DISCUSSION
To our knowledge, our study is the first prospective trial to compare the level of skin dryness and irritation caused by soap-and-water hand washing to that associated
with a commercially available alcoholic hand gel among nurses who used the products while performing their standard nursing activities.
Since the efficacy of alcohol based products may be reduced in the presence of substantial organic matter,
participants were allowed to use a nonmedicated soap while assigned to the alcoholic–handgel regimen.
Those assigned to the alcoholic–hand-gel regimen used the alcoholic hand gel for 84% of hand-hygiene