1Department of Nursing, Gachon University of Medicine and Science 2Department of Nursing, Gachon University of Medicine and Science
Abstract
Purpose: To verify the usability of tympanic temperature measurement for adults, a comparison of tympanic and axillary temperatures was done. Method: The study was conducted during October 2008, and participants were 110 female nursing students. Axillary temperatures were taken with glass mercury thermometers for 5, 7 and 10 minutes. Tympanic temperatures were taken with Infrared Thermometer IRT 4520 on both ears, twice at a 5-second interval. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 12.0 program. Results: In the 1st measurement, the mean for right tympanic temperatures ($0.06^{circ}C$) and for left ($0.03^{circ}C$) were significantly higher than the 2nd. A comparison of mean temperatures for right and left, showed that the mean for the left side on the 1st measurement was significantly higher ($0.01^{circ}C$) than the right. Also the temperature on left side in the 2nd measurement was higher ($0.04^{circ}C$) than the right 2nd, but not significantly higher. The mean temperature for right and left tympanic on 1 st and 2nd measurements were significantly higher than axilla for 5 minutes ($0.58^{circ}C$), for 7 minutes ($0.52^{circ}C$), and for 10 minutes ($0.43^{circ}C$). The tympanic temperature was the most closely correlated with the axillary temperature at 10 minutes. Conclusion: Findings indicate that measurement of tympanic temperature is a useful alternative to axillary temperature taken for 10 minutes.
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