Which standard precautions must be observed to prevent infection in all care interactions?

• A. Wearing gloves at all times only
• B. Sanitizing surfaces once per shift
• C. Avoiding contact with patients
• D. Hand hygiene before and after contact, use of PPE when indicated, safe injection practices, and proper waste disposal

Answer: (D)

Standard precautions are the baseline infection prevention practices used in every patient interaction to prevent the spread of infection. The best choice emphasizes all the essential elements: hand hygiene before and after contact to remove transient flora; use of PPE when indicated to protect skin and mucous membranes from exposure to blood and body fluids; safe injection practices to prevent transmission through contaminated needles or syringes; and proper waste disposal to manage contaminated materials safely. Together, these practices address the main routes of transmission and apply regardless of a patient’s infection status. The other options are incomplete or impractical for ongoing care: relying on gloves at all times, sanitizing surfaces only once per shift, or avoiding contact with patients.