"But for me, 98.4 means I have a fever...."

Artistyc1 · Mar 15, 2012

I normally sit in the low 97s so high 98s actually makes me feel pretty flushed and icky. 98.6 is not everyone's norm...

It wouldn't matter- perhaps it is something other than the "high 98's" that makes you feel icky. Fever is not the only indication of illness, a person can be very ill and show no temperature elevation at all. No one would EVER make a judgement on a patient for a "high 98's" temperature, much less treat them!

Artistyc1 · Mar 15, 2012

Who cares about a thermometer? A mom can tell if a kid is feverish.

Not necessarily. Also, without a number, you have nothing tangible to go on. There is a great difference between what one would do for a low grade 100.4 and a much higher 103. No physician would make a diagnosis on a kid without knowing how high the fever was, much less prescribe treatment, if any.

rninme · Mar 15, 2012

Many elderly patients run a low normal temp - of around 97. So - if they have a temp of 99, they could be very seriously ill. Normal isn't always "normal"

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

Your geri patients will not have high temps even if their urine is pure pus. Believe me. I once thought a patient had a severe stroke with a simple UTI. Pos. Babinski, somnolent, etc. No temp elevation.

Hopefully you were taught that these norms were "ranges". Not facts. The general public does not know that. They think in absolutes. One number for each parameter. Most don't have a clue what that means. Some of you recall that your vitals may have some relationship with that thing called the Krebs Cycle. Would you rather explain that cycle or just be polite when people say slightly off the wall things.? You don't have to seed or feed the drama. Just don't do or say something that will cause them to escalate. That takes time to deal with, expertise to settle, and puts you in a position where the next thing yhou know there is a script for such events.

pockunit, ADN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

When I'm getting sick, my temp drops. Always. Then I might spike a fever, but first VS change is a drop. Bodies are weird, man.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

I copied this from Wikipedia and it makes a lot of sense. Elevated temperature (fever) is NOT a disease, it is just a sign.

[h=2]Society and culture[/h] [h=3][edit] Fever phobia[/h] Fever phobia is the name given by medical experts to parents' misconceptions about fever in their children. Among them, many parents incorrectly believe that fever is a disease rather than a medical sign, that even low fevers are harmful, and that any temperature even briefly or slightly above the oversimplified "normal" number marked on a thermometer is a clinically significant fever.^[42] They are also afraid of harmless side effects like febrile seizures and dramatically overestimate the likelihood of permanent damage from typical fevers.^[42] The underlying problem, according to professor of pediatrics Barton D. Schmitt, is "as parents we tend to suspect that our children’s brains may melt".^[43]
As a result of these misconceptions parents are anxious, give the child fever-reducing medicine when the temperature is technically normal or only slightly elevated, and interfere with the child's sleep to give the child more medicine.^[42]

I read somewhere in the dinosaur age that 98.6 was obtained by taking 100 medical students and averaged it out to 98.6

Fever is not hyperpyrexia....that would be something to attend to. Perhaps referring to a patient who had 104+ (we have had several) might get SOMEONES' attention. (Or not

wooh, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

Some of you recall that your vitals may have some relationship with that thing called the Krebs Cycle. ... puts you in a position where the next thing yhou know there is a script for such events.

I think it might actually be a bit awesome if we got a script that included the Krebs Cycle instead of the usual, "I have the time!!" :lol2:

leslie :-D · Mar 15, 2012

i agree with those who state that one person's normal, is another's abnormal.

my dtr has always baselined high 96/low 97's...so she is definitely sick with a 99 temp.

even when she was dx'd with scarlett fever, she barely broke 100.

it's important to know one's baseline, because that is their norm.

there are also other considerations when assessing temps, so numbers are only a small part of the story.

my son's wbc came back today at 15.1 - no s/s of infection.

but he is on lithium, yet even his dr. missed that one (that leukocytosis is a common se).

all i'm saying is 98.4 couldbe noteworthy, so just don't blow it off as a pain in the ass pt.

leslie

DixieRedHead, ASN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

Ok, so your normal temperature is 97 and now it's a raging 98.9.

Here is my question for you: What do you want me to do?

leslie :-D · Mar 15, 2012

Yep. This is another example of a family member stirring up trouble when no problem existed in the first place.
There's a saying in the 'hood: "Don't start nothin', won't be nothin'." More members of the public should pay attention to this saying.

i don't see it as family trying to stir up trouble.

more likely, a knowledge deficit that requires education from the nurse?

leslie

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 15, 2012

Ok, so your normal temperature is 97 and now it's a raging 98.9.
Here is my question for you: What do you want me to do?

1. Show a little compassion for a patient who is legitimately ill

2. Show a little reespect for the patient rather than treating the patient like a nuisance

3. Pay attention to the PERSON in front of you with an illness and not just focus on average numbers

Most of the time, patients just want to feel as if someone is listening and taking them seriously.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

This is when we use the.. therapeutic nurse - patient model.

Simply acknowledge their concern... explain that there is no other sign of infection.. and promise to retake the temp in an hour.

You will be known as "that wonderful nurse that always listens to me"..

Priceless.