Myth busting: Alcohol-based hand rub

As health care providers, we know hand hygiene is a key component in preventing the spread of germs.  Sometimes though, we aren’t sure about some of the details around safe and appropriate hand cleaning. To help us, Infection Prevention and Control has gathered some of the common myths and facts surrounding alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR):

Claim: For any patient care, health care workers must complete hand hygiene before putting on gloves.

True. Hand hygiene before putting on gloves minimizes the risk of contaminating the gloves, the patient, or the patient’s environment with any harmful germs.

Claim: ABHR will cause resistance and not be effective in cleaning hands.

Myth. Unlike other antiseptics and antibiotics, there is no evidence that ABHR stops being effective against germs.

Claim: Since the emphasis is to use ABHR to clean hands, health care workers are no longer required to use soap and water.

Myth. Best practice guidelines promote hand hygiene. Both ABHR or soap and water are excellent ways to clean hands. ABHR provides an effective and quick means to clean hands particularly when a hand hygiene sink is not available. Remember that when hands are visibly soiled or the patient has C. difficile soap and water is required to remove the organic matter.

Claim:  There are a specific number of times that a health care worker can use ABHR in a row.

Myth. There is a common misconception that hands should be washed after every 5-6 applications of ABHR. There is no reason to do this especially when the new product is foam based and contains excellent emollients. Keep in mind that frequent combining of ABHR and soap and water actually promotes hand dryness.