How to measure body temperature

2. PURPOSE
• Detect fever.
• Detect abnormally low body temperature
(hypothermia) in people who have been
exposed to cold.
• Detect abnormally high body temperature (
hyperthermia) in people who have been
exposed to heat.
• Help monitor the effectiveness of a fever-
reducing medicine.
• Help plan for pregnancy by determining if a
woman is ovulating

4. Celcius = °C
TEMPERATURE SCALE
Is measured in

5. 36°C – 37.2 °C
NORMAL
TEMPERATURE
Is

16. THE MOST COMMON SITES OF
MEASURING BODY
TEMPERATURE

17. TYPES OF
THERMOMETE
R

18. MERCURY GLASS / PLASTIC
THERMOMETER

19. ELECTRONIC / DIGITAL
THERMOMETER

20. CHEMICAL DISPOSABLE
THERMOMETER /
TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE
TAPE

21. INFRARED
THERMOMETER
( THERMOSCAN )

22. TEMPORAL ARTERY
THERMOMETER

25. PRE PROCEDURE
• Greet and explain procedure to the patient

26. PRE PROCEDURE
• Provide privacy and perform hand hygiene

27. PRE PROCEDURE
• Apply ear probe cover to thermoscan probe

28. PRE PROCEDURE
• Ensure the reading in degree Celcius

29. PRE PROCEDURE
• Inform patient to pull pinna, pull pinna
backward and downward and insert
thermoscan probe into ear cannal

30. PRE PROCEDURE
• Press ‘START’ button until heard ‘beep’
sound

31. PRE PROCEDURE
• Remove probe from ear and inform patient
reading

32. PRE PROCEDURE
• Remove ear probe cover and discard
appropraitely

34. POST PROCEDURE
• Perform hand hygiene

35. POST PROCEDURE
• Inform SRN or doctor abnormal result

36. POST PROCEDURE
• Document reading

42. > 37.3 °C
ALSO CALLED
PYREXIA
Is a high temperature
above normal range :

43. 41°C
HYPERPYREXIA
Is a very high
temperature above :

45. < 36°C
HYPOTHERMIA
Is low temperature
below normal range :