Final answer:
Standard precautions are designed to decrease the risk of transmitting unidentified pathogens and prevent cross-contamination in healthcare settings by using measures like strict handwashing, personal protective equipment, and aseptic techniques.
Step-by-step explanation:
The standard precautions are designed to minimize the risk of transmission of pathogens, including those that are unidentified, and thus decrease the risk of cross-contamination. These precautions are a set of infection control practices used in healthcare settings to prevent transmission of diseases that can be acquired through contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes. These precautions include hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory etiquette, and the proper clean-up of equipment and environment.
According to the information, Marisa's situation calls for implementing standard precautions to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Every member of the hospital staff must adhere to protocols, such as handwashing and the disinfection of surfaces and equipment. When medical procedures carry the risk of contamination, they must occur within a sterile field established through proper aseptic technique.
All these protocols are comprehensive and not just limited to when clients are suspected of having a communicable disease. Instead, they are applied universally to all patients in all healthcare settings. Thus, the correct explanation regarding the design of standard precautions is to decrease the risk of transmitting unidentified pathogens.