universal precaution
Universal precaution refers to a set of safety measures and guidelines designed to protect individuals, particularly healthcare workers, from exposure to potentially infectious blood, body fluids, and other materials. The principle behind universal precaution is to assume that all blood and body fluids are potentially infectious and to handle them with appropriate protective measures.
These measures typically include:
1. Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, eye protection, and gowns when handling blood, body fluids, or when in contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin.
2. Proper hand hygiene, including washing hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after direct patient contact or after handling potentially contaminated materials.
3. Safe handling and disposal of sharps, such as needles or scalpels, including using puncture-resistant containers and avoiding recapping of needles.
4. Disinfection and sterilization of medical equipment and surfaces that may come in contact with blood or bodily fluids. This includes proper cleaning and, when necessary, sterilization of instruments and equipment.
5. Proper handling and disposal of potentially infectious waste, such as blood-soaked gauze or used needles, as well as proper disposal of contaminated items such as gloves or gowns.
6. Immunization of healthcare workers against vaccine-preventable diseases such as hepatitis B, which can be transmitted through exposure to infected blood or body fluids.
By adhering to universal precautions, healthcare workers can significantly reduce their risk of exposure and transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings.