Which actions are standard precautions EMS should follow?

• A. Only hand hygiene is required
• B. PPE is optional
• C. Sharps handling is not part of standard precautions
• D. Hand hygiene, use of PPE, safe handling of sharps, and respiratory hygiene.

Answer: (D)

Standard precautions are the baseline infection control measures used with every patient to prevent transmission of infections. The key elements are hand hygiene before and after patient contact, the use of appropriate PPE based on the task and exposure risk, safe handling and disposal of sharps to prevent injuries, and respiratory hygiene to limit the spread of respiratory pathogens.

In EMS, these practices protect you, your team, and patients in the field where exposures can be unpredictable. Hand hygiene stops transmission from contaminated hands. PPE provides a barrier—gloves for contact with blood or body fluids, masks and eye protection when splashes or aerosols are possible, gowns when clothing could be contaminated. Safe handling of sharps means not recapping needles and disposing of them in puncture-resistant containers to prevent needlestick injuries. Respiratory hygiene includes covering coughs, using masks when appropriate, and managing respiratory secretions to reduce airborne or droplet spread.

Because this approach includes all four components—hand hygiene, PPE, safe sharps handling, and respiratory hygiene—it best aligns with standard precautions. The other choices omit one or more essential elements.