Week 2: Fever Flashcards
A ___ is a body temperature higher than the normal core temperature. It is mostly self-limiting and non-threatening.
It is maintained by the hypothalamus in response to a pyrogen.
fever
Normal oral temperature is about ____.
98.6 ℉ or 37 ℃
Rectal and tympanic temperatures are about ___ higher than oral and axillary temperatures.
1 ℉
What are the 9 symptoms of fever?
- elevated body temperature
- sweating (body is trying to mining homeostasis)
- chills (body is trying to generate heat)
- headache
- Generalized malaise
- Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
- Delirium
- Disorientation
- Irritability
What are the 4 complications of fever?
- dehydration
- seizures
- change in mental status
- irreversible neurological damage (temperatures > 106 ℉)
The etiology of a fever can be ____ induced.
- microbe (viruses, bacteria)
- pathology (malignancies, gout, hyperthyroidism, heart attack)
- drug (discontinue the drug ASAP, ranges from 98.9-109 ℉)
When talking about the pathophysiology of a fever, the _____ is the anterior hypothalamus. There are thermosensitive neurons in the skin and CNS.
thermoregulatory center
What are 2 physiologic responses to fever?
- heat dissipation
sweating, vasodilation, and hyperventilation - heat production
shivering, goose bumps, and vasoconstriction
3 important factors to consider when measuring temperature are?
- patients age (fever is less in elderly than young)
- anatomic site
- time of the day (higher in the evening compared to morning)
The Gold standard for detection of fever is a ___.
They are considered a medical device and regulated by the FDA.
Thermometer
The rectal thermometer recommended for children that are ____ old.
Less than 6 mo
For detection of fever, the ____ is NOT reliable.
axillary method
There is no reliable conversion factor for axillary vs. rectal temperature so you must ____.
use the same site with each measurement
The preferred site of temperature for a child ≤ 3 months is ____.
rectal
avoid oral, tympanic, axillary
The preferred site of temperature for children 3 months to 3 years is ____.
rectal
it is OK to use tympanic and axillary. note: axillary is not reliable
The recommended sites of temperature for children 4-5 years are ____.
rectal, oral, tympanic, and axillary.
note: axillary is not as reliable
The preferred site of temperature for children 5 years and older is ____.
oral
rectal, tympanic, and axillary is OK to use. note: rectal is not as reliable
What are the Specific Guidelines for RECTAL Temperature Measurement?
- APPLY a water-soluble LUBRICANT to tip of thermometer
- For infants or young children, PLACE CHILD FACE DOWN OVER YOUR LAP
- For adults, have the patient lie on ONE SIDE with the LEG FLEXED to about a 45° ANGLE from the abdomen.
What are the Specific Guidelines for ORAL Temperature Measurement?
- Wait 20-30 minutes after drinking or eating
* Place tip of thermometer under tongue
What are the Specific Guidelines for TYMPANIC Temperature Measurement?
- Pull ear backward and up to straighten ear canal
* Place ear probe into canal and aim the tip of the probe toward patient’s eye