Following universal precautions means you should always assume what?

• A. blood and other bodily fluids may be infected
• B. all patients are immune
• C. only visible blood is infectious
• D. equipment is safe unless shown otherwise

Answer: (A)

Treat all blood and bodily fluids as potentially infectious. In practice this means you don’t rely on how something looks or on a patient’s status to judge safety—you assume that bloodborne pathogens can be present in various fluids and bodily secretions, and exposure can occur through splashes, contact with contaminated surfaces, or through sharps. That’s why universal precautions emphasize using gloves and other appropriate protective equipment, practicing good hand hygiene, and properly decontaminating surfaces and handling or disposing of contaminated items. It isn’t about immune status, nor about only visible blood being dangerous, nor about equipment being considered safe until shown otherwise.