Temperature

mikie

mikie

Forum Lurker
Messages
1,071
Reaction score
1
Points
36
Does anyone carry thermometers on their rig?

I know we are to check temperature via skin, but would it be helpful to get a more accurate reading*?

*assuming the pt. is stable to take an oral temp...

Temperature can tell us a lot about a pt...or would it not have much use prehospital?


So what are your thoughts?

Thanks!
 
We didn't carry thermometers on the ambulance, but it would have been nice to have.
 
Yes, we carry them.. I also request rectal ones too, core temp is a vital sign. You don't check temp.'s for febrile seizures, heat stroke, when you transport blood products?

R/r 911
 
My crew carries digital ones and disposable ones depending on how accurate we want them to be, they are a good thing for dealing with flu or other illness to be able to get a temp on top of all the other things Rid mentioned
 
we recently got them at our squad, within the last year or so, we only carry the digital oral ones with the little disposable covers.
 
I just realized we carried them, AFTER a call where I would really have liked one. On arrival in the ER, my pt had a temp of 105.8-- It turned out to be a pylon-- a kidney infection, but it scared the **** out of me.
We have those plastic disposable ones where dots change color based on the temp...
 
Ridryder911 said:
Yes, we carry them.. I also request rectal ones too, core temp is a vital sign. You don't check temp.'s for febrile seizures, heat stroke, when you transport blood products?

R/r 911
Click to expand...

When would you use a rectal one? I certainly know no 1's stickin anything in their if im alert and orientedB)
 
CFRBryan347768 said:
When would you use a rectal one? I certainly know no 1's stickin anything in their if im alert and orientedB)
Click to expand...

LOL...I understand, but core temp is the only real temp that is dependable in emergency situations. The tympanic type is to unreliable because most are not able to achieve deep enough past the ear canal, and wax build up, etc., as well as febrile temperature can alter the results.

R/r 911
 
Ridryder911 said:
LOL...I understand, but core temp is the only real temp that is dependable in emergency situations. The tympanic type is to unreliable because most are not able to achieve deep enough past the ear canal, and wax build up, etc., as well as febrile temperature can alter the results.

R/r 911
Click to expand...

So have you actually come across a patient that said, "I understan you gotta do this go ahead." Or somethign like that?
 
We carry tympanic thermometers. We are supposed to take a temp on everyone.
 
CFRBryan347768 said:
When would you use a rectal one? I certainly know no 1's stickin anything in their if im alert and orientedB)
Click to expand...

There are ER MD's who will order one on any adult who is tachypneic. You would not believe how big the variance is on temps on a febrile pt who is breathing fast and through their mouth.
 
On a sick or critical patient, taking an temp other than rectal is useless. If you really want to know their temp is then a rectal (core) will be performed. Again on really ill or injured patients, I have done more rectal temps than oral/tympanic/axillary.

Again, this is just part of medicine. Something that may not be seen a lot, but should be expected.

R/r 911
 
We carry both oral and rectal in the old fashioned glass thermometers. Also carry Tympanic and digital oral, but those can be unreliable in colder weather.
 
MSDeltaFlt said:
There are ER MD's who will order one on any adult who is tachypneic.
Click to expand...

So in other words this would mean you cant deny them sticking it in you?
 
Oh, you can deny... but it may alter the treatment plan. I have seen physicians basically tell patients they will not be receiving any medications since they are refusing an assessment procedure and thus care. It is an uncomfortable but not considered a painful procedure, much better than a rectal or lumbar spinal tap, or insertion of a Foley catheter to diagnose the illness. Generally, I do not hear much complaints, most patient that are febrile are to ill to argue and just want to be treated.

Patients that are febrile need to be thoroughly assessed. Sepsis and other conditions such as head injuries, spinal injuries, even AMI's may cause fluctuations in the body temp.

I agree, it is not a routine procedure in the field, and do not endorse such, but on cases regarding febrile presentations it should be assessed if possible.

R/r 911
 
During my ER clinical, I took pt's temperature w/ a tymapnic one (that's the one they gave me, I wasn't permitted to do rectal ( oh well!)

I does seem unreliable...a lot of pt's temps were in the low 97s and I really doubt it was their core temp. The nurses told me to push hard and I did...still similar results. I would often take it more than once (one in each ear at least)
 
Thermometers

I have just gotten two of these for our program, I have used this thermometer at other jobs, very well made and very accurate!

Welch Allyn Suretemp Plus Eletronic Thermometer modal 690
Our internship program does quite a few medical standbys during the summer, and we get many environmental emergencies. I am happy to hear that temperatures are now being checked more in the field. :)
 
I have on car both tympanic and oral thermometers, and because it is the cold north of Canada, we can perform a rectal temp on pts with suspected severe hypothermia.

Luckily, I have never had the displeasure.
 
We carry a digitial tympanic thermometer on our volunteer unit. Both paid services I work for don't carry them. They are useful. They are considered optional in this state so the paid services aren't going to use them until they're mandatory.
 
We carry them and record a temperature on every patient, continuous temperature monitoring on all pts. that we induce hypothermia on...............
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top