There are a number of sites for measuring body temperature. The three most common are oral, rectal, and axillary. In recent years, the tympanic membrane site has also been used. Each of sites has advantages and disadvantages. In a resting adult, rectal temperature is slightly higher than the temperature of the arterial blood, about the same as the temperature of the liver, and slightly lower than that of the brain. When measures in the axilla or orally (by mouth), the temperature is about 0.65 ºC (1 ºF) less than the rectal temperature.
The body temperature is usually measured orally. This method reflects changing body temperature more quickly than the rectal method. Traditionally, the oral method was not use for client receiving oxygen, because the accuracy of the measurement was considered questionable. Recent evidences, however suggest the oral reading area accurate in client’s who receive oxygen by nasal cannula or face mask and client who have nasogastric tubes and nasal endotracheal tubes, provided that the client can breathe through the nose. If a client has been taking cold or hot food or fluids or smoking, the nurse should wait 30 minutes before taking the temperature orally to ensure that the temperature of the mouth is not affected by the temperature of the food, fluid, or warm smoke.
0 comments:
Post a Comment