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!
Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.
I did the frozen sponge thing for years..told them I didnt want to see it back till after school... most of the time I would get them myself from the teachers after school.
I worked with dd kids who cant always tell me what is exactly wrong so almost everyone gets a temp for any illness.
I just heard of the Ketchup thing in a parents magazine!!! I don't have little little kids, but thought of suggesting that to the other nurses in the district! I am going to make the kids leave thier planner with me to get my ice packs returned! I am sick of throwing $$ away! Plus the longer the kids keep em the more they play with them & that breaks them!
I also want to make some warm packs--rice packs--the girls are just getting visits from aunt flo and c/o cramps a lot!
Sorry, But I disagree with the frozen ketchup packets. Not that they wouldn't work, but it is wasteful and enviromentally not good. Yes, ice bags are plastic as well, but they are/should be reusable.
DDRN4me
761 Posts
I did the frozen sponge thing for years..told them I didnt want to see it back till after school... most of the time I would get them myself from the teachers after school.
I worked with dd kids who cant always tell me what is exactly wrong so almost everyone gets a temp for any illness.