You will learn all about Universal Precautions when you take either the Fundamentals of Caregiving or Modified Fundamentals of Caregiving class. You must wash your hands before putting on gloves and after removing gloves. If you have contact with another person's body fluids, wash your hands immediately. Also wash your hands after toileting, before you handle any food, and after smoking. You must wear disposable latex gloves whenever there is a chance of contact with body fluids or when you handle anything that may be soiled with body fluids.
Gloves are available in most pharmacies.
If the physician orders them, they can be bought with medical coupons. Wear gowns or aprons when body fluids containing blood may get on your clothes. Wear masks and protective eyewear if personal care activities are likely to generate droplets of body fluids or if secretions from employer's cough are likely to contaminate you. You can buy masks at medical supply stores. If you are HIV positive, you may be at increased risk of acquiring a serious infectious disease if you are around ill people.