Which set of precautions is intended to prevent exposure to all body fluids?

The correct choice, which is Standard precautions, is integral in infection control practices because it is designed to protect both healthcare workers and patients from exposure to a variety of infections. Standard precautions encompass a range of safety measures that apply to all patients, regardless of their suspected or confirmed infection status. This approach acknowledges that all body fluids, including blood, saliva, urine, and mucus, can potentially carry infectious agents, making it crucial to implement safety protocols universally.

Standard precautions include practices such as proper hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and masks, safe handling of sharp objects, and proper cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and instruments. These measures are proactive, emphasizing hygiene and safety in all healthcare settings.

In contrast, other types of precautions, like universal precautions, which were the forerunner to standard precautions, primarily focused on blood and certain body fluids that are known to transmit bloodborne pathogens. Contact precautions and respiratory precautions are more specific, intended to prevent the spread of infections through particular routes (like direct contact or airborne transmission) and do not apply universally to all body fluids. This broad application of standard precautions makes it the most appropriate response to prevent exposure to all body fluids in healthcare settings.