Definition

To practice in Health
profession for avoiding
contact with patient’s
body fluids
Aim
Minimize contact with
blood and body fluids by
utilizing safe work
practices and protective
barriers
 Introduced in 1985-1988
 PPE – (Personal Protective Equipment )was introduced in 1996 and
term change as “Standard Precautions”
 Designed for Doctors, Nurses, Patients and other Health care workers
 Eligible for the other staff also, who are not direct contact with patients
 Proposed as an essential component after AIDS outbreak in 1980s
 Every patient was treated as HIV infected and precautions were taken
to minimize
Principles
 All patients are considered as possibly carriers of Blood-borne and
Air borne pathogens
 PPE must be worn while contact with a patient or body fluids
regardless place , time or condition
 Wastes to be disposed as per the standard methods and guidelines
 Disposable items must not be re-used
 Standard antiseptic solutions and cleaning procedures to be
adopted
 Well maintained clean and dry surface to be kept always
 Your staff and subordinates to be educated and encourage for active
participation
Body Fluids
 Blood
 Semen
 Veginal secretions
 Amniotic fluids
 CSF – Cerebro spinal fluids
 Pleural fluids
 Feces
 Sputum
 Vomits
 Perspiration
 Saliva
 Pus
 Tissue fluids
PPE
 Gloves (Rubber/Latex/Plastic)
 Gowns and Aprons
 Eye wear / Goggles
 Face shield
 Boots and shoes
 Caps
Steps of Universal precautions

1. Education
 Training for all Health care workers and required patients
 The way of using PPE

2 Hand Washing
 Frequent hand washing at the patient’s unit
 Facilities to be available
 Wash and scrub under finger nails and cuticles
 Rinse with water and dry
Steps of Universal precautions
3 Protective Barriers
 Guide, encourage and facilitate for use of PPE
 Maintain your PPE in functional condition always

4 Cleaning and Disinfection

 Wear gloves and other PPE if necessary
 First, clean the dirty area with clean water a soon as possible
 Disinfect the area with a recommended anti-septic or germicide
solution
 Brush, mop or other mechanical method can be used
 Wash the area with clean water finally and let get dry
 All used equipment to be disinfected
Steps of Universal precautions
5 Safe handling and disposing of wastes
 A standard and written guidelines to be adopted
 Biological wastes must be disposed in to Puncture-resistant
containers and lining with plastic leak-proof bag
 Consider that all Biological wastes are infected
 Wear puncture resistant gloves while handling Bio wastes
 Don’t load the container beyond it’s capacity
 Compaction leads to additional contamination of working area
 Never mix biological wastes with others
 Sharps must be disposed in to Puncture Resistant sharp bin
 Needles re-capping is not recommended at all
Needle prick injury
• Let the wound to bleed but dont squeeze
• Hold it under running water
• Use plenty of soap for cleaning
• Don’t scrub the wound
• Don't suck the wound
• Dry the wound and cover with water resistant dressing
• Seek urgent medical advice
– Antibiotics
– Vaccination for hepatitis B
– HIV prevention treatment
– Blood sample from both for HIV and Hep B