Practitioners must wash their hands with which of the following?

The suitable choice for hand hygiene in a professional practice setting is the use of antibacterial skin cleanser or hand sanitizer. This option is endorsed because antibacterial cleansers are designed to eliminate or reduce the presence of pathogens and are crucial in preventing the spread of infections, particularly in environments where sterile techniques are critical.

Antibacterial skin cleansers feature active ingredients that specifically target and kill bacteria and other harmful organisms that can be present on hands. Hand sanitizers that contain a sufficient concentration of alcohol (typically at least 60%) are also highly effective, particularly when soap and water are not readily available, and they serve to quickly reduce the number of germs on the skin.

Regular soap primarily assists in mechanically removing dirt and some germs but may not be as effective at killing bacteria as antibacterial products. Water alone is inadequate for sanitizing hands and will not eliminate harmful microorganisms. Alcohol-based products, while effective in reducing microbes, may not offer the same spectrum of action as antibacterial sanitizers with added active ingredients specifically designed for that purpose.

Thus, the decision to use an antibacterial skin cleanser or hand sanitizer aligns well with best practices in maintaining optimal hand hygiene and infection control within professional settings.