A population-level tertiary prevention intervention typically carried out by nurses caring for those with communicable disease in the community is:

• A. HIV Test Results Counseling.
• B. Needle Exchange.
• C. Partner Notification.
• D. Instruction in Standard Precautions.

Answer: (D)

Tertiary prevention in community health aims to prevent further spread and reduce complications once a disease is established. Teaching a person with a communicable disease how to apply standard precautions—such as hand hygiene, coughing etiquette, safe handling of waste, and appropriate use of protective barriers—directly limits transmission to others in the household and community. This makes it a population-level action that helps prevent new cases and outbreaks from an existing infection.

The other interventions target different levels of prevention: counseling after getting HIV test results focuses on early detection and linkage to care (secondary), needle exchange aims to reduce risk behaviors (often viewed as primary prevention and harm reduction), and partner notification identifies exposed individuals to prompt testing or treatment (also primarily secondary).