Tympanic Membrane Temperature with Electronic Thermometer

Written by Hollie Finders, RN
Hollie Finders is a registered nurse with years of experience working in the health care field. She has degrees in both biochemistry and nursing. After working with patients of all ages, Hollie now specializes in pediatric intensive care nursing. Hollie’s LinkedIn

Procedure

Equipment needed: tympanic thermometer, disposable probe cover, and gloves

  1. Perform hand hygiene and put on gloves.
  2. Get the tympanic thermometer from its base unit and apply a disposable probe cover to the earpiece. Be sure the probe cover is secure and locked into place.
  3. Explain the procedure to the patient and ask for his or her assistance in following directions.
  4. Assist the patient in tilting his or her head away from you, so that the ear is directly facing you. Gently pull up and back on the pinna (outside edge of ear) to straighten the ear canal.
  5. Inspect the ear canal for obvious abnormalities before proceeding. If a physical abnormality is present, stop and report it to the medical professional. You may attempt the procedure in the opposite ear, or choose a different method to obtain the patient’s temperature. Do not attempt to remove earwax from the ear canal.
  6. Place the covered probe into the straightened ear canal.
  7. Press the button on the thermometer to begin measuring the patient’s temperature. Hold the thermometer in place until the device indicates measuring is complete (depending on the device model, it may beep or flash).
  8. Gently remove the thermometer and check the temperature reading.
  9. Eject the disposable probe cover into the waste receptacle and return the thermometer to its base unit.
  10. Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene.
  11. Record temperature, method used (tympanic), date, and time in the patient’s chart.
  12. Alert the medical professional of any changes in the patient’s condition.

Important Information

A tympanic membrane thermometer uses an infrared sensor to measure the temperature of the tympanic membrane (ear drum). This type of thermometer is considered an accurate and reliable predictor of a patient’s core temperature because the tympanic membrane’s blood supply is sourced from the carotid artery, which is the same artery that carries blood to the hypothalamus in the brain [1]. However, there are a few situations that can affect the accuracy of a tympanic membrane temperature reading. It is not recommended to use this method if there is a physical deformity of the ear canal, the patient reports ear pain, or excessive earwax, drainage, or sores are present. Tympanic membrane thermometers can be used only to measure tympanic membrane temperatures and should not be used to measure temperatures via the mouth, armpit, or rectum.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658932/

More Resources

Oral Temperature Measurement with an Electronic Monitor

Body temperature is one of the vital signs frequently measured in healthcare settings. Changes in a body temperature can indicate improvement or worsening of a patient’s condition, so accurate measurement is important.

Rectal Temperature with Electronic Thermometer

A rectal temperature provides the most accurate core body temperature reading compared to other non-invasive methods. This makes a rectal temperature desirable; however, this procedure comes with more patient discomfort and more safety risks (bowel perforation, mucosal damage, and/or vagus nerve stimulation) than the other temperature measurement methods.

Making an Occupied Bed

If a patient is bedridden or on bedrest, the bed linens will need to be changed while the patient is in the bed. For safety reasons, the nurse’s aid should avoid making an occupied bed if the patient is able to get out of bed. Bed linens should be changed according to the facility’s policy or anytime they are wet or soiled.

Indwelling Catheter Care

Indwelling catheters allow urine to drain from the bladder. They are used when residents are unable to urinate on their own or when the process of cleaning the resident after urination would be difficult for the resident to tolerate (such as during end of life care). Caring for the catheter appropriately is a vital part of preventing infection and skin breakdown.

Axillary Temperature with Electronic Thermometer

Compared to other temperature measurement methods, the axillary measurement is considered the least reliable. An axillary temperature measurement typically reads 0.5 to 1 degree Fahrenheit lower than an oral temperature reading [1]. For this reason, it is recommended to use this method only when other methods are contraindicated or when taking an axillary temperature is the safest method for the patient.

Moving the Resident to the Side of the Bed

Residents are usually kept in the center of the bed for safety reasons. However, moving a resident to the side of the bed is an important step to take before turning a resident onto his or her side. Performing this action allows the resident to end up side lying in the center of the bed and not smashed up against the side rail.