In which situation is it necessary to wash your hands with soap and water?

Washing hands with soap and water is crucial in circumstances where your hands are visibly soiled. This situation is significant because visible dirt, blood, or bodily fluids can harbor pathogens that hand sanitizer may not effectively eliminate. Soap and water are more effective in removing these contaminants due to the physical action of scrubbing, which helps dislodge dirt and germs from the skin's surface.

Using hand sanitizer is beneficial for reducing germs when hands are not visibly dirty, but it does not have the same cleaning power as soap and water when it comes to physical debris. Washing hands before patient care and after care also plays a vital role in infection control, but it does not specifically address the importance of cleaning visibly soiled hands. Thus, in scenarios with visible impurities, soap and water are the recommended approach to ensure proper hand hygiene and reduce the risk of spreading infection.