thermometer & ice bags

zenman · Mar 4, 2008

I started a my first school nurse job in 9/07 and now I have tendonitis of R elbow, from constant ice bag making. Also my left hand hurts from constant holding of thermometer to take temps.
I know now not to give an ice bag for something that occured yesterday, but I still give ice for kids that were "hit by ball during gym or from recess..so many come in during lunch "I got hit, tripped, punched" is this ok? also I take temps when they say "I have a headache" am i wrong,
please help..I now sometime just feel their forehead....I work in an urban elementary school of 655 students..visits 60-100/day.I cant afford to aquire any more repetitive stress injuries .. HELP!

Acupuncture knocked out my bilateral golfer's and tennis elbows in two sessions.

Why are you making ice bags? I use commercial ones and have the kids return them. Of course, some never make it back. You can also freeze rice in ziploc bags and reuse if you're having to make your own bags. It's cheap and easy.

Since school is an "educational" setting I teach the kids to get their own ice packs for minor bumps and bangs. It takes their mind off their injury plus another "trained" kid usually brings them to my office and is more than willing to help out.

I don't take temps on headaches as a rule unless it's an elementary kid.

lilia123 · Mar 4, 2008

I have been thinking about acupucture, because physical therapy returned my ROM but i still have lingering discomfort. We do have reusable ice paks that i now use, but now with the warmer weather coming, i will use more. thanks for the advice. :bow:

michigooseBSN · Mar 4, 2008

I too use reusable icepacks except for ice cubes in a ziblock snack bag for lips. And I always take a temp for a H/A except for known migraine kids. In an elementary school I find that a headache is often the first symptom of a rising temp in a little kid.

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Mar 4, 2008

I still take the temps on all students who come in with Headache, sore throat, tummy aches, ect. I have never had problems with my hands thought. Are you using an electronic thermometer ? I have to bag my own ice bags. About 25 - 35 per day.

Sure hope you feel better soon !

__________________

Praiser :heartbeat

okschoolnurse · Mar 4, 2008

I always make them hold their own thermometer

mamunsey · Apr 3, 2008

I always take temps on my middle school kids, sometimes it is the only symptom they have, and sometimes it is leading into something else. I use the reuseable ice packs on kids I can trust to return them, and then I take a box of baggies once a week to the cafeteria and fill with ice, keep in my office in the freezer and use them as needed, that way they are already prepared and I only have to do it once a week. It saves a lot of time and if the injury is bad enough, the ice is available immediately. They hold their own Thermometer and I have them pick up their own ice packs, and use that as a assessment tool, are they walking ok, did they wince in pain as they opened the freezer ( hand and arm injuries). As you go on you will find time and stress savers.

sChOOLRN48 · Apr 3, 2008

How else would I get these kids out? I take temps on just about everyone who thinks they should go home no matter what the complaint is.

"If you have a temp we will call home, if not then its back to class"

I especially love it when they come in DURING/immediately after lunch all full of drama and of course they don't have a temp...they just ate! & drank!! & ate thier food in 30 seconds so they could chat...my stomach would hurt too!

luvschoolnursing, LPN · Apr 4, 2008

Taking temps is always a good idea anyways. I had a frequent flyer once-came down 3-4 times/week. One time , I was so frustrated with him, I was about to send him back to class without checking him out, but decided to do a temp anyways, it was 104!!! Of course, th poor kid had to hear th boy who cried wolf story from me (see, you come here so often, I almost didn't believe you were really sick)

He was one that actually improved when I put him on a "visiting" schedule. "You don't need to pretend to be sick to see me, if you're stressed out and want to stop in, before/after lunch, I'd love to see you."

As far as ice, when I worked in elementary, injuries had to be "ice worthy" to get ice. At the very least, I had to see a red mark. Ask them if they go in the house for ice every time they fall in their yard at home. Good luck in your new job-hope you grow to love it.

pugmomrn · Apr 5, 2008

I started a my first school nurse job in 9/07 and now I have tendonitis of R elbow, from constant ice bag making. Also my left hand hurts from constant holding of thermometer to take temps.
/QUOTE]
Does this go along with carpal tunnel from holding the lice chopsticks??
I just took over at a school where the Ice Pack is the fashion trend. We use those brightly colored kitchen sponges in a baggie. So, now, I give the girls green or beige and the boys pink. And, I've started chopping the sponge into 1/2 or 1/4-- mini booboo, mini icepack! When some of these kids come in with an invisible owie and I say "there's nothing I can do" or "ice won't help this time", they stare at me in disbelief! I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've given my own children an ice pack!!!

lilia123 · Apr 15, 2008

Thanks ladies for all the helpful advice. I recently finished 6 acupuncture treatments for my tennis elbow and it had helped. this is such a great forum for information, you guys rock:coollook:

careerchoices · Apr 15, 2008

He was one that actually improved when I put him on a "visiting" schedule. "You don't need to pretend to be sick to see me, if you're stressed out and want to stop in, before/after lunch, I'd love to see you."

That's a really good idea. My suspicion would be that he was not getting enough caring somewhere else in his life.