Short answer: Apply standard precautions to every patient, add contact, droplet or airborne precautions for specific infections, use soap and water for C. difficile and norovirus, remove gloves first when taking off PPE, and sterilise critical instruments with steam. Learn which diseases go with which precaution.
01Chapter 1
Standard precautions
Standard precautions apply to every patient: hand hygiene, appropriate PPE, safe handling of sharps, respiratory etiquette and clean environments.
02Chapter 2
Transmission-based precautions
Match the precaution to the route.
Airborne: tuberculosis, measles, varicella. Negative-pressure room and a fit-tested respirator.
Droplet: influenza, pertussis, meningococcal disease. Surgical mask within close range.
Contact: MRSA, C. difficile, scabies. Gown and gloves.
03Chapter 3
Hand hygiene
Alcohol rub is standard for routine care. Use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled and for C. difficile and norovirus.
04Chapter 4
PPE order
Put on: gown, mask or respirator, eye protection, gloves. Take off: gloves first, then hand hygiene, gown, eye protection, and mask or respirator last.
05Chapter 5
Cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation
Critical items that enter sterile tissue need sterilisation, typically by steam. Semi-critical items need at least high-level disinfection. Use a chlorine-based sporicidal agent for C. difficile environments.
06Chapter 6
Sharps injuries
Wash with soap and water, do not squeeze or scrub, report immediately and follow post-exposure assessment.
Matching diseases to precautions and the order of PPE removal come up often in revision materials.
Alcohol rub is the usual choice for routine care when hands are not visibly soiled. Use soap and water when hands are visibly dirty and for C. difficile and norovirus.
This article is general educational guidance, not official advice. Exam rules, fees and timelines are set by the Dubai Health Authority and the test provider and can change, so always confirm the latest details on their official channels. Review of Meddex content by named, licensed clinicians is not complete yet. See how we write and check our content.
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