When should personal protective equipment (PPE) be used in patient care?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential for ensuring the safety of healthcare workers and patients by minimizing the risk of infection transmission. The correct answer highlights that PPE should be used whenever contact with blood or body fluids is anticipated. This is crucial because blood and body fluids can carry infectious agents, and their exposure can lead to healthcare-associated infections.

Using PPE such as gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection helps create a barrier between the healthcare worker and potentially infectious materials. This practice is a key component of standard precautions, which are designed to protect both the healthcare provider and the patient, regardless of the patient’s known infection status.

In contrast, using PPE only during surgical procedures or in the context of treating non-infectious patients does not adequately address the broader need for protection when there is any risk of exposure to blood or fluids. Similarly, while routine cleaning processes may involve some level of exposure risk, they do not inherently necessitate the same level of personal protective equipment that is required when dealing with potential infectious materials. Thus, the emphasis on anticipating contact with blood or body fluids is the foundation of effective infection prevention practices.