Familiarize Yourself with the Instrument
Practice Holding Your TemporalScanner
The TemporalScanner is ergonomically designed specifically for its application. It’s best to hold the instrument with your thumb on the red button, much like you would hold a remote control. Along with allowing you to easily read the temperature display, you will auto- matically be using finger dexterity to gently position the probe, pro- viding comfort and safety for your patient, and consistently accu- rate temperature readings.
Things To Know Before Taking Temperatures
•Measure only the exposed side. Anything covering the area to be measured would insulate it and prevent the heat from dissipating, resulting in falsely high readings. Brush hair aside if covering the TA, or the area behind the ear.
•Slide the thermometer straight across the forehead (midline), and not down the side of the face. Midline over the TA area, the TA is less than 2mm below skin surface, whereas as the TA winds down the side of the face, it is further from the skin surface. Although anatomically correct, sliding downwards would result in falsely low readings.
•It is preferable to hold the instrument sideways, as illustrated in Figure 2. Approaching your patient with the instrument straight up and down could be somewhat intimidating.
•When making the measurement behind the ear as in Figure 3, tuck the thermometer under the ear lobe in the soft conical depression on the neck just below the mastoid. This is the place where a dab of perfume is typically applied.
Using on an Infant
•An infant is apt to present bundled, with blankets and clothing covering the neck area. Fortunately, the perfusion rate is normally strong for infants, and unless visibly diaphoretic, one measurement at the TA is typically all that is required.
Should you feel the temperature is low, then push aside any clothing or blankets covering the neck area for ~30 seconds or so, and repeat the measurement behind the ear.
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