Download Protective or Reverse Precautions

Precautions
If it is wet and not yours, wear gloves!
Precaution Type
Protection From
Standard &
Contact
Precautions
(a.k.a. Universal All patient’s bodily
fluids (Blood,
Precautions)
secretions, feces,
This precaution is urine, mucous
membranes, open
designed for the
care of all patients’ skin tears, lesions,
regardless of their sputum .etc)
diagnosis or
presumed infection
status.
Droplet
Precautions
This layers on top
of Standard
Precautions.
Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE)
Gloves as a minimum. Use
mask, gown, face shield as
needed depending on the
procedure and if there is a
potential for fluids to splash,
spray or squirt. Also, if there is
a chance of your clothes to
come in “contact” with
contaminated areas which may
transfer infectious germs, wear
a gown.
Heavy bacteria and
viruses spread by
coughing and
sneezing. These
Follow the Standard/Contact
droplets are heavy Precautions with the addition of
and fall to surfaces a surgical mask.
rapidly, usually
falling within 3 feet
of the patient.
Hardy and
lightweight bacteria
Airborne
and viruses that can
be suspended in the
Precautions
air for long periods
Layers on top of the of time and may be
above precautions. carried for long
distances on air
currents.
Example
Diagnoses
M-Multi-drug
resistant
organisms
R-Respiratory
infection
S-Skin
Infection
W-Wound
infection
E-Enteric
(intestinal) or
Eye infection
H-Herpes
simplex
I-Impetigo
P-Pediculosis
(lice)
S-Scabies
S-treptococcal
pharyngitis
P-Pertussis
I-Influenza
D- Diphtheria
E-Epiglottis
R-Rubella
M-Mumps
A-Anthrax
N-Neisseria
meningitidis
A step above Droplet
My-Measles
Precautions with a special mask ChickenChicken Pox
or N95 respirator. Wear a
gown to protect your clothes.
Hez-Herpes
The patient, if possible, should Zoster
be in a room with special air
TBflow ventilation.
Tuberculosis
T-Transplant
Protective or
Reverse
Precautions
Protection of the
patient from
To protect immuno- hospital or visitors’ Gloves, Mask and Gowns.
compromised
infective agents.
patients; impaired
resistance to
infection.
H-HIV
AAutoimmune
NNeutropenia
(low
neutrophil
count)
*These precaution guidelines and PPE may vary between facilities. As always consult
your facility’s policy and Infection Control Manual for the most updated information for
your institution.
Always wash your hands prior to donning and after removing your PPE.