Which is better, handwashing or hand sanitizer?

Nurses General Nursing

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MrChicagoRN, RN

2,597 Posts

Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

The above two posts are correct.

jill48, ASN, RN

612 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.
The above two posts are correct.

Well we thank you for your approval.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

jill48, ASN, RN

612 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

I remember when I worked in one facility there would be times that we would have to go find a patient to do his/her blood sugar, like in the cafeteria, PT, etc.; and the hand sanitizer was appropriate there since we couldn't wash our hands right at that moment.

EarthChild1130

576 Posts

Specializes in Psychiatric.

We have those wall sanitizer things too, and our policy states it's okay to use them as an adjunct to handwashing as long as your hands aren't visibly soiled...

I don't use them because they're alcohol-based and they make my hands dry and cracked, so I just wash my hands. Our soaps have a lotion added to prevent dryness. I tried using a personal sanitizer from home that has lotion added but got fussed at because our unit is 'scent free' and the sanitizer had a scent to it...:uhoh21:

FroggieLiz

40 Posts

Specializes in L&D.

About a year ago when I was in my 2nd M/S clinical, we were instructed by the hosptial that to get the same effect as the sanitizers one must "vigorously" scrub hands in warm water with soap for a minimum of 30 seconds. This seems to be contradictory to some of your posts, so I'm not sure who is correct.

I just know that I wash after every other patient contact and use the hand sanitizer every time.

hollyvk, BSN

125 Posts

Specializes in Peds, GI, Home Health, Risk Mgmt.
Our hospital encourages the use of hand sanitizer (but does not discourage handwashing). I must say, I like it. They are positioned by the door of each room. I use it on my way in and out of each room. I can't say that I washed by hands on the way into every room before.

Another nurse told me that newer studies are showing that hand washing is better (as opposed to some older ones that stated hand sanitizer was better in most situations). Any input?

Personally, I suspect a combination of the two is best, and Ido wash my hands frequently. But I also love the hand sanitizer.

Any links are also appreciated.

This is the official standard:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5116a1.htm

And this is a handy reference site:

http://www.cdc.gov/cleanhands/

From the CDC/MMWR report cited above (evidence-based recommendations):

1. When hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with proteinaceous material or are visibly soiled with blood or other body fluids, wash hands with either a non-antimicrobial soap and water or an antimicrobial soap and water (IA) (66).

2. If hands are not visibly soiled, use an alcohol-based hand rub for routinely decontaminating hands in all other clinical situations described in items 1C--J (IA) (74,93,166,169,283,294,312,398). Alternatively, wash hands with an antimicrobial soap and water in all clinical situations described in items 1C--J (IB) (69-71,74).

3. Decontaminate hands before having direct contact with patients (IB) (68,400).

4. Decontaminate hands after contact with a patient's intact skin (e.g., when taking a pulse or blood pressure, and lifting a patient) (IB) (25,45,48,68).

HollyVK RN, BSN, JD

ChevRN

28 Posts

To my knowledge, handwashing is the best, with antimicrobial soap, which hospitals provide. We also have the sanitizer gel in our patient rooms. They say to use hand sanitizer between patients, but wash your hands if they are visibly soiled.

JuneBug1868

13 Posts

In the hospital that I work in the rule of thumb is if you use the restroom or can see something dirty on your hands wash them with soap and water. If those two do not apply use the hand sanitizer. I've never heard which works better, but I have heard that soap and water are better for the person using it. When you use hand sanitizer you kill (almost) everything including the bacteria that is suppose to be on your hands. When you kill the good bacteria its easier for the stuff that the sanitizer doesn't kill to grow and make you and/or other sick

The CDC recommends handwashing for the friction. Hand sanitizers are ok for "between" washes if your hands are clean (you had on gloves and they didn't get dirty). See http://www.CDC.gov

SK-222

50 Posts

hand sanitizer is good quick between activities or rooms solution, but the problem I have run into occasionally is the skin on my hands becoming excessively dry from using it. Traditional hand washing gets my vote as being better, but doubled up and using both certainly helps prevent germ spread.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Telemetry, Hospice, Rehab, LTC.

Sometimes I use the hand sanitizer in between when passing meds. My preference is handwashing with warm soap and water. It just feels so much cleaner. The sanitizer leaves this weird dry but also sticky feeling to your hands.

madwife2002, BSN, RN

26 Articles; 4,777 Posts

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Handwashing is better if you do it effectively and for long enough and research has shown that nobody washes their hands for long enough to kill/clean all the bugs and germs away. Different pieces of reseach show good handwashing times anywhere from 3 mins to 7 mins. So with this in mind the new gels are far more effective in cleaning the hands. Plus people are more likely to use the gel as it is quick and easy. Remember I know we are all perfect here on allnurses and we all wash our hands constantly-but not all health care professionals do unfortunatly.

More reseach has also shown that by using gel on your hands it is cost effective because it takes less time, cutting hours off the time nurses spend at the sink.

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