The Big Chill

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I have a dillemma about ice. I am well aware that ice chould only be used for fresh, acute injuries and not handed out for every little ache or pain, however, it has become a battle of the4 wills in my school that I have lost. I am in a high school, and the students use the clinic for ev ery excuse to get out of class. New Admin is not supportive of my prior practices to keep students out fo the clinic and in class. When they come for ice, I pretty much have to just hand it out like candy, no matter what the issue, or how old the issue is. If I explain that ice is no longer indicated for the "injury" the kids can text, or call their parents, some of which will call, screaming and yelling about just give them the ice, and if we persist, they call admin, and we get yelled at by admin. So, in a nutshell, we are now just handing ice out to anyone that simply asks for it no matter what. It keeps the parents, and the administrators from yelling and screaming about ice. Suggestions????

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Specializes in School nursing.

I hate to say it, but this one may be one that just ain't worth it.

I feel the exact same way about you re: ice. But my MS teachers let any kid that asks for ice come see me. And if I no-ice them, they keep coming back until they get ice. So what would have been a

I did get a small ice maker to make it easier. My boss is actually very supportive of my no-ice plan and we brainstorm strategies, but my boss can't control the writing of the passes.

My HS teachers, FYI, are much better at what I call the "suck-it-up-buttercup" game when it is needed. Ice handed out in HS is mainly for fresher gym or sport-related injuries.

But I have returned to asking students if they ice an area every time they hit at home. Most say no, of course, and I have gotten through to a few of them using this technique.

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It was a losing battle at my kid's overnight camp so they ended up filling a big cooler with ice and putting it on the porch outside the clinic with baggies and it was self-serve, LOL. Cut WAY down on visits, and those who truly needed the ice always went inside because if you are really hurt, you know it and ask to be seen. Not sure how that would work in a school. I don;t have an ice machine so I use ice packs and am pretty stingy with them.

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I have a standard lecture that doesn't go over well. It ends with "If your doctor wants you to ice that 3 week old injury every 10 minutes, I need that in writing from said doctor as that is a treatment plan". I explain that I offer First Aid and a nurse needs orders for a treatment plan . I don't actually say out loud "particularly if it is a treatment plan that gets you out of a portion of every class".

I recently was yelled at by a parent for this. After explaining that I did give ice, but explained I would not give anymore for at least two hours. She then switched to complaining about the quality of my ice packs! She claimed her angel needed a real ice pack and I only gave her ice cubes in a baggie. I had to then explain public school budgets!!

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Specializes in School nursing.
I have a standard lecture that doesn't go over well. It ends with "If your doctor wants you to ice that 3 week old injury every 10 minutes, I need that in writing from said doctor as that is a treatment plan". I explain that I offer First Aid and a nurse needs orders for a treatment plan . I don't actually say out loud "particularly if it is a treatment plan that gets you out of a portion of every class".

I recently was yelled at by a parent for this. After explaining that I did give ice, but explained I would not give anymore for at least two hours. She then switched to complaining about the quality of my ice packs! She claimed her angel needed a real ice pack and I only gave her ice cubes in a baggie. I had to then explain public school budgets!!

UGH! The quality of your ice packs? Wow.

I also tell students that no you cannot constantly ice an injury. If the pain is bad enough to need constant ice for relief, then the student needs to be seen by a doctor and I need a plan of treatment for constant ice.

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Specializes in kids.
I have a standard lecture that doesn't go over well. It ends with "If your doctor wants you to ice that 3 week old injury every 10 minutes, I need that in writing from said doctor as that is a treatment plan". I explain that I offer First Aid and a nurse needs orders for a treatment plan . I don't actually say out loud "particularly if it is a treatment plan that gets you out of a portion of every class".

I recently was yelled at by a parent for this. After explaining that I did give ice, but explained I would not give anymore for at least two hours. She then switched to complaining about the quality of my ice packs! She claimed her angel needed a real ice pack and I only gave her ice cubes in a baggie. I had to then explain public school budgets!!

Seriously? The ice stays cold longer than the snappy packs!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Generally to save my own sanity, I find that it's just easier to let them ice their perceived injury for a moment rather than argue with them for 5 minutes about why they no longer need the ice. When they realize that i'm not making any calls to Helimed or fawning over them, they usually get bored and pack it in after a minuter or two.

** please note, this does not apply to the I banged my knee a week ago Tuesday type c/o.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
I hate to say it, but this one may be one that just ain't worth it.

^ Yes, Jen! ^

Big Chill, you're not alone. I have started saying that "you don't need ice for every little thing." And I've called the elementary teachers who sent the kid to say that, in my nursing judgment, ice is not warranted.

Most of them say: "I know but s/he was complaining so I sent him/her."

I have tiny bags that the outgoing nurse left me - she ordered the wrong size. Not good for anything -except an unnecessary ice pack.

You know where the admin wants you to be. I would say let your charting reflect "ice pack for comfort at student request" and let that be. Two more sleeps!!!

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
She then switched to complaining about the quality of my ice packs! She claimed her angel needed a real ice pack and I only gave her ice cubes in a baggie. I had to then explain public school budgets!!

AWWW! Well...did you ask her to send two of the preferred ice packs for her angel? SO that they are cold all the time???

I have no way of keeping ice packs btw. Just a cooler with ice in it.

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I have a standard lecture that doesn't go over well. It ends with "If your doctor wants you to ice that 3 week old injury every 10 minutes, I need that in writing from said doctor as that is a treatment plan". I explain that I offer First Aid and a nurse needs orders for a treatment plan . I don't actually say out loud "particularly if it is a treatment plan that gets you out of a portion of every class".I recently was yelled at by a parent for this. After explaining that I did give ice, but explained I would not give anymore for at least two hours. She then switched to complaining about the quality of my ice packs! She claimed her angel needed a real ice pack and I only gave her ice cubes in a baggie. I had to then explain public school budgets!!
I had some push back from kids this year when I ordered an ice maker and sandwich bags instead of the nice blue gel cold packs the old nurse got. These kids stole my ice packs no matter what I did. If I wrote their names down they'd claim they gave it to a desk receptionist or another staff member, they'd tell their parents I was bullying them, and they'd cry to their teachers when I denied them an ice pack for a minor injury because they're a known ice pack thief. Even if I had to buy a new ice maker every single year it'd be cheaper than buying the reusable packs. No one who actually has an injury in need of icing has complained.
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They, teachers, students, parents and Admin. don't want to know about the ice. Your co-workers just want parents not to yell. Give them the ice. This is not the hill I will ever die on.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

"Ice Ice Baby" is playing in my head while reading this thread.

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