Using Hand Sanitizers - Is a squirt and go method enough?

We have policies for certain things we have to wash for. Like, physically wash our hands. For the most part, it's foam in and out though. I hate that honestly. The alcohol foam leaves a film on my hands so I honestly wash after 3-4 foams.

I feel gross with that film on my hands. We do have to scrub for at least 15 seconds on hands.

My hospital has a hand hygiene policy, and employees are made to watch mandatory training videos about once a year regarding proper hand hygiene. For the most part everyone uses the hand sanitizer dispensers located outside each patient room, with actual soap-and-water hand washing occurring after certain procedures, or when the feeling of dried sanitizer on your hands becomes too icky to tolerate.

Personally, I like the convenience of hand sanitizer, but I don't think that it is as effective as soap-and-water hand washing. When in doubt, I just wash my hands at the sink and skip the sanitizer altogether.

I agree I like to wash my hands and Often! I rarely use sanitizer because I think it breeds super germs like the over use of anti-biotics. But yes, we sometimes don't have a choice and have to resort to sanitizer. Before I was a nurse I was a waitress/restaurant manager for 17 years. I was always appalled at the lack of hand washing I witnessed. I kid you not, won't mention the restaurant, but on Sunday we had 17+ servers and one hand washing sink. I NEVER had to wait in line!! EWE!

I wash so often, I developed these little bumps on my hands and I just mentioned it to my doctor at a routine visit and he said, yep you have healthcare hands from washing them so often. I took it as a compliment. My biggest gripe is the water in certain parts of the facility that I work in never seems to get warm enough for proper hand washing. I just do it twice under those circumstances:)

This is an interesting article about sanitizers and hand-washing. Sounds like antibacterial soaps containing tricolsan contribute to antibiotic resistance more than alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Hand Sanitizer Doesn't Create Superbugs - Business Insider

My facility has secret auditors who watch how well we're sanitizing (we have to wash/sanitize in and out of each patient's room).

We also have a requirement for washing-only for C-diff patients. The sanitizer dispensers are taped off in a patient's room when the patient has C-diff, so you have to wash with soap and water before leaving the room.

I caught a really nasty stomach flu from a patient and I am very good at hand hygiene. For some things, I think soap and water is best. Any nausea or vomiting case for me gets a thorough wash with soap and water.

Oh no, a squirt and go will not do. You are to wash your hands thoroughly, long enough to recite the "Happy Bithday"song to yourself. You then must dry you hands thoroughly humming "Hail ToThe Chief." Then you must expose them to ultra violet light for 30 seconds. And finally, and this is the most important part, place both hands in an autoclave for the prescribed amont of time.

To ensure complete sterility, I would send off a c+s w/ gram stain and then take off a day until results come back to be absolutely sure it's OK to resume patient care. Be sure to spend lots of time documenting all these steps because, as you know, if it isn't documented it wasn't done.

The alcohol foam leaves a film on my hands so I honestly wash after 3-4 foams.

I almost wonder if that isn't something designed into the product on purpose... after a few times it makes your hands feel icky, so you wash them with soap and water regularly to get the ickiness off.

Oh no, a squirt and go will not do. You are to wash your hands thoroughly, long enough to recite the "Happy Bithday"song to yourself. You then must dry you hands thoroughly humming "Hail ToThe Chief." Then you must expose them to ultra violet light for 30 seconds. And finally, and this is the most important part, place both hands in an autoclave for the prescribed amont of time.

To ensure complete sterility, I would send off a c+s w/ gram stain and then take off a day until results come back to be absolutely sure it's OK to resume patient care. Be sure to spend lots of time documenting all these steps because, as you know, if it isn't documented it wasn't done.

Addendum/Update: Just out from the CDC. The above recommendation to hum "Hail to the Chief" while drying your hands has been modified to just whistling "Dixie."

Addendum/Update: Just out from the CDC. The above recommendation to hum "Hail to the Chief" while drying your hands has been modified to just whistling "Dixie."

Crap, I can't whistle.

We have policies for certain things we have to wash for. Like, physically wash our hands. For the most part, it's foam in and out though. I hate that honestly. The alcohol foam leaves a film on my hands so I honestly wash after 3-4 foams.

I feel gross with that film on my hands. We do have to scrub for at least 15 seconds on hands.

Oooh I abhor that foam. It feels nasty. I do not like most alcohol sanitizers either. The only one I like is genuine Purrell. But I only use it if no other option: I prefer plain soap and water.