How do you take temperature of an unconscious patient?

How do you take temperature of an unconscious patient?

The rectal procedure is normally used for an infant or young child, for a patient who is unconscious or irrational, and for a patient that has difficulty breathing with his mouth closed. The rectal route is used in the case of any suspected environmental injury such as heatstroke or hypothermia.

Do not take an oral temperature if the patient is?

Do not take an oral temperature if the person has a stuffy nose. Use the rectum or armpit. Do not smoke or eat/drink anything hot or cold for 10 minutes before taking an oral temperature. When you call the doctor, report the actual reading on the thermometer, and say where the temperature was taken.

When is it not advisable to take a temperature orally?

b. Do not measure the patient’s temperature orally if one or more of the following contraindications are present. (1) The patient has recently had facial or oral surgery. (The patient may not be able to adequately control his bite.) (2) The patient is a child under 5 years of age.

When can a patient have their temperature taken orally?

Oral temperature If you’ve been eating or drinking, wait 30 minutes before you take a temperature by mouth. Turn on the digital thermometer. Place the thermometer tip under your tongue. Close your mouth around the thermometer for the recommended amount of time or until the thermometer beep indicates it’s done.

What should oral temperature?

98.6°F
Generally, the correlation of temperature results are as follows: The average normal oral temperature is 98.6°F (37°C). A rectal temperature is 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) higher than an oral temperature. An ear (tympanic) temperature is 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) higher than an oral temperature.

What special precautions would you follow for checking oral temperature?

There should not be anything hot or cold in your mouth for 10 minutes before taking your temperature.

• Take the thermometer out of its holder.
• Put the tip into a new throw-away plastic cover if one is available.
• With your mouth open, put the covered tip under your tongue.
• Close your lips gently around the thermometer.

Does eating affect oral temperature?

1 Eating and Smoking The oral temperature measurement increases about 0.3°C after sustained chewing and stays elevated for up to 20 minutes, probably because of increased blood flow to the muscles of mastication.

Is an oral temperature accurate?

Temperatures taken from the armpit are usually the least accurate. For older children and adults, oral readings are usually accurate — as long as the mouth is closed while the thermometer is in place.

Should I add a degree to oral temperature?

Should I add a degree to oral (under the tongue) and axillary (under the arm) readings? Yes, for the most accuracy. Rectal temperatures are considered most accurate indication of the body’s temperature. Oral and axillary temperature readings are about ½° to 1°F (.

What is oral temp?

An oral temperature (TEM-per-ah-chur) is when the mouth is used to take your temperature. A temperature measures body heat. A thermometer (ther-MOM-uh-ter) is used to take your temperature in your mouth. A person should be 5 years or older to have a temperature taken in the mouth.

Why do we take oral temperature?

Why do I need to check an oral temperature? You may need to check an oral temperature to learn if you or a family member has a fever. “Fever” is a word used for a temperature that is higher than normal for the body. Fever is usually a sign of illness, infection, or other conditions.

What should an oral temperature be?

Most people think a normal body temperature is an oral temperature (by mouth) of 37°C (98.6°F). This is an average of normal body temperatures. Your normal temperature may actually be 0.6°C (1°F) or more above or below this.

Is it undesirable to take the patient’s temperature orally?

(4) There is no condition present to which make it undesirable to take the patient’s temperature orally (see paragraph b). b. When an Oral Temperature Should Not Be Taken. There are conditions, which indicate when an oral temperature should not be taken.

What are the contraindications for the measurement of temperature?

(Conditions which indicate that a certain procedure or treatment should not be performed are called contraindications.) Do not measure the patient’s temperature orally if one or more of the following contraindications are present. (1) The patient has recently had facial or oral surgery.

What causes a high oral temperature reading?

(5) The patient has smoked, eaten hot or cold food, drank hot or cold beverage, or chewed gum within the last 30 minutes. (Hot smoke, hot foods, hot drinks, and vigorous chewing will probably result in an oral temperature reading that is higher than the actual oral temperature.

What happens if a patient bites down on a thermometer?

A broken glass thermometer could cut the patient’s mouth and lips. In addition, he could swallow broken glass and mercury. (b) If a patient “bites down” on an electric thermometer probe, he could damage the probe, and he could be injured by the damaged probe. (3) Make sure the patient can breath through his nose.