The pulmonary artery catheter which measures blood temperature is considered the gold standard for measuring core temperatures. In adult patients the temperature of an axillary measurement is lower than a rectal measurement up to 19 c.
Preferred Non Invasive Body Temperature Measurement Methods
Body temperature measurement methods. Body temperature is one of the four main vital signs that must be monitored to ensure safe and effective care. However no person always has exactly the same temperature at every moment of the day. Take your basal body temperature every morning before getting out of bed. There are many methods to measure body temperature. 1 core body temperature is regulated by both peripheral and central receptors that are integrated within the hypothalamus. The body is very good at keeping its temperature within a safe range even when temperatures outside the body change a lot.
Babies and young children have higher body temperature ranges than adults for armpit and ear measurements. What most people think of a normal body temperature which is an oral temperature of 986f is an average of normal body temperatures in a large population of people. Rectal temperature measurements are considered the gold standard for measuring core body temperature. A rectal temperature is 05f 03c to 1f 06c higher than an oral temperature. Temperature control thermoregulation is part of a homeostatic mechanism that keeps the organism at optimum operating temperature as the temperature affects the rate of chemical reactionsin humans the average internal temperature is 370 c 986 f though it varies around this point by 05 to 1 c. When you are too hot the blood vessels in your skin widen to carry the excess heat to your skins surface.
2 autonomic as well as behavioral responses to changes in temperature maintain homeostasis or a range of normal around 37 c. The method of measurement such as. Use a digital oral thermometer or one specifically designed to measure basal body temperature. The average normal oral temperature is 986f 37c. You may start to sweat. The exact relationship between different types of temperature measurement is unclear.
However this is only possible up to a certain body mass and this type of measurement also takes a long time. Body temperature is a measure of your bodys ability to make and get rid of heat. Temperature measurement is recommended by the national institute of clinical excellence a part of the initial assessment in acute illness in adults nice 2007 and by the scottish intercollegiate guidelines network guidelines for post operative management in adults sign. A normal body temperature for infants aged 02. Measuring body temperature is necessary to find and document abnormal temperature. To use the basal body temperature method.
What method to use. The normal axillary temperature range is approximately between 347 c and 373 c. Make sure you get at least three hours of uninterrupted sleep each night to ensure an accurate reading. However the following general guidelines for temperature results are used.
Gallery of Body Temperature Measurement Methods
