Hand hygiene before and after all patient contact is one of the examples
of infection control used in the healthcare environment.
Standard precautions are the work practices required to achieve a basic level of infection prevention and control. They are the minimum infection prevention and control practices that must be used at all times for all patients in all situations.
Standard precautions apply to all patients regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status. Standard precautions must be used in the handling of:
blood (including dried blood)
all other body fluids/substances (except sweat), regardless of whether they contain visible blood
non-intact skin
mucous membranes.
Standard precautions consist of the following practices:
hand hygiene before and after all patient contact.
the use of personal protective equipment, which may include gloves, impermeable gowns, plastic aprons, masks, face shields and eye protection.
the safe use and disposal of sharps.
the use of aseptic "non-touch" technique for all invasive procedures, including appropriate use of skin disinfectants.
reprocessing of reusable instruments and equipment.