When should alcohol-based hand sanitizer be used instead of soap and water?

• A. When hands are visibly dirty.
• B. When hands are not visibly soiled; after removing gloves or between residents
• C. After contact with bodily fluids.
• D. Only when soap is unavailable

Answer: (B)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is used for routine hand hygiene when hands are not visibly dirty. It’s ideal between resident contacts and after removing gloves because it quickly lowers the number of germs without a splash sink, helping prevent cross-contamination during continued care. However, it isn’t the right choice when hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with bodily fluids—washing with soap and water is required in those situations because water and friction clean away dirt and microbes more effectively. It’s also important to recognize that certain circumstances (like handling spores such as Clostridioides difficile) may call for soap and water as the preferred method. In short, use sanitizer for clean hands between tasks and after glove removal; wash with soap and water when hands are dirty or exposed to bodily fluids.