Middle School/High School and Supplies

[peaceful2100]

Hello, I'm currently a first year school nurse. I have been an

RN

for 11 years but this is my first time in a school. I work in a 8th-12th grade school. We get a $500 per year budget for nursing supplies. I'm trying to make that stretch but oooh, dear.

I have some questions:

1) What do you all do as far as Ice Packs? Do you allow the student to get the ice pack and if their issue is not severe send them back to class or do you keep them in your office until they are finished with ice pack? I made a huge mistake of sending them back to class and now I hardly have any left. It is my fault for not keeping better track. Lesson learned. I have been using Ziplock bags and filling with water and freezing but that apparently is a bad idea. What do you all use for ice packs?

2) Elastic/Ace wraps what do you all use for those. They are obviously very expensive and several students want ACE wraps. Do you give one to students who request them or do you try to discourage them from using ACE wraps and only use for students with true extreme need.

I feel like this should be some common sense stuff but apparently it is not. I need to place another order for supplies. Obviously I need to be conservative because of funding but at the same time I need to have enough on stock.

I have almost 500 students in my school.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

I personally like Macgill for my ordering. I have a small freezer/fridge in my office. In the freezer I have 3 ice cube trays and a plastic container. Each day I empty the ice cubes I made into the container and make new cubes. I use these with small baggies for ice packs. If I run out of ice I have reusables in my fridge getting cooled or I use a chemical pack. I do use ACE bandages to wrap but I'm very particular about when I will do so. I don't do it on request from a parent/student. Thankfully someone ordered a ton of them years ago so I am set for a long time.

You will get a handle on this after you do it for awhile. I didn't know what I needed to order the 1st year I was a SN but now I know without even looking at what I have left. This is a job that takes some time finding your way and figuring out how you need and want to practice. In a year or 2 you'll feel like you've been doing it forever!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

The dollar store is my friend!

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

HA PTA- What is that?? No, I'm kidding. I do know but in my school there is ZERO PTA. I'm in a urban school and many of our students families are very low income. PTA's in urban schools around here are unheard of. I think a few of the elementary schools do but none of our middle or high schools have them. So, that is out.

Thanks for the advice on the ACE wraps. I will definitely not being using them like before. You all given me many wonderful things to think about. If they need one that bad I'm calling home. Now that someone mention it I'm beginning to seriously feel it is a I want to be seen attention type thing for the majority of them. So do you just tell students you can't wrap them up unless their is a Dr. order sent in?

I love the idea of the ice cube trays and the idea of the sponge for ice packs thank you!!

I have already came out of my pocket for several things this school year. Ahhh, the joy of being a school nurse huh!

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

I do have a small refrigerator in my office but it is old and some days the ice doesn't do what it should. Like I can never seem to get the temp setting right on it but I think it is just because it is an very old and ancient refrigerator. I'm in a very very old old school. Some days it freezes too much and then other days it didn't hardly freeze even though it was sitting in there for a long time.

[SchoolNurseTXstyle]

I had to put a stop on allowing ice packs back to class. Students were letting them melt in the hallways, they were drinking the melted water in class. Lot of teacher complaints (one teacher slipped and fell on one), so now I make them stay in the clinic. I only ice if necessary. None of that, I bumped my elbow 3 days ago nonsense allowed. I keep my freezer stocked with ziploc bags / ice from the cafeteria.

I have 2 ace bandages in the clinic that I could use in an absolute emergency. Otherwise, if it is bad enought for an ace bandage - parent needs to provide. I figured out one time that if I did supply one to all of those that requested it, it would cost me 3 times my budget for that alone. I do have some coban I use occassionally to buddy tape a jammed finger or such.

[shsnurse]

I work at a high school 1700+ students. At the beginning of each day I fill my cooler with ice. I also have a fridge. I use the ziplock bags. I send them back to class unless it is a new injury or bump...then I contact a parent. I don't use aces because they are expensive. In my opinion...If the injury requires a "new ace" then they need to have a follow up with a provider. Next, I had a supply drive at the beginning of the year. I collected snacks, deordorant, feminine items, etc. P&G sent me a large qty of feminine products thru their school program. Our health dept donates pads and our student government association brings me juices, snacks, underwear, bandaids etc. monthly. Our student organizations "looks for projects" to take on...so reach out to them! They have blessed me so much. ?

[SnowyJ, RN]

I use the sponges too! I was losing too many of the gel packs. I buy cheap sponges at Dollar Tree, cut them into various sizes, wet them then into a ziplock and into the freezer. they don't drip and work pretty well.

I still keep a few of the gel ice/heat packs for real emergencies. I used a sign out list for a while, but it's busy enough here that it often was forgotten.

Ace bandages are used ONLY for seemingly serious injuries that happen here at school. The kids ask for them all the time, but I can't afford to supply them. That should be a parent responsibility. Esp. if the injury happened outside of school.