Precaution
Precaution
Precaution (/priːˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/) is a measure taken in advance to prevent something dangerous, unpleasant, or inconvenient from happening. The term is derived from the Latin word 'praecautio', which means 'being on guard' or 'foreseeing'.
Definition
A precaution is a proactive step or action taken to avoid potential harm or negative outcomes. It is often used in the context of safety, health, and risk management. Precautions can be applied in various fields such as medicine, public health, occupational safety, and environmental conservation.
Usage in Medicine
In medicine, precautions are steps taken to prevent the spread of diseases or infections. They can be standard, contact, droplet, or airborne precautions. Standard precautions are used for all patient care, while the others are used based on how the disease spreads.
Related Terms
- Preventive Medicine: The branch of medicine concerned with preventing disease.
- Prophylaxis: Measures taken to prevent diseases.
- Infection Control: Steps taken to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- Risk Management: The process of identifying, assessing, and controlling threats.
Etymology
The term 'precaution' comes from the Latin 'praecautio', from 'praecavēre' which means 'to guard against'. 'Prae-' means 'before' and '-cavēre' means 'beware'.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Precaution
- Wikipedia's article - Precaution
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