Body Substance Isolation (BSI) is described as which practice?

• A. The practice of isolating bodily fluids and substances from contact with first responders
• B. The practice of using disinfectants to clean surfaces
• C. The practice of screening patients for disease
• D. The practice of storing bodily fluids

Answer: (A)

Body Substance Isolation focuses on preventing exposure by isolating bodily fluids and substances from contact with first responders. This means treating all body fluids as potentially infectious and using protective barriers—gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection—and safe handling practices to avoid direct contact. The goal is to create a physical separation between responders and contaminants, reducing the risk at the scene.

Disinfecting surfaces is a cleaning/decontamination step that may happen after exposure, but it isn’t the isolation concept itself. Screening patients for disease is a diagnostic action, not a protective technique. Storing bodily fluids isn’t part of the isolation mindset and relates more to specimen handling than to immediate responder protection.