You should use standard precautions when:

Using standard precautions when treating any patient is essential for ensuring the safety of both the patient and the healthcare provider. Standard precautions encompass a set of practices designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings. This includes measures such as hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe injection practices, and appropriate handling of potentially contaminated surfaces or equipment.

These precautions are applicable to all patients, regardless of their health status or known infections, because one cannot always identify whether a patient is carrying an infectious disease. Therefore, adopting a blanket approach to standard precautions helps maintain a consistent level of safety and reduces the potential for infections to spread inadvertently.

While specific scenarios, such as treating patients with cognitive impairments, elderly patients, or those known to be infectious, may require additional considerations or heightened precautions, the foundation of safety in healthcare lies in applying standard precautions universally. This comprehensive application minimizes the risk of exposure to various pathogens that could be present in any patient, safeguarding both individuals and the wider community.