Which of the following is NOT included in standard precautions?

Standard precautions are essential practices designed to prevent the transmission of infections in healthcare settings, and they encompass a variety of measures aimed at reducing risk to both healthcare workers and patients. The correct choice, which indicates what is not included in standard precautions, highlights the distinction between airborne transmission and the fundamental practices that are part of infection control.

Standard precautions include the proper disposal of contaminated items, which ensures that potentially infectious materials do not pose a risk to others. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is also a key element, as it provides a physical barrier to protect healthcare workers from exposure to pathogens. Rigorous hand hygiene is another critical component, as frequent and thorough hand washing or sanitization plays a vital role in preventing the spread of infections.

However, the transmission of infections through the air is categorized separately under airborne precautions, which specifically address the handling of diseases that are known or suspected to be transmitted through airborne routes. Airborne precautions are implemented in addition to standard precautions when caring for patients with certain infectious diseases, but they are not a part of the standard precaution protocols themselves. Therefore, recognizing that airborne transmission requires specific interventions beyond standard precautions underscores why that particular option does not belong in the list of practices included in standard precautions.