Recording Tempurature Flashcards
How to record temp in infants aged up to 4 weeks
Apply probe cover (clean, disposable), push probe into cover until clicks into place
Gently place probe into the infants axillia
Support infants arm close against their body so that their skin is in good contact around probe cover, hold in place until machine displays reading
Remove probe from axillia and check reading
Dispose probe cover and discard
Record temp in notes or chart
What is the core body temperature and oral temperature
37 degrees for body
38 degrees for oral
What is pyrexia ?
An abnormal rise in body temperature above the normal range. It is a fever and causes shivering in children
Raised temps up to 38 degrees are defined as low grade pyrexia
Temps of 38-40 degrees are a moderate to high grade pyrexia
What are responses to low temps?
Constriction of blood vessels to retain heat in body
Body generates heat through muscle movement like shivering in older children or via brown fat metabolism in infants
What are responses to low temps?
Constriction of blood vessels to retain heat in body
Body generates heat through muscle movement like shivering in older children or via brown fat metabolism in infants
What are responses to high temps?
Vasodilation helps heat to reach skin where it can be lost to environment
Sweating allows cooling through water evaporation
Heat is lost from body via 4 main methods convection, conduction, radiation and water evaporation
What are the 3 types of thermometers?
Tympanic
Electronic
Disposable
How to use a tympanic thermometer
Check patients records, introduce yourself to child and family explaining procedure and gaining consent
Decontaminate your hands before you carry out the procedure
Use same consecutive readings, check child hasn’t been laying on the ear and help child into comfortable position
Remove thermometer from its storage base and push head of device into a probe cover until clicks into place
In infants 4 weeks-1year gently pull the pinna back
In children 1 and over pull pinna up and back
Place device into patients ear and press activation button
Read temp value and record, dispose probe cover
How to use an electronic thermometer in axillia
Check patients records, introduce yourself and explain procedure, decontaminate hands
Turn on device and select ‘paediatric axillary’ setting
Apply probe cover until clicks into place
Place probe into child’s axillia
Support child’s arm close against body so skin is in good contact around the probe cover
Wait for reading to display
Dispose experiment and wash hands
Record temp
How to use single-use disposable thermometer
Unwrap thermometer, remove device by handle
Place thermometer in child’s axillia reassuring the child
Help the child to hold their arm across their chest, leave thermometer for 3 minutiae’s
Remove thermometer, the last dot to have changed colour indicates the temperature
Why are infants and children at greater risk of obstruction in an airway than adults?
The diameter is much smaller and there are anatomical differences in the size and shape of soft tissues
How to carry out a respiratory assessment
Look, listen, feel approach. Pay attention to how child is breathing and sounds they make.
Observe child’s skin colour, cyanotic skin occurs when haemoglobin is not adequately saturated with oxygen
Observe child’s posture and facial expressions and behaviour
Consider consciousness and vocalisation
How to carry out a respiratory assessment
Look, listen, feel approach. Pay attention to how child is breathing and sounds they make.
Observe child’s skin colour, cyanotic skin occurs when haemoglobin is not adequately saturated with oxygen
Observe child’s posture and facial expressions and behaviour
Consider consciousness and vocalisation
Peripheral cyanosis
Caused by decreased local circulation and increased extraction of oxygen in peripheral tissues
Most noticeable in nail beds and may be resolved with gentle warming of hand or foot
Central cyanosis
Caused by diseases of the heart or lungs or abnormal haemoglobin levels often seen in younger and lips
Due to desaturation of central arterial blood in cardiac and respiratory disorders associated with shunting of deoxygenated venous blood into systemic circulation.
Patients with central cyanosis often have peripheral cyanosis including bluish/purple discolouration of the oral mucous membranes, fingers and tones
