In what situation would general infection control procedures be utilized instead of universal precautions?

General infection control procedures are utilized in situations where there are no visibly infectious materials present, as it focuses on maintaining a clean and safe environment to prevent the spread of infections. In these cases, the aim is to reduce the overall risk of infection, which can include regular cleaning, hand hygiene, and the proper handling of non-contaminated materials, rather than directly managing exposure to potentially harmful blood or infectious materials.

When blood is present or a person shows signs of an infection, the more stringent universal precautions would become necessary. Universal precautions are designed to prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens and are applied to situations where contact with potentially infectious materials is likely, ensuring that all blood and bodily fluids are treated as if they are infectious. Furthermore, administering oral medications generally does not involve handling blood or infected materials but still requires standard hygiene practices to avoid any risk of infection. Thus, the correct situation for using general infection control procedures instead of universal precautions is when there are no visibly infectious materials present.