Ice machine use in hospitals

Guests · Jul 23, 2016

Since you are a nursing instructor, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to introduce your student to EBSCO and CINAHL in order to do some proper research and critical appraisal of some articles in order to see what is current evidence based practice. Current EBP should drive practice, although, it's nice to socialize with fellow nurses on AllNurses...

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

what about rolling the stretcher to the ice machine and tell patient's to open his/her mouth? That's direct entry without cross contaminating!

Funny. Not very helpful, but funny.

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

For the life of my career, I have always run ice into a liner or a cup and cut out another small cup to place ice in reusable containers such as an ice pack-even initially be used it was impossible for all the ice to make the bag and I would make a mess like a toddler most of the time.
It was always stressed to prevent inadvertent cross contamination as much as possible-with the ever increasing HAIs making their way into the community, as well as the resurgence of preventable (vaccinated) infections and diseases (*cough cough* Pertussis and Mumps has returned to my community and we are up to 6 confirmed cases in the past MONTH at my facility) I try to be mindful of those possibilities. I work in a setting where our pantries are locked, and I do refill container with disposable cups to prevent cross contamination as mush as possible-even for my own container from home.
OP, explain to your student factually and professionally that we always have the ability to cross contaminate, and the best practice of health promotion is to use a system to prevent that when refilling reusable items-not just "because I said so"; it makes you look less credible as an instructor, and may affect your relationship and credibility as an instructor with this student and other students (because nursing students TALK-you know?)

These were the points I made to the student and all the students listening. I appreciate you sharing your best practice. This is what I feel as well. Reading most of these post I find the same precautions taken too. I really doubt that there's a written policy about filling an ice bag but we need to consider all cross contaminations. I will relay the findings here to my students as well. Thank you.

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

Since you are a nursing instructor, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to introduce your student to EBSCO and CINAHL in order to do some proper research and critical appraisal of some articles in order to see what is current evidence based practice. Current EBP should drive practice, although, it's nice to socialize with fellow nurses on AllNurses...

This is the type of discussion I was hoping to see. I understand it isn't going to be a written policy. I am looking for EBP. Many of the post agree it's a potential source of infection. I am trying to give my students something to think about early in their education and hopefully they develop safe habits. Thank you for your suggestions.

dishes, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2016

This is the type of discussion I was hoping to see. I understand it isn't going to be a written policy. I am looking for EBP. Many of the post agree it's a potential source of infection. I am trying to give my students something to think about early in their education and hopefully they develop safe habits. Thank you for your suggestions.

I am curious why you think there won't be a written policy on prevention of contamination of ice machines in health care facilities?

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

It goes in a bag and doesn't touch the patient. I'm not understanding your rationale. I fill them from the ice machine. The same ice chips I give my patients to suck on. You may be the instructor, but I'm thinking you are wrong here. It's ice, in a bag. Really. Pick your battles. Why would a family member care about where the ice, in a bag, came from?
What is your evidence-based rationale here?

It's not the ice. The bag that has been used on a patient that touches the ice machine and now you're getting ice from there for your patient's water or ice chips. My evidence is watching staff refill bags from the ice machine. Is best policy that no ice bags or water pitchers be refilled directly from the ice machine? This is the battle I have chosen. If I start the students thinking early, will this develop better practices?

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

I am curious why you think there won't be a written policy on prevention of contamination of ice machines in health care facilities?

I have looked. I am inquiring at the local hospital but it does seem to be spelled out word for word or step by step. I am continuing to look. That's why I introduced this topic. There's plenty on the upkeep and cleaning of ice machines but not proper use of ice machines. I would greatly appreciate any resources you know on the topic.

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

Think about it.. you are placing a USED ice bag onto the lip of an ice machine.. think there just might be cross contamination? You know the ones that are placed in armpits or groins.
The ice dispenser now has so many cooties.. each and every cube now sliding out is now CONTAMINATED.

At first I felt you thought I was wasting everyone's time, now, you seem to be arguing my point. But the student refuses to see it that way. It's the potential of cross contamination. I find if I present the students with policy or EBP then they tend to understand better. Thank you for your tolerance as I am new to the forum. I don't like waiting 900 seconds either.

RainMom · Jul 23, 2016

We don't use the refillable ice packs on the floor, but the professional gel-filled reusable ones. Used ones are sent back to sterile processing for cleaning & a fresh one is retrieved from a freezer. Individual new ziplock bags are filled with ice from the machine (staff only area) for each pt's cup or if they have a cryo cooler (which remain in pt's room).

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 23, 2016

I'm looking for hospital policies about the use of ice machines. In particular, filling new or refilling ice bags used on patients. I told a student that ice bags should not be filled from the ice machines directly. New, and especially, used ice bags. She argue, adamantly, that new can be filled directly from the ice machine. I looking for something to say it's safer to fill them from a separate container.

The glaring issue here isn't about filling ice bags directly from the ice machine. The issue is a student who would argue adamantly with you. THAT's the issue I'd be addressing.

I don't have access to a particular policy right at the moment, but for forty years, the commonly used practice is to fill from a separate container -- usually a styrofoam cup but if you're really lucky, a graduate.

olcroner · Jul 23, 2016

Sorry. Probably not a good idea to use sarcastic humor in text format, leaves too much for interpretation, didn't mean to seem snooty. I am checking the local hospital policy on this. I work at a Simulation Center where we teach basics of nursing. My rationale is I have witness the refilling of used ice bags directing from the ice machine. How do we stop this potentially nosocomial infection spreading practice. I say and teach don't fill any from the ice machine. My student disagrees. I'm looking for the EBP to start safe habits in my students.

dishes, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2016

If an icebag bag is being filled directly from the ice machine, the bag has to be held up close to the mouth of the dispenser, holding the bag in close proximity of the mouth of the dispenser increases the chances that the dispenser will be contaminated by a person's hands. To prevent contamination, ice machines should be as hands free as possible.