Best practice in the measurement of body temperature.

In the last two decades, there has been a significant change in the technology of clinical thermometry. Mercury-in-glass thermometers have been replaced with electronic devices that offer faster readings with minimal inconvenience to the patient. Each user should be aware of the characteristics and limitations of these devices to interpret correctly the temperature reading on the display. The article provides an insight into commonly used clinical thermometers, how they determine each temperature reading and, crucially, how users affect the measurement process.

Protecting the public from mercury exposure: success through microexchange events.

Mercury is a growing environmental threat that can cause serious health problems and birth defects. Household thermometers are high-risk sources of mercury because most people lack the knowledge to properly dispose of one when it is broken. The Boston Public Health Commission's Environmental Health Office, with local and national partners, created the Boston Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program to address this hazard. Large central exchanges are successful, but multiple smaller targeted "microexchanges" can be another effective way to reach the general public and specific vulnerable subpopulations such as the elderly, the homebound disabled, or recent immigrants. By conducting exchanges in community health centers and public housing developments for the elderly and disabled, and by working through home health care providers, the program collected 4477 thermometers.

[Systems for the determination of body temperature]. / Sistemas para determinar la temperatura corporal.

It is essential for a health care professional to know how body temperature is regulated, what factors affect body temperature, and what different measurement systems are available. This file contains descriptions of 1) the thermometers available: electronic, mercury-based, infrared; 2) the places where body temperature can be measured: skin, armpits, rectum, mouth, tympanum, esophagus, or pulmonary artery blood. All content material is justified by a documented bibliography.

Advising on a thermometer for family use.

Families will find it useful to have a clinical thermometer, but parents should be taught that children's illnesses can present in a range of different ways and that a young baby can be ill despite having a normal temperature. For people who find mercury thermometers difficult to use and read, alternatives are digital, strip or ear thermometers. Digital thermometers are safe, accurate and very easy to read. Colour-strip thermometers are placed on the skin and change colour at certain temperatures. As well as forehead strips there is a newer kind which can be used under the tongue. Ear thermometers are increasingly popular for young children, being safe, easy to read and accurate.

Evaluation of three brands of tympanic thermometer.

Infrared tympanic thermometers (ITT) have many documented benefits, including speed, ease of use, and noninvasiveness, to support their use in emergency departments (ED) and intensive care units (ICU). However, concerns have been raised about the accuracy of temperatures reported by ITT. This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of 3 brands of ITT, compared to rectal and pulmonary artery thermometers, in ED and ICU settings. Results indicated adequate specificity for all 3 ITT in ED (range = 0.9242 to 1.0000) and ICU (range = 0.9737 to 1.0000), but unacceptable sensitivity in ED (range = 0.5455 to 0.8000) and ICU (range = 0.0000). Further analyses indicated highly variable ITT-reported temperatures. In ED, ITT temperatures were, on average, 0.3684 degree C lower, and could be expected to vary by more than 2 degrees C from the actual temperature as reported by rectal thermometer. In ICU, the average reported temperature was similar to the actual pulmonary artery temperature (0.0259 degree C lower), but again could vary by more than 2 degrees C. Recommendations for nursing and education are discussed.

Temperature measurement devices.

Nurses should gain an understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in thermoregulation and be aware of the many variables that affect temperature measurement. The rectum, mouth, axilla and tympanic membrane may be used for temperature measurement. To ensure accurate readings, measurements for each individual should be obtained in a consistent manner.

Alternatives to mercury thermometers.

Training is essential to ensure the effectiveness of most temperature measurement devices. There are a number of factors that need to be considered when choosing a temperature measurement device for a particular clinical setting. There are currently four main alternatives to the mercury thermometer.

[What alternatives to rectal temperature recording with a mercury thermometer?]. / Quelles alternatives à la prise rectale de la température avec un thermomètre à mercure?

Fever is a major symptom to characterize individual health status. Measurement of temperature is systematically made in everyday medical practice. In France, this measurement is generally assumed with a rectal glass mercury thermometer. In order to protect people and the environment, the "Conseil Supérieur d'Hygiène Publique de France" has approved recommendations to withdrawn medical use of mercury, specifically for thermometer. Rectal measurement is also debated since infectious risks are described. Thus, substitution of rectal glass mercury thermometer is on the agenda. New sites and techniques for measurement of temperature have been studied through a literature review, interview of experts and companies, and clinical research protocols. Cutaneous and axillary measurements are inaccurate and unsatisfactory. Two methods seems to be worth: oral measurement and tympanic measurement. Oral measurement is widespread in the world. This technique has some limits. Tympanic measurement is a new method in progress without these limits. Whatever the choice of the technique is, the substitution of rectal glass mercury thermometer requires training and awareness of staff and patients.

Evaluation of a new infrared tympanic thermometer: a comparison of three bands.

As technology advances, it is important for nurses to compare various types of equipment used on pediatric patients to determine the cost effectiveness, risk, and ease of use. Presently, there are several types of electronic thermometers in use to measure body temperature. The following article discusses the comparison of the Thermoscan Instant Thermometer (Thermoscan Inc., San Diego, CA) with the First Temp infrared (Intelligent Medical Systems, Carlsbad, CA) and IVAC electronic thermometer (IVAC Corporation, San Diego, CA).