What is a key guideline for hand hygiene in a dialysis setting?

In a dialysis setting, hand hygiene is paramount for preventing infections and maintaining a safe environment for both patients and healthcare providers. The correct guideline emphasizes the importance of washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer as needed.

Using soap and water is particularly effective in removing dirt, organic material, and certain pathogens, while alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be beneficial for quick sanitization when soap and water are not immediately available. This flexibility ensures that healthcare workers can maintain proper hand hygiene before and after patient contact, enhancing overall infection control.

The other options suggest limited or ineffective practices that would not adequately safeguard against infections. For example, focusing solely on handwashing before patient contact ignores the critical need for hygiene post-contact, which is equally essential for preventing cross-contamination. Additionally, avoiding hand sanitizer altogether disregards a valuable tool that can be used in conjunction with handwashing.