What do barrier precautions primarily include for infection control?

Barrier precautions are essential components of infection control practices in healthcare settings, especially in nursing homes where the population is often more vulnerable to infections. The correct answer emphasizes the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, and protective clothing.

These precautions help to create a physical barrier between healthcare providers and potential sources of infection, effectively minimizing the risk of transmission of pathogens. For instance, gloves protect hands from direct contact with infectious materials, masks help prevent respiratory droplets from reaching the wearer and vice versa, and protective clothing guards against contamination from bodily fluids.

While hand washing and sanitizing are crucial in infection control, as mentioned in the first option, they serve a complementary role to barrier precautions rather than being umbrellaed within them. Daily health screenings of residents and regular facility cleaning protocols, while important for overall infection control and health maintenance, do not fall under the direct definition of barrier precautions, which specifically focus on individual protective measures to prevent direct exposure to infections.