Title: Demonstrate Standard Precautions and transmission-based precautions as prescribed by health and regulatory agencies.
Course: Respiratory Therapy I (14061-I) > Section: Developing Effective Communication and Patient Care Skills

Demonstration should include identification of the primary roles of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Joint Commission regarding safety and health precautions for patients and employees in the healthcare environment.

Demonstration of Standard Precautions should include

- the use of protective barriers such as gloves, gowns, aprons, masks, or protective eyewear
- the implementation of precautions to prevent injuries caused by needles, scalpels, and other sharp instruments or devices.

Demonstration of transmission-based precautions should include the following precautions:

- To prevent airborne transmission
  - special air handling and ventilation systems
  - particulate respirators

- To prevent droplet transmission
  - single-patient room or curtained space for patient
  - mask for patient during transport
  - change of mask and other protective attire and performance of hand hygiene between contact with an infected patient and contact with other patients

- To prevent contact transmission
  - practice hand hygiene
  - wear personal protective equipment (PPE) before room entry and discard before leaving the patient’s room
  - clean and disinfect patient-care devices and instruments and other sources of indirect transmission after patient contact.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is the difference between Standard Precautions and universal precautions?
- What is the role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in protecting healthcare personnel and patients?
- What are examples of airborne infections? Of infections transmitted by droplets? How do the transmission precautions differ for these two types of infections?
- What is the difference between direct and indirect contact transmission of infection? What are examples of each? What precautions are necessary for each?