Do you ever NOT give out ice packs?

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I feel like I'm becoming some sort of icepack Nazi! I have literally gotten so low on icepacks that I'm now hoarding the few I still have for those instances where ice is NECESSARY and not just wanted as a comfort.

A few of the complaints I haven't given icepacks for include:

*Getting hit in the forehead with a plastic Frisbee (no marks, no swelling, no bruising...looked like a normal forehead)

*Ankle that hurts when I step on it like this: *contorts foot to unnatural position*

*I got hit in the head with a rock (rock was flat and about the size of a quarter. Again, no mark, no swelling, skin intact, no bruising, student not in distress AT ALL)

*My finger hurts (once again...no swelling, bruising, etc.)

*I'm hot

*My pencil eraser "BUMPED" (exact words, mind you) my face

These are just a few of the things I've had in my office just today. I feel bad for telling them no, but they are HORRIBLE at returning my icepacks. They're not even busting them or anything! They're just setting them down and then they get lost in translation throughout the school. Plus, I mean really...some of the reasons they want icepacks are just plain ridiculous. I've already had one instance where a student NEEDED ice for an ankle injury after falling and I had none to give her. I ended up breaking into my "go bag" for an instant icepack so they could have some relief until their ride got here.

Anyone else hoarding their icepacks??

Not a school nurse, but I'm curious about your references to Facebook complaints---does your school have a Facebook page where parents post such complaints? If so, that's appalling!

There is an "unofficial" FB page on my school, started by parents. One Dad posted that I wasn't doing my job, because all the kids in school had lice....Evidently it is up to me to thoroughly screen 950+ kids daily.....

Nice, huh?

There is an "unofficial" FB page on my school, started by parents. One Dad posted that I wasn't doing my job, because all the kids in school had lice....Evidently it is up to me to thoroughly screen 950+ kids daily.....

Nice, huh?

Well obviously it's not the parents responsibly! Besides, what else could you possibly be doing other than handing out ice packs and bandaids...I love parents, ugh!

Specializes in School nursing.

I bought a nice little table top ice machine this year because I was spending too much money on reusable ice packs that MS kids would seriously puncture and let the gel ooze out of. Ugh. Ice machine was ~$70 on sale and will save me so much money.

I used to fight the battle and I still do with my HS kids. We talk about when ice should be used and when it shouldn't. But I do see a lot of actual gym injuries (we don't have an actual gym, some gym happens outside, love that...).

But the MS kids...if I do not give them an ice pack, they manage to get passes again and again until I give them one. Then the teachers complain they eat the ice in class. I tell the teachers that if you didn't let them come back after the first time I sent them sans ice pack, they would not have an ice pack. You never win sometimes.

Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

I do not have reusable ice packs, so that is not an issue for me. I make ice cubes, and put them in ziplock snack size baggies. I do have instant cold packs for bigger injuries that I use sparingly.

I do not give ice packs for someone who is just "hot" from running at gym or recess, you can have a cold drink of water, you don't get an ice pack at home do ya? So you are not getting one at school.

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

it's kind of a balance for me between allowing the ice for the invisible injuries that the kids will hold on there for 5 seconds and scooting the kids out the door after looking at the afflicted body part and saying "ok, i'll make a note of it". Either way - ice packs do not leave my office unless you've got a really good reason.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I might add, from an ER perspective, there are times when ice is contraindicated. Burns - still seeing ice applied to burns which increases the tissue damage. Cool water to stop the burning, no ice. Cellulitis - any redness that is more than a day or two old and not turning dark is more likely infection than bruising unless the source is clearly known. Abscesses, including dental abscesses - again, any cooling of infection reduces the body's ability to get soldiers to the battlefield, and that includes ice cream and Popsicles for throat infections. This is a bit of a departure from the discussion, but, in response to the opening question, these are times I would definitely withhold ice in any form.

Thanks for your perspective!! The one time I always say no to ice is for burns. So,so true about the infectious process, let the body do its job - it can do so much on its own without intervention.

Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

I just told a kid no.

Hurt his knee it yesterday, was kicked while playing soccer by a kid with cleats. He said it bruised really quickly so mom took him to the ER (I inwardly roll my eyes) and the doctors said it was just bruised (no kidding). Now he wants an ice pack. With 15 minutes left in the day. No. You are fine. Get one when you get home. His pants were so tight he couldn't even get this pant leg up to show me.

I'll let you know tomorrow if I get an angry call for not giving an ice pack.

1 Votes
Specializes in School Nursing, Hospice,Med-Surg.

I get ice from the machine in the cafeteria every morning and keep it in a beer cooler in my clinic. I make ice packs with ziploc baggies wrapped in paper towels. I give out ice packs pretty freely and there's no way I want a kid sitting in my clinic for 20 minutes...take the thing with you and get out of here! Kids sometimes say they get in trouble for opening the baggie and drinking the cold, melted ice which kinda grosses me out. They don't know if I clean out that cooler or not! But if teachers have a problem with kids drinking my ice packs instead of using them for their intended use, perhaps they shouldn't send them down with crazy complaints...like, "my leg just randomly started hurting 2 minutes ago while I was sitting in class," or "I bumped my elbow on my spiral notebook."

Like the rednecks say back in my hometown, "that'll lern ya, dern ya."

Specializes in NCSN.
But if teachers have a problem with kids drinking my ice packs instead of using them for their intended use, perhaps they shouldn't send them down with crazy complaints...like, "my leg just randomly started hurting 2 minutes ago while I was sitting in class," or "I bumped my elbow on my spiral notebook."

YES!!!

Specializes in School Nursing, Hospice,Med-Surg.

I guess I'm more of an ice pack socialist rather than an ice pack nazi.

Yes, we refuse to give ice packs all of the time in our Middle School. We have the nice reusable ones, but we save those for head injuries and we don't let the kids leave the Health Room with them. Our school does not even have an ice machine (not even in the cafeteria) so we simply fold up the high-quality brown paper towels that the school supplies and put them in ziplock bags with water, freeze overnight and viola! Cheap-o ice packs.

Specializes in School Nursing.

I have just implemented the exciting "ice packs do not leave the health office" (unless there is a documented injury that would warrant an exception) rule and there has not been any resistance to it yet! I just clearly state to the student, "I am going to have you sit here and rest five minutes with the ice pack and see how you feel" and after five minutes they are good to go! 23 ice packs were used but not lost yesterday :woot:. And each student also receives a complimentary short teaching about how as we grow up, we bump ourselves on a lot of things, and the discomfort after that is natural and not something that I can or should get 100% rid of

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