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

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Just a pet peeve....I hate when I do a set of vitals on a patient and the vitals are clinically stable but the patient insists its abnormal.

Example:

Me - Just checked the temp - reads 98.4

Patient (40 something drama queen) - "Thats high for me...I think i have a fever"

Me - "Do you know what your temp normally is?"

Patient - "My normal temp is 98.2"

Me - "Your temp is FINE...all your other vitals are FINE"

Patient - "But i really am sick if I go above 98.4.......blah, blah, blah

Just irritates me....

Specializes in MPCU.
Never?! I've seen a few doctors do it in the last 2 years in the ER. They'll just pop on the cuff while talking if they don't like the number currently glaring at them on the monitor.

We posted at the same time. That's sorta my point. the numbers are important, but not always meaningful. The signs mean something, but really, do you treat symptomatic tachycardia differently from asymptomatic tachycardia? That's an extreme, but symptoms, often, are more important than signs. So, a temp of 35.2, is "a fever for me", is more significant than a temp of 38.5 without symptoms. Still, I treat the problem I see as most significant. And yes, your treatment is delayed because you did not consider taking an antipyretic for a fever before seeking professional help.

Specializes in E/R, Med/Surg, PCU, Mom-Baby, ICU, more.
Just a pet peeve....I hate when I do a set of vitals on a patient and the vitals are clinically stable but the patient insists its abnormal.

Example:

Me - Just checked the temp - reads 98.4

Patient (40 something drama queen) - "Thats high for me...I think i have a fever"

Me - "Do you know what your temp normally is?"

Patient - "My normal temp is 98.2"

Me - "Your temp is FINE...all your other vitals are FINE"

Patient - "But i really am sick if I go above 98.4.......blah, blah, blah

Just irritates me....

Insist about getting a rectal temp to make sure "it is right". ;-)

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