NIC Esthetician Written ExamSafety and Infection ControlEasy
According to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, what is the primary purpose of using 'Universal Precautions' in an esthetics setting?
- ATo prevent the spread of airborne diseases like the common cold.
- BTo ensure all clients are screened for bloodborne pathogens before services.
- CTo sterilize all tools after every client interaction.
- DTo treat all human blood and certain bodily fluids as if known to be infectious.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. To treat all human blood and certain bodily fluids as if known to be infectious.
Universal Precautions are an approach to infection control where all human blood and certain human bodily fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Universal Precautions primarily address bloodborne pathogens, not airborne diseases.
- B. Screening clients is not part of Universal Precautions and is outside the scope of practice for an esthetician.
- C. While sterilization is important for some tools, Universal Precautions are broader and dictate how to handle potential exposure, not just tool processing.
Universal Precautions
An approach to infection control where all human blood and certain human bodily fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens.
- Treats all blood/fluids as potentially infectious.
- Protects against bloodborne pathogens.
- Emphasizes personal protective equipment (PPE).
Memory trick: Every drop you see, treat it like it's a pathogen spree.