ICE " in case of emergency " apps worth it ?

CCL RN, RN · Feb 21, 2011

Limited value? Just call my husband if nreed be..anyone with half a brain can figure out who that is on my phone contact list, that is, if they don't erase all data first by trying to break in.

bjaeram · Feb 22, 2011

Limited value? Just call my husband if nreed be..anyone with half a brain can figure out who that is on my phone contact list, that is, if they don't erase all data first by trying to break in.

Do you have him labeled husband? We might not know your last name to match it to a last name in your phone. We don't want to go through your whole list of contacts, hundreds for some people. We want to go to I for ICE and it's there. Quick and easy!

CCL RN, RN · Feb 23, 2011

Like I said, if you broke into my phone *without* erasing all the data in it, you'd figure out who to call, utilizing nothing than simple common sense...

F.E.R.N., BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2011

I work in a regional level 3 TC, with many outlying rual areas and two major highways going through our town, brining in lots of out-of-towners...here's how things work in our area for unresponsive/confused patients:

Our 1st responders generally don't have time to check for ICE, but if LE is on scene, someone has generally at least looked for an ID for the patient by the time they get to us.

Once in our TC, someone, be it a nurse, chaplain or SW, will go through whatever belongings arrive with the patient. We first look for ID, so that we can see if they've ever been a patient at our facility before. If they have, bingo, we may have all the med hx we need on our computer files.

Second, we look for a next-of-kin contact. If we found med hx on our computer, we may not contact next-of-kin for a while unless the patient is critical or deceased. If we have no hx, an outside family/friend contact becomes a more immediate need. We do try to contact someone, but it may be put on the back-burner until the patient is more stable. We also have to take into account the news we are delivering to a stranger however many miles away with a long drive ahead of them to reach us.

We have used cell phones. But you have to remember that this is difficult if the person was in a wreck. I've had to clean the blood and mud off a phone before to see if it even works...often it doesn't, or us old nurses don't know how to use it. ICE is a great idea (I have it on my phone), but if you are traveling outside your home area or have people/animals depending on you on a daily basis, I would recommend keeping an emergency contact list updated in your wallet, too. Cell phones may land in the ditch, but your pants will come to the ER with you.

As for service animals, I've never had one come to our ER, but we have had many patients come in who were traveling with pets when an emergency/accident happened. In our area, LE generally coordinates care of the animals. That may be with the local SPCA, or an officer may take an animal home. I would think they would check a service animals gear for info, but couldn't be sure.

Elginite · May 9, 2011

Sherman Hospital created an ICE app for iphones that puts the ICE contact on the lock screen (see it at http://ice.shermanhealth.com). This way, at least the contact's name and phone number are available WITHOUT having to unlock the phone. The paramedics can call that person. Hospitals can have this app customized so they can offer it to their patients at this site (it's cheap when you hear that apps cost like $30,000 to build) http://iceapp.dcinteractivegroup.com

Elginite · May 9, 2011

Oh, and by the way, the reason iphone users don't list an ICE contact is because then that's the name that comes up on the phone when the person calls, instead of the husband or wife's name and photo. iPhones don't have ICE contacts automatically. You can add it, but it screws up the Caller ID listings.

murphyle, BSN, RN · May 9, 2011

Road ID:
http://www.roadid.com/Common/Catalog.aspx?C=RoadID

*grin* I wear one of those routinely - I call it my "Paddington Bear Tag." (If found, please return this nurse to Community Hospital, postage paid. :) --Actually, it has my name, DOB, allergy status and a phone number for next of kin.) More than a few patients have asked me where they can get one.

On the subject of ICE apps/files: if your contact data isn't in your wallet or worn on your person (Medic Alert tag, Road ID tag, military dog tags, etc), it's going to be a very long time before someone gets around to looking in your phone. (That, of course, assumes your phone came in with you and is still functional.) Usually by that time we've found an old medical record for you and we'll start with the Next of Kin data from there. Personally, I find that the ICE apps seem like a waste of money and effort.

bjaeram · May 9, 2011

Oh, and by the way, the reason iphone users don't list an ICE contact is because then that's the name that comes up on the phone when the person calls, instead of the husband or wife's name and photo. iPhones don't have ICE contacts automatically. You can add it, but it screws up the Caller ID listings.

I have an iphone and have listed ICE as a contact. I have my husband listed separetly under his name and then the same number under ICE. When he calls both scroll across the screen so I still see his pic, name, and ICE. It doesn't screw anything up at all~

Trekfan · May 10, 2011

*grin* I wear one of those routinely - I call it my "Paddington Bear Tag." (If found, please return this nurse to Community Hospital, postage
:yeah: that is so funny I needed a laugh today .

Trekfan · May 10, 2011

On the subject of ICE apps/files: if your contact data isn't in your wallet or worn on your person (Medic Alert tag, Road ID tag, military dog tags, etc), it's going to be a very long time before someone gets around to looking in your phone. (That, of course, assumes your phone came in with you and is still functional.) Usually by that time we've found an old medical record for you and we'll start with the Next of Kin data from there. Personally, I find that the ICE apps seem like a waste of money and effort.

In my case it it was a wast of money the one i got you had to bring it up and push the button for it to call for help . A few weeks ago i was at work when i found myself unable to move ,talk ,anything , and slowly passing out ,my phone was olney a few inchs from my hand but i could not move to get it . thank god I had called a coworker to ask a question mins befor and seeing at my desk she walked over to find out why i did not respond to her . so in my case it was fully useless but it is a grate idea if you can push it

Trekfan · May 10, 2011

Sherman Hospital created an ICE app for iphones that puts the ICE contact on the lock screen (see it at http://ice.shermanhealth.com). This way, at least the contact's name and phone number are available WITHOUT having to unlock the phone. The paramedics can call that person. Hospitals can have this app customized so they can offer it to their patients at this site (it's cheap when you hear that apps cost like $30,000 to build) http://iceapp.dcinteractivegroup.com

has anyone seen this app in use? how is it displayed on the phone ? does it come up on the look screen ?

abundantjoy07, RN · May 10, 2011

My question is how is anyone gonna figure out how to unlock my phone? And then they'd have to search through the apps to find the ICE app. But again, how do you unlock a locked phone?

I have a card and necklace for myself that is with MedicAlert. I figure it saves life and doesn't take much effort.