Standard precautions are the minimum infection prevention measures applied to every patient[1][2], in every healthcare setting, at every care interaction — regardless of whether the patient is known or suspected to have an infection. They protect both patients and healthcare workers from cross-transmission.
Components of standard precautions
| Component | Key actions |
|---|---|
| Hand hygiene | WHO 5 Moments; ABHR at point of care; soap and water when visibly soiled or after C. difficile contact |
| Personal protective equipment (PPE) | Gloves, gown, mask and eye protection selected based on anticipated exposure — not applied uniformly to all contacts |
| Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette | Cover mouth/nose when coughing; use tissues; dispose immediately; perform hand hygiene; apply to all persons in the facility including visitors |
| Safe injection practices | One needle, one syringe, one patient; never re-use; dispose into sharps container immediately after use |
| Safe handling of potentially contaminated equipment | Handle soiled equipment in a manner that prevents transfer; reprocess per Spaulding classification (Decree N185) |
| Safe handling of healthcare waste | Segregate at source; dispose per Decree N294 |
| Environmental cleaning | Regular cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces; enhanced cleaning in outbreak situations |
| Patient placement | Place patients who may contaminate the environment in single rooms when possible; apply spatial separation when single rooms not available |
| Safe handling of linen | Handle soiled linen without shaking; contain and transport in impermeable bags; launder at 60–90°C |
PPE selection guide
| Clinical activity | Gloves | Gown | Surgical mask | Eye protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Routine patient contact (intact skin) | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes | ✓ Required | If splash risk | If splash risk | If splash risk |
| Wound care, catheter insertion, IV access | ✓ Required | If splash risk | Not required | Not required |
| Procedures generating aerosols or splashes | ✓ Required | ✓ Required | ✓ Required | ✓ Required |
| Cleaning contaminated surfaces or equipment | ✓ Required (heavy duty) | ✓ Required | Not required (unless spray) | Not required (unless spray) |
Key requirementGloves do not replace hand hygiene.[2][4] Hand hygiene must be performed before donning gloves and immediately after removing them. Gloves must be changed between patients and between different care tasks on the same patient. Wearing gloves when not indicated delays hand hygiene and increases cross-contamination risk.
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Georgian original source / ქართული წყარო
Standard Precautions — WHO IPC Core Components
References
- [1] WHO. Guidelines on Core Components of Infection Prevention and Control Programmes at the National and Acute Health Care Facility Level. World Health Organization. 2016;—:—. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549929
- [2] Siegel JD, Rhinehart E, Jackson M, Chiarello L; Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings. Am J Infect Control. 2007;35(10 Suppl 2):S65–S164. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2007.10.007
- [3] Ministry of IDPs, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. Order N01-268/o on the National Infection Prevention and Control Programme. MoLHSA Georgia / Matsne. 2016;—:—. Available at: https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/3293056
- [4] Pratt RJ, Pellowe CM, Wilson JA, et al. Epic2: National evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated infections in NHS hospitals in England. J Hosp Infect. 2007;65 Suppl 1:S1–64. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2006.10.002
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In plain language
Standard precautions are the basic infection control practices applied to every patient, whether or not an infection is known: hand hygiene, protective equipment according to risk, respiratory hygiene, safe injections, cleaning and safe handling of equipment, linen and waste.
Why it matters
4.3Mpatients a year in EU/EEA hospitals acquire at least one healthcare-associated infectionSource: ECDC PPS 2022–2023
Key actions checklist
- Hand hygiene at the five moments
- Gloves, gowns, masks and eye protection according to anticipated exposure
- Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
- Safe injection practices and sharps disposal
- Routine environmental cleaning
- Safe handling of linen and waste
International guidance
- WHO Guidelines on core components of IPC programmes (2016)
- WHO Global report on infection prevention and control (2022)
Questions and answers
Why apply them to every patient?
Many infections are not yet diagnosed when care begins; treating everyone the same protects patients and staff.