Washing hands vs. Hand sanitizer?

[HappyDznyCamper]

our school does this too..i asked why....its quicker they say.....
great, so quickness over sanitary...........

For those who can't get the school to change policy(icky as it is), Wet Ones makes anitbacterial hand wipes. Since they are wipes you get the friction you need to remove the germs, the wipes with the handsanitizer might be better than sanitizer alone. Put a few wipes in their lunch box and show them how to use, don't forget to wipe between the fingers.

 

[dpwright]

working as a nurse in a large MA trauma center, I can tell you our policy. "Foam in, Foam out" Every time we enter a patient's room we use the sanitizer foam at the entrance. Every time we leave a patient's room we again use the sanitizer foam. We of course also glove and use soap and water for "visible dirt". The hand sanitizer is kinder than soap and water to hands frequently washed. I think whether to use soap or sanitizer depends on the situation. If they've been out on the playground or using craft supplies like paint or glue then they should use soap and water. With caution. Hands that are left wet get chapped which leads to infection. The sanitizer dries quickly and without wiping. Hands that, after washing, then turn off the water faucet with those same hands are no longer clean, they've just reinfected them with germs. There should be foot shut offs for faucets or the kids should be taught to turn off with a paper towel wrapped around the faucet. And a cloth towel should never be used more than once so paper towels would be the way to go.

 

[Vacation Lover]

I asked the kids again this morning about the handwashing thing and they were a little more clear about it. They said that they "usually" do wash their hands after using the restroom, but if, for some reason, there isn't time they're encouraged to use the sanitizer instead. An example is if they have to go doing testing and need to get back to the room right away. Yesterday happened to be a testing day so I guess that's why they were saying they only used the sanitizer. Anyway, I was relieved to find that they are washing their hands! The whole class uses sanitizer before lunch and after recess.

 

[kimsuenew]

My son and daughter said that their teachers told their classes to use hand sanitizer after using the bathroom, instead of washing their hands.(!) They said that the reason is because it's quicker to use the hand sanitizer. I always thought that washing your hands was the better way to kill germs, etc. and that hand sanitizer was something to be used when you couldn't get to a sink. Am I just behind the times and sanitizer is as effective? It just seems yucky to me to use the bathroom and not use soap and water afterwards! What do you think?

Ugh! I would verify that this is indeed policy and then I would complain! That is horrid! The Health Department would be appalled as would the general public! If I did not get anywhere with the school system, I would write a letter to the editor, get my pediatrition involved, and so on! This is disgusting! Lets face facts... hand sanitizer wouldn't get rid of feces a child got on their hands while wiping, it would simply dilute it and move it around. At the school I worked at for 12+ years we pushed handwashing, after the RR, before meals and snacks, after blowing your nose, and so on! In fact the rule of thumb with kids is to wash as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice!

 

[perdidochas]

My son and daughter said that their teachers told their classes to use hand sanitizer after using the bathroom, instead of washing their hands.(!) They said that the reason is because it's quicker to use the hand sanitizer. I always thought that washing your hands was the better way to kill germs, etc. and that hand sanitizer was something to be used when you couldn't get to a sink. Am I just behind the times and sanitizer is as effective? It just seems yucky to me to use the bathroom and not use soap and water afterwards! What do you think?

Hand sanitizer just kills germs, it doesn't get any dirt/debris/etc. off the hands. IMHO, hand sanitizer is great for before lunch, but it's not the best solution for cleaning hands after the bathroom. However, having seen an elementary school bathroom after two or three classes came through, maybe the teacher isn't totally wrong.

 

[perdidochas]

I think you are correct. I am sure someone more knowledgeable will come along with facts, but I know at our Cub Scout overnight, one of the moms (a nurse) was adamant that we have the boys wash with soap and water. There are a couple of reasons you should not rely on sanitizer, but I can't remember them. Soap, water and scrubbing is the best! I think you can build up an immunity to sanitizer.

It's best to wash hands because you get the dirt as well. The hand sanitizer doesn't get rid of dirt. You can't build up an immunity (or more importantly, bacteria don't build up an immunity) to alcohol based sanitizers. Bacteria can build up resistance to the antibacterial agent in soap.

 

[Mickey Red Sox]

I'm a nurse -- our hospital policy is that we use soap and water after we use the bathroom, if we come in contact with blood/body fluids, or if hands are visibly soiled. We use hand sani before and after every pt contact & when we enter/leave rooms.

And PPs are right on about using a paper towel to shut off the faucet and that you won't build up an immunity to hand sani.

So, yes, we should all use soap and warm running water after using the bathroom....on the other hand -- having watched many people walk out of a bathroom stall and right out the door, I'd be happy if we could get those people to clean their hands in any fashion!!

 

[perdidochas]

I'm a nurse -- our hospital policy is that we use soap and water after we use the bathroom, if we come in contact with blood/body fluids, or if hands are visibly soiled. We use hand sani before and after every pt contact & when we enter/leave rooms.

And PPs are right on about using a paper towel to shut off the faucet and that you won't build up an immunity to hand sani.

So, yes, we should all use soap and warm running water after using the bathroom....on the other hand -- having watched many people walk out of a bathroom stall and right out the door, I'd be happy if we could get those people to clean their hands in any fashion!!

I agree, but it's kind of scary how many people don't even rudimentarily wash their hands.

 

[daisyduck123]

The district I teach in banned hand sanitizers last year...so we don't use it anymore.

 

[Rora]

Washing your hands is definitley correct! Hand sanitizer is effective if the children don't have access to soap and water but encourage them to wash their hands. Obviously this teacher is just concerned with cutting time down in the bathrooms

 

[Tiger926]

Our school board has banned hand sanitizers as well as they contain alcohol. I guess I would be concerned about them not being able to wash their hands = germs, as well as the fact that a chemical is the bathrooms within reach of small children. There are people with alcohol allergies/sensitivities, not to mention that small children have become sickened from ingesting hand sanitizers. The cost would be a factor as well as most kids I know squirt way too much sanitizer on their hands - my teenaged students waste a ton of it when they bring it in their bags and purses. Our board is taking no choices and banned all alcohol from first aid kits, classrooms, etc. I'm very surprised that most school districts haven't done this.

Tiger

 

[disneymarie]

The hot water, the soap, are not the sanitizing effect it is the rubbing, WITH the soap and hot water with a chorus sung of happy birthday. Also, rub the fingernails into the palm to get under them. As a emergency worker, we have to take the bio/hazard protection training and are instructed if using hand sanitizer, wash hands properly ASAP.

Hand sanitizer is NOT an alternitive. Even the school nurse would instruct that. I bet it is an alternative to 30 kids spending all that time in the lav....
dianne

 

[Merriwind]

I sub for grades 2 through 5 several days a week. My thinking is that the hand sanitizer is there because most kids do not wash their hands after using the restroom. I'd rather hand sanitizer than nothing!

I can't tell you how quickly these kids are in and out of the restrooms, even with "be sure to wash your hands" reminders. I wouldn't have time to go potty, much less wash my hands!

Last week, I was in a second grade class. At the end of the day, I went in the lavatory to find the soap dispenser lying in the sink. I could see where it had been affixed to the wall. The sticky stuff obviously gave way and I'm guessing the kid just put it in the sink since it fit. No one mentioned this and the soap dispenser and sink were dry! So...........none of these second graders had washed their hands!

While soap and water are the ideal, I'd rather them use hand sanitizer than nothing.

 

[teresajoy]

There are people with alcohol allergies/sensitivities, not to mention that small children have become sickened from ingesting hand sanitizers. Tiger

Thanks for mentioning this! When Lydia and I went to Arminda's school last year for an "eat with your child" day, the lunch lady was standing at the door with a HUGE bottle of sanitizer squirting everyone. We had just went to the bathroom to scrub our hands, so I told her we didn't need any. She said, that we were NOT entering the gym/cafeteria unless we put it on. I explained that we had just washed our hands (we always use a paper towel to turn off the water and open the door), and that Lydia was allergic to the sanitizer. She just scoffed at me and said, "Allergic to alcohol!" Such a jerk!