The different types of infection control precautions include standard precautions and transmission-based precautions; the latter are further categorized into contact, droplet, and airborne precautions.
Understanding Infection Control Precautions
Infection control precautions are essential practices implemented in healthcare settings to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. These precautions are designed to protect healthcare workers, patients, and visitors from exposure to pathogens.
Standard Precautions
These are the basic level of infection control precautions that should be used with all patients, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status. They include:
- Hand hygiene
- Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection
- Safe injection practices
- Proper handling of potentially contaminated equipment and surfaces
- Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
Transmission-Based Precautions
According to the provided reference, Transmission-Based Precautions are used when standard precautions alone are not sufficient to interrupt the route(s) of transmission. These precautions are implemented based on the known or suspected route of transmission of a specific pathogen. There are three main categories:
- Contact Precautions: Used for infections spread by direct or indirect contact.
- Examples: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile infection (CDI)
- Requirements: Gloves and gowns upon entry to the patient's room.
- Droplet Precautions: Used for infections spread through large respiratory droplets produced during coughing, sneezing, or talking.
- Examples: Influenza, pertussis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Requirements: Mask upon entry to the patient's room.
- Airborne Precautions: Used for infections spread through small airborne particles that can remain suspended in the air over longer distances.
- Examples: Tuberculosis (TB), measles, varicella (chickenpox)
- Requirements: Use of a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator and airborne infection isolation room (AIIR).
