Hand Hygiene.

  Summary Techniques for hand washing;

(i)Hand washing (40-60sec) Wet hands and apply soap, rub all surfaces , rinse hands with a single use towel; use towel to turn off faucet.

(ii)Hand rubbing (20-30secs): Apply enough product to cover all areas of the hands; rub hand until its dry.

 

SUMMARY INDICATIONS

(i) Before and after any direct patient contact and between patients, whether or not gloves are worn.

(ii) Immediately after gloves are removed

(iii) Before handling an invasive device.

(iv) After touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, non-intact skin, and contaminated items even if gloves are worn during patient care, when moving from a contaminated to a clean body site of the patient

(v)  After contact with an inanimate objects in the immediate vicinity of the patient. 

(2) GLOVES

(i)Wear gloves when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, mucous membrane, non-intact skin.

(ii)Change gloves between tasks and procedures on the same patient after contact with potentially infectious materials .

(iii)Remove glove after use before touching non-contaminated items and surfaces and before going to another patient. Perform hand  hygiene immediately after removal.