suffocation risk for middle schoolers?

Okay, I'm a nurse working in a juvenile detention facility for youths age 10 to 16. As you might imagine, we're very careful about conficating items by which the kids might hurt themselves or others.

A fellow nurse wants to ban gallon-size ziplock kitchen bags. She states they are a suffocation risk, for possible suicide. I, too, want to prevent suicides -- I definitely don't want to put anyone at risk! -- but I think having the bags on hand in the infirmary would be very useful so we can make icepacks for use such as on sprained ankles. The kids would not be able to obtain the bag without the nurse's getting it, and they are continuously under observation by staff members, 24/7, except while asleep in single cells. The kids are allowed to take a very limited number and kinds of things into their cells for this reason, and we could take ice packs away at bedtime if necessary.

I DO understand despair and suicidal thinking -- I had a rough adolescence and bad marriage, myself.

Answers:
There are actual bags made for the purpose of being ice packs (sold at any pharmacy). The purpose of the ice bag I'm referring to is to prevent skin "burn" from the ice. Plastic bags will NOT do this, plus could be used improperly. Don't risk it

I understand your concern, how about a ziploc sandwich bag instead? They cannot possibly get that over their heads? I think the gallon size bags would be dangerous. But small sandwich bags would probably be better. Best of luck to you.
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