Which statement accurately distinguishes standard precautions from transmission-based precautions?

• A. Standard precautions apply to all patients; transmission-based precautions are additional measures for suspected/confirmed infections. Examples include MRSA (contact), influenza (droplet), TB (airborne).
• B. Transmission-based precautions replace standard precautions when infection is suspected.
• C. Standard precautions apply only to patients with known infections.
• D. Sterile technique is required for all nursing procedures.

Answer: (A)

Standard precautions are the baseline infection-control practices applied to every patient, regardless of infection status. Transmission-based precautions are additional measures used for patients with known or suspected infections, and they’re chosen based on how the infection spreads—MRSA calls for contact precautions, influenza for droplet precautions, and TB for airborne precautions. Because of this layering, standard precautions are not replaced by transmission-based ones; you always implement the standard baseline and then add the appropriate transmission-based precautions as needed. Sterile technique is a separate concept used for certain invasive procedures, not a blanket requirement for all nursing tasks.