What are universal precautions in nursing?

• A. Guidelines that promote supervision of all medical staff
• B. Protocols that strictly prohibit patient contact
• C. Guidelines that promote infection control by assuming all blood and bodily fluids are potentially infectious
• D. Standard procedures that only apply to surgical settings

Answer: (C)

Universal precautions in nursing refer to guidelines aimed at preventing the transmission of infectious diseases in healthcare settings by treating all blood and bodily fluids as potentially infectious. This approach ensures that healthcare providers use protective measures, such as gloves, masks, and eye protection, whenever they are in contact with any patient’s blood or body fluids, regardless of the perceived risk of infection.

This practice is crucial for both patient and provider safety, as it minimizes the chance of exposure to pathogens that could lead to infections. By adopting this mindset, healthcare professionals can maintain a high standard of infection control, thus reducing the overall risk of healthcare-associated infections.

The other options do not accurately define universal precautions: they either misinterpret the scope of these guidelines or suggest practices that are not aligned with current infection control strategies.