Which infection control precautions should be followed when infection is suspected in physical therapy practice?

• A. Standard precautions with PPE, proper hand hygiene, and isolation per policy if indicated.
• B. Droplet precautions only.
• C. Contact precautions only.
• D. No special precautions needed.

Answer: (A)

Infection control hinges on standard precautions as the baseline in every patient encounter, especially when infection is suspected. This approach treats all patients as potentially infectious and combines universal measures with appropriate protective equipment and containment as needed. In a physical therapy setting, this means practicing thorough hand hygiene before and after every patient and after removing gloves, using gloves when there’s contact with blood or bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces, and wearing additional PPE such as gowns, masks, or eye protection when exposure to splashes, sprays, or contaminated items is possible. Cleaning and disinfecting equipment and surfaces between patients is essential to prevent cross-contamination.

When infection is suspected, isolating per policy and applying the specific precautions tied to the suspected pathogen further reduce transmission risk. Policies outline whether droplets, contact, or airborne precautions (or a combination) are needed based on the clinical scenario, ensuring the right level of protection is in place.

Relying on only one type of precaution is not enough, because some pathogens require multiple safeguards or different routes of transmission. Skipping precautions altogether is unsafe, given the potential for spreading infection in a hands-on field like physical therapy.