the best thermometer for nenoates??

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Specializes in Genaral Paeds, Liver Disease, Oncology,.

Hi,

I'm trying to find out the best thermometer to use with neonates, tempadots can be quite reliable at times and digital ones are hard to calibrate. We currently use a 'Welch Allyn' electronic thermometer paediatrics, but there is little evidence for use in neonates. Any ideas anyone???

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Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

We have some one-use digital ones that don't require any calibration that I'm aware of. If, by the Welch Allyn one, you mean a tympanic thermometer - they can't be accurately used in neonates due to size and positioning required (recent article....somewhere). And I personally hate Tempadots - I find that even if you leave them in the axilla for the required amount of time, you can have a few dots start to fade before you even get it up to view it. I just think they're dodgy personally.

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Specializes in NICU.

I believe the ones we use are the Welch Allyn ones. They have all modes (adult orally, pediatric rectally and pediactric axillary). They work well, and I don't believe that I've heard any complaints about them.

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Specializes in Genaral Paeds, Liver Disease, Oncology,.

The Welch Allyn ones are axilla and have different modes, it's just that i need some evidence to back them up, and there's not much around.

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Specializes in NICU.

I used the Welch Allens at a previous hospital and loved them!! Now we use some crappy disposable thing that takes literally forever to take the temp. I hate those!!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
I used the Welch Allens at a previous hospital and loved them!! Now we use some crappy disposable thing that takes literally forever to take the temp. I hate those!!

Ours take FOREVER, too. They're Allegiance. Each baby has their own. One night I had the temp jump around on the readout and it gave me 98.something then, an hour later (no change made to baby) the kid was 96. I think they spaz out a lot.

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Ours take FOREVER, too. They're Allegiance. Each baby has their own. One night I had the temp jump around on the readout and it gave me 98.something then, an hour later (no change made to baby) the kid was 96. I think they spaz out a lot.

If the battery is low they get screwy, so then we double check with the Welch Allen. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in NICU.

We use the Welch Allen one's also. Does anyone know how to set it so that when you turn it on it will be on the peds axillary mode? Some of ours are in that mode when you turn it on, but others always come us as oral, and I can't figure out how to make it stay on axillary!!!??

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

Can temporal thermometers be used? You know the ones you move across the forehead to the temple, or have those been done away with?

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Specializes in NICU, adult med-tele.

I dont think the temporal ones have been done away with, I mean I've seen them recently on th market for home use. I have never heard of using that in the NI population though.

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.
I dont think the temporal ones have been done away with, I mean I've seen them recently on th market for home use. I have never heard of using that in the NI population though.

You would think those could be used since they aren't invasive. But I have also heard they are not very accurate, like the tympanic ones.

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Specializes in ob; nicu.

We use Welch Allyn and clean them with Cavi wipes. Ours seem pretty accurate.

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