Ice Packs = Candy

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · May 13, 2016

I actually demand that they leave with them. Otherwise, my office would look like a cooling station at the Boston Marathon. (I only use actual ice, so I'm not worried about chemicals. The worst thing that happens is kids get dripped on.)

zombieghoast · May 13, 2016

I see too many kids "needing" ice packs. When I first started I would have them ice their injury in my clinic. Then I realized how much many students during recess would come see me.

Skips, MSN, RN · May 13, 2016

I only have the reusable ones. If I let the kiddos leave with them, I'd never get them back!

Skips, MSN, RN · May 13, 2016

Yeah, I have learned to say "you don't need an ice pack for that, buddy". It's helped.

1mrsbs · May 13, 2016

Oh yes, I make sure they keep them in the office (gel packs). If I have to let a child take one (dismissal, etc.) I put a couple of pumps of soap in the bag with the ice. :)

Flare, ASN, BSN · May 13, 2016

i moved my ice packs to a lower freezer where the kids can reach them. The kids get them themselves and ice said body part for less time than it takes me to open their electronic chart and write up their complaint. Average time - 20 seconds.

MrNurse(x2), ADN · May 13, 2016

I had a little come in at the end of the day.Asked him if he would ice it at home, of course yes, right? Tried and tried to talk him out of it, but this is the "whip, ney ney" kid, so he was on to me. I got the ice pack back before the end of the day.

MaltyChick · May 16, 2016

Sometimes ice packs are like the magical bandaid: they cure all. Some times I tell some kids no to the ice pack request, but I do use them a lot. My favorite requests are for "injuries" that occurred over the weekend. I usually send those kiddos off without one. But I hate to dismiss the kids too readily as many are inner city and could use an empathic ear and TLC.

Ours are reusable and I do get most of them back. I think it's because the kids like me and come back with them to say hi. I had a bin outside my office for used iced packs (read dirty!) and found there were hardly ever any in there. I found kids were taking the dirty ones from the bin to play with. No bin outside the office any more!

ro2878, ADN, BSN · May 18, 2016

Kiddos at my school are "ice junkies" - they would shoot themselves up with ice if they could! LOL

I try to discourage ice when it really is not necessary except for my littles/preK (they can do no wrong!). Now, if you are in 7th or 8th grade and you bumped your elbow on your desk....c'mon!! The unfortunate thing is that we sometimes wind up giving ice because we fear kiddo will go home and tell parent that the nurse did not do anything and then cray cray parent will come in and read you the riot act.