Which of the following is included in standard infection-control practices?

• A. Hand hygiene and personal protective equipment use.
• B. Hand hygiene, use of PPE, safe injection practices, and proper management of contaminated surfaces.
• C. Wearing gloves for all tasks but not changing between patients.
• D. Disinfecting the air with chemicals between patients.

Answer: (B)

Standard infection-control practices are a bundled set of essential steps to prevent transmission of infections in healthcare settings. The most comprehensive approach includes four elements working together: hand hygiene to remove or kill microbes on hands; appropriate use of personal protective equipment to create a barrier between the clinician and infectious material; safe injection practices to prevent transmission through needles, syringes, and vials; and proper management of contaminated surfaces, meaning cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment between patients to eliminate residual contamination.

This combination is best because it covers the main routes of transmission: hands (a common vehicle for spreading organisms), PPE (reduces exposure to infectious materials), injections (a high-risk procedure where breaches can directly transfer pathogens), and the environment (surfaces can harbor and transfer organisms between patients). The other options miss one or more of these critical elements or advocate unsafe practices. Wearing gloves for all tasks without changing them between patients fails to prevent cross-contamination, and disinfecting the air between patients is not a standard, practical infection-control measure.