Do you ever NOT give out ice packs?

Specialties School

Published

I feel like I'm becoming some sort of icepack Nazi! I have literally gotten so low on icepacks that I'm now hoarding the few I still have for those instances where ice is NECESSARY and not just wanted as a comfort.

A few of the complaints I haven't given icepacks for include:

*Getting hit in the forehead with a plastic Frisbee (no marks, no swelling, no bruising...looked like a normal forehead)

*Ankle that hurts when I step on it like this: *contorts foot to unnatural position*

*I got hit in the head with a rock (rock was flat and about the size of a quarter. Again, no mark, no swelling, skin intact, no bruising, student not in distress AT ALL)

*My finger hurts (once again...no swelling, bruising, etc.)

*I'm hot

*My pencil eraser "BUMPED" (exact words, mind you) my face

These are just a few of the things I've had in my office just today. I feel bad for telling them no, but they are HORRIBLE at returning my icepacks. They're not even busting them or anything! They're just setting them down and then they get lost in translation throughout the school. Plus, I mean really...some of the reasons they want icepacks are just plain ridiculous. I've already had one instance where a student NEEDED ice for an ankle injury after falling and I had none to give her. I ended up breaking into my "go bag" for an instant icepack so they could have some relief until their ride got here.

Anyone else hoarding their icepacks??

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i find with the "no ice packs leave the office" rule that the average time that the ice pack is actually needed is actually very short -unless we're talking either a legit injury or a kid trying to dodge something they don't want to do - class, gym, test, presentation. I love how they all think they're the first one's to come up with that.

Specializes in Neonatal.

Okay, so I mostly lurk here on allnurses as a whole and have long periods of time where I don't even look at the sight. Lately I've been visiting a lot and the school nurses forum pops up for me to lurk on as you all are so active and have such interesting threads. That said:

I though of this thread yesterday morning when my kindergartner presented me with an accident report from her school nurse for an incident from Friday that I would have had no knowledge of without this report. In it was stated that another kid hit her on the nose with a toy and that an ice pack was given. I just laughed as, once again no marks or anything, no comments about it over the course of the weekend, and this is the first time that I've seen something from the nurse (meaning that my daughter hasn't had to go to the nurse for anything before this).

I looked at my daughter, shook my head and told her that I bet she didn't even need the ice pack. My daughter absolutely disagreed and all I could do was say a little prayer that the nurse can make it through the remaining 5 weeks of the year. :)

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

I'm the same way. I had a TON of ice packs, but then now they are ALL gone. I had to order more, but I accidentally got the big ones. So I been like hording them and telling them no you can't take it with you. I'm planning of asking for a ice maker machine for next year so I don't have to deal with so many like this again! And honestly I been finding them little by little but in the weirdest places. I found one in the ceiling of the girls restroom...

I bought Ice Bags and a Ice Cooler. I fill it up with ice everyday. Then I just give out these bags that kids can throw away when done.

Ice pack for you! Ice pack for you! Ice packs for EVERYONE! :) I have ziplock baggies and plenty of ice in the cafeteria......But great to know that ice is contraindicated for a few things.

I used to get my ice from the cafeteria daily, but decided to beg for my own little ice machine. I love it! I use food storage bags, one scoop of ice, tie the top and bam! Store some in my little freezer and make the rest on a prn basis. Occasionally I still run to the cafeteria for a cooler full (field day). Best purchase I have had my school make!

If a teacher says "ice pack" I NEVER give it (unless really needed). I wouldn't go into their classroom and say "reading help". This is a BIG pet peeve, can you tell?

I think of it like a teachable moment- is there swelling? Is there bruising? Trouble with ROM? If the answer is no then ice isn't necessary. Helps them learn the difference between discomfort and injuries. I remind them how amazing their body is at healing itself but reassure them that if it still hurts in 45 min then we can reassess. Never see them again 😊 More often than not they just needed someone to reassure them they're fine.

Specializes in School nurse.

When a student says " The teacher says to just give me an ice pack!" I say "your teacher is asking me to be a bad nurse. Would she like it if I asked her to be a bad teacher?" I have also written on the note to the teacher that needing ice is a nursing decision that they should not be recommending since they are not a nurse. Don't really care if they do not like the comment. I do not offer them advice on teaching!

I can't let them stay in office as a way to control their need for ice as that will not bother them to be our of class at all. A lot of the "I need an ice pack" is school avoidance, and teachers not standing their ground! If a teacher sends the student back for ice after I have said it was not needed, I take the student to the principal and tell them that student keeps coming back unnecessarily. Sometimes principal will get them back to class by encouraging hydration!

For every "Injured Extremity" entry in Infinite Campus, I feel I have to tell all the things not wrong with the extremity. How do those of you who send kids back with ice plan to prove that the injury the student gets at home that night did not occur at school like the parent is saying it did? After all, they were in the nurse office, and they were given ice. A parent can say that you simply did not realize the extent of the injury that you gave ice for if you do not chart that there was no mark, no swelling, no problems with gait, no protruding bone, no tenderness to touch. etc.

I would rather offend the child and parent, and only have to chart once that nothing was wrong with the extremity. Once the student knows I won't give ice for stupid and nonmedical reasons, they do not bother to come to me for those school avoidance reasons. And that is how it should be!


Specializes in School nurse.
On 4/21/2017 at 10:10 AM, JerseyTomatoMDCrab said:

I am firm believer that we have a responsibility to help teach these kids how to become responsible consumers of healthcare. It seems trite but driving home the lesson that you don't need "something" for every little discomfort, be it an ice pack, a band-aid or a Tylenol, will help start that education at a young age. If there is no mark, swelling, redness or bruising I do not give out an ice pack. My reusable ones disappeared around Valentine's day and I have plenty of plastic baggies and an ice machine. But the kids that need ice packs for poking themselves with pencil erasers may grow up to be the adults that go to the ER for a stomachache and I refuse to do that to the nurses of the future!

THIS THIS THIS!
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Yes, I am still standing my ground and this is exactly why. For those visits I document health education as the intervention. If it doesn't have visible swelling, redness or bruising or I don't have a reasonable anticipation of bruising I don't give an ice pack.
If someone wants to come at me with pitchforks on facebook then it basically shows everyone how ridiculous they are. I am good with that.

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