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Guidelines for Patient Temperature Assessment
Guidelines for Patient Temperature Assessment
Comparing with Other Methods of Thermometry: Expect the Differences
Unless you are using PA catheters or Exergen aural thermometers with AHB for
temperature assessment, expect to see differences compared to your current ther-
mometers. Arterial temperature measurement leads all other methods in identify-
ing fever or defervescence, and is unaffected by patient activity. Accordingly, it will
be sometimes be different — but correct.
The following chart presents the mean normal temperature at the common temper-
ature measurement sites under normal resting conditions.
Arterial
97.4 - 100.1
o
F
(36.3 - 37.8
o
C)
Oral
96.6 - 99.5
o
F
(35.9 - 37.5
o
C)
Esophageal
98.4 - 100.0
o
F
(36.9 - 37.8
o
C)
Rectal
97.7 - 100.3
o
F
(36.5 - 37.9
o
C)
Oronasal
96.6 - 99.0
o
F
(35.9 - 37.2
o
C)
Axillary
95.5 - 98.8
o
F
(35.3 - 37.1
o
C)
Normal Body Temperature (BT)
Normal BT is not a single temperature, but a range of temperatures influenced by age,
time of day, and the measurement site.
General Rule of Thumb
On a stable, resting patient, rectal temperature is ∼2°F (1°C) higher than axillary and
∼1°F (0.5°C ) higher than oral temperature.
1
On a stable, resting patient, arterial temperature ∼ rectal temperature.
Expect the Differences
Arterial temperature measurement (PA Catheter, TA Thermometry) leads all other methods
in identifying fever or defervescence, unaffected by activities of daily living. It will some-
times be different from your present methods — but accurate.
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