In contact precautions, which of the following is the bare minimum required for care?

In contact precautions, the primary goal is to prevent the spread of infections that can be transmitted via direct or indirect contact with patients or their environment. The bare minimum required for care under contact precautions includes wearing gloves and gowns.

Gloves are essential because they provide a barrier between potentially infectious materials and the healthcare worker’s skin, reducing the risk of transmission. Gowns are equally important as they protect the healthcare worker's clothing and skin from contamination during patient interaction, especially when handling patients who may have wounds or are in isolation due to infections.

While masks, face shields, and other forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be necessary in certain situations, they are not considered the minimum requirement for contact precautions specifically. The combination of gloves and gowns effectively addresses the most common routes of transmission associated with contact precautions, making it the fundamental requirement for safe practice in a healthcare setting.