What PPE is required for standard precautions?

• A. Hand hygiene and gloves as needed; PPE as per procedure.
• B. N95 respirator for all patients.
• C. Gown and face shield for every encounter.
• D. No PPE is required in standard precautions.

Answer: (A)

Standard precautions start with the basics: clean hands and protecting yourself when you touch someone or their materials. The foundation is hand hygiene and wearing gloves whenever there’s contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, nonintact skin, or contaminated items. Beyond that, the use of other PPE is not automatic for every patient encounter. It’s chosen based on the specific task and the level of exposure expected during that procedure. If there’s a chance of splashes, aerosols, or contact with fluids, you add the appropriate protection—gown, mask, eye protection, or face shield—according to what the procedure or risk assessment indicates. An N95 respirator isn’t required for all patients, only for situations that call for airborne precautions or during aerosol-generating procedures. Using gown and face shield for every encounter would be unnecessary and impractical. So, the correct approach is to rely on hand hygiene and gloves as needed, with additional PPE used as dictated by the procedure or exposure risk.