Salting my ice now

Specialties School

Published

I'm salty.

I learned that 3-5th grades are consuming the (probably potable but you never know) ice from my ice packs.

Someone here told me about salting the ice. So I'm about to start, after I send the teachers an email asking why.....why...for the love of all that is good, why?

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I don't allow my ice packs out except for very special circumstances, but I also don't allow lingering. I don't allow the friend that had to walk them to the nurse to stay, unless it's a kinder and then once they start laughing and goofing with one another i cut them loose. Also, once the icepack becomes a toy, buh bye. I find that most of my ice needers don't really stay that long once you take the joy out of it and for the ones that do stay longer saying it still hurts, it makes it that much easier to know if i need to make that CYA call to get Jimmy's sore wrist x-rayed.

4 Votes
Specializes in school nursing.
21 minutes ago, Flare said:

I don't allow my ice packs out except for very special circumstances, but I also don't allow lingering. I don't allow the friend that had to walk them to the nurse to stay, unless it's a kinder and then once they start laughing and goofing with one another i cut them loose. Also, once the icepack becomes a toy, buh bye. I find that most of my ice needers don't really stay that long once you take the joy out of it and for the ones that do stay longer saying it still hurts, it makes it that much easier to know if i need to make that CYA call to get Jimmy's sore wrist x-rayed.

Easy in HS when you tell them to put their phone away! haha

1 Votes
Specializes in Peds, MS, DIDD, Corrections, HH, LTC, School Nurse.

I learned from an old school nurse that a wet paper towel in a baggie (placed in freezer) works as well as ice in a baggie. It's more pliable and less attractive to students. As the ice machines in my district crap out they are not being replaced and all the clinic nurses will be using frozen wet paper towels in baggies aka cold packs.

Another advantage to the "cold packs" you can make up bunches at a time and have them in the freezer ready to go!

4 Votes

Can you use frozen paper towels in plastic sandwich bags? That’s what we had when I was in elementary. Cheap and inedible.

2 Votes
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
On 5/11/2019 at 6:36 PM, rn&run said:

Can you use frozen paper towels in plastic sandwich bags? That’s what we had when I was in elementary. Cheap and inedible.

I don't actually have a freezer here. I have a six-pack cooler full of ice.

0 Votes
Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
On 5/9/2019 at 5:14 PM, OldDude said:

I learned from this site...don’t let the ice packs leave the clinic. I was blown away at how the usage decreased. I would estimate at least a 75% decrease.

I have my stopwatch out to see how long these ice packs are used when students are held in the office. Average? Fifteen seconds!

5 Votes
Specializes in Home Health (PDN), Camp Nursing.

Salt makes the ice colder and increases risk of injury. See the salt ice challenge. I have better luck with vinegar. Just a bit and a shake. Now no one wants your ice.

2 Votes
Specializes in school nursing.
12 minutes ago, Alex Egan said:

Salt makes the ice colder and increases risk of injury. See the salt ice challenge. I have better luck with vinegar. Just a bit and a shake. Now no one wants your ice.

Ohhhh! Even better!

0 Votes
On 5/10/2019 at 5:15 AM, CampyCamp said:

My kids just don't work that way. They will sit out their perceived injury in the health room even during recess. If I let them sit in the sick room, they get too cozy. If I put them in the waiting area, they act as walmart greeters and triage nurses. If I have them sit near me, they stare as I do paperwork or eat my breakfast. So if it's recess, they stay but any other time, they can hold ice in class. I presume it ends up neglected on the desk.

This is how my kids are, too. I hand out ice packs (not actual ice, but the frozen packs) and ask them to bring it back to me or drop at front desk. About 25% of them are returned, which I'm fine with. 99% of the time the injury/issue does not require ice or any treatment, but I know the placebo affect is helpful for them.

1 Votes
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
1 hour ago, Alex Egan said:

Salt makes the ice colder and increases risk of injury. See the salt ice challenge. I have better luck with vinegar. Just a bit and a shake. Now no one wants your ice.

That's why I water 'em down as well!

1 Votes
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