What it means
Often allowed when a client may have little or nothing by mouth, for example during labor, after surgery, or when nausea is just settling. They ease thirst and dry mouth. Melted ice counts as fluid intake, at about half its volume (a cup of ice chips is roughly half a cup of water).
For the nurse
Check the diet order before giving them: "NPO" may or may not include ice chips. Do not give them to a client who has trouble swallowing safely or is not fully awake, since melted ice is a thin liquid that can be inhaled into the lungs.
Related terms
aspiration
Breathing food, liquid, saliva or stomach contents into the airway and lungs; also, drawing fluid out with suction or a needle.
intake and output
The measured record of all fluids a client takes in and all fluids that leave the body over a set time.
dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing.