- 04 Jul 2011
Universal precautions are a set of rules to protect health care workers from certain infectious diseases. Included among those diseases are HIV infection, hepatitis, and any other infectious disease transmitted through body fluids (blood, saliva, urine). All hospitals in the United States are required to practice universal precautions. Though the rules of universal precaution apply to all body fluids, the major concern is for blood and bloody fluids. The rules require a barrier between the health care worker and the fluid. The barrier rule means that gloves are to be worn when obtaining blood samples or dressing wounds and the like. Goggles, face shields, or similar devices may be used during procedures (like childbirth) that may result in splattering of blood. Hospital gowns must be worn when clothes might be soiled. For such day-today care as taking temperatures and blood pressure, no gloves or other barriers need be used. It should be emphasized that universal precautions are universal. They apply to all people participating in the care of any patient in the hospital. There are no precautions that are special to people with HIV infection. Exceptions are the opportunistic infections—like salmonella, tuberculosis, and shingles—that pose a threat to health care workers. But these infections require the same precautions regardless of HIV status.*168\191\2*
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