Universal Precautions

Universal precautions are a standard set of guidelines to prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens from exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM). This activity reviews universal precautions and highlights the role of the interprofessional team in their application.

Universal precautions are safety precautions used with every client. Since you cannot identify every client who may transmit infection, you must treat all human body fluids as if they were known to be infectious. Handwashing is the single most effective means of preventing the transfer of infection.

Why are universal precautions important today?

That's why it is so important to use and stick to universal precautions. This approach helps to control infection and treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they were known to be infectious with different diseases. Safety is never enough — especially in health clinic.

The Objectives of Universal Precautions
An Infection Control Guideline
  • To protect health care workers.
  • To reduce risk of transmission of microorganism.
  • Designed for all clients in hospitals to prevent nosocomial infections.
  • Apply to all persons—patients, clients and staff.
  • Apply to blood, all body fluids, excretions and secretions except sweat, non-intact (broken) skin; mucous membranes.
  • Assumes blood and all other body fluids, secretions and excretions (except sweat) of ANY patient could be infectious.

5 Steps of Universal Precautions
  • Education
  • Hand washing
  • Use of protective barriers (Personal Protective Equipment (PPE))
  • Cleaning of contaminated surfaces
  • Safe handling/disposal of contaminated material

Universal precautions (UP), originally recommended by the CDC in the 1980s, was introduced as an approach to infection control to protect workers from HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens in human blood and certain other body fluids, regardless of a patients' infection status


The 4 main universal precautions

Hand hygiene. Use of personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves, masks, eyewear). Respiratory hygiene / cough etiquette. Sharps safety (engineering and work practice controls)

Universal precautions should be used whenever there may be occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material to prevent contact with patients' blood or other potentially infectious material.