Standard precautions protect responders from exposure to what?

• A. Skin contact only
• B. Air
• C. None
• D. Blood and body fluids

Answer: (D)

Standard precautions are infection-control practices used to prevent transmission of disease from patients to responders by treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious. This approach is designed to keep you protected during any contact with blood, urine, vomit, saliva, or other bodily fluids, as well as with areas of broken skin or mucous membranes. Using gloves, eye protection or face shields, gowns when needed, and practicing good hand hygiene are core parts of this protection, along with safe handling and disposal of sharps and proper cleaning and decontamination of scene equipment and surfaces.

Air exposure isn’t the primary focus of standard precautions—additional measures address airborne or droplet precautions when those risks are present. And none is not describing action you take to prevent exposure to fluids. Skin contact alone is too narrow, since protecting against contact with blood and body fluids encompasses more scenarios you’ll encounter in the field.