Standard precautions should be used in which of the following situations?

Standard precautions are a set of infection control practices that are used to prevent the transmission of diseases that can be spread by blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions, regardless of whether or not the patient is known to be infected. These precautions should be applied universally, meaning they are necessary for all patient interactions, not just in specific circumstances.

When administering medication to all patients, standard precautions are crucial to ensure that both the healthcare provider and the patient are protected from any potential infections. This includes practices such as hand hygiene, wearing gloves, and using masks or eye protection as appropriate, which help to minimize the risk of transmitting pathogens.

In contrast, the other situations mentioned indicate more limited or specific scenarios where precautions might not cover the full scope of patient care. Surgical procedures and the handling of contaminated materials certainly require precautions, but standard precautions extend far beyond those contexts to include everyday patient care activities, such as medication administration. Additionally, providing care to healthy individuals still necessitates these precautions, as there may be unseen risks.