Highest temp you've seen?

I can't remember precisely, but I want to say 107ish. They were suspecting some form of malignant hyperthermia, although, no recent surgery or anesthesia. If I remember correctly, they were thinking it was related to some psych meds she had been taking. She was on a cooling blanket for a long time, and we actually put ice bags on her. Don't know what ever happened with her. Will have to ask when I go back to work.

107 for me too. It was a neuro patient with brain stem herniating.

108. If I am remembering correctly, the patient had neuroleptic malignant syndrome and survived, but had a very bad outcome (permanent disability.)

107.6 post op infection and we literally packed the patient in ice. Nothing else worked. The ice did work. He did die a few days later.

WOW- I can't believe how many posts still are using Fahrenheit! I have had a pt with a temp of 41.3- I think that is about 106F but I didn't know anyone used Fahrenheit anymore.

We don't use F, actually, but that's how this was reporting so I went with it. I remember telling the doc in the room that the temp was 42 something and he said "What is that in Fahrenheit?" LOL -- so not everybody is used to it, still. I'm actually still not that used to it and prefer F.

I think how you report temps is facility specific and might be regionally specific. The lay public uses Fahrenheit, so I don't think it's ever going to really go away. It is definitely worth it to know both C and F.

We don't use F, actually, but that's how this was reporting so I went with it. I remember telling the doc in the room that the temp was 42 something and he said "What is that in Fahrenheit?" LOL -- so not everybody is used to it, still. I'm actually still not that used to it and prefer F.

I think how you report temps is facility specific and might be regionally specific. The lay public uses Fahrenheit, so I don't think it's ever going to really go away. It is definitely worth it to know both C and F.

same here. Just posted in F for easy translation.

@ General E Speaking, what was the outcome of your patient with the high temp?

I had a 26yr old 2 weeks ago with a rectal temp of 106.9. All cultures ended up being negative. Was diagnosed with MS.

This was a number of years ago so I can't remember exactly what this patient had going on, but I do remember he was a DNR and had cancer. He was afebrile at the beginning of my shift and had been afebrile previously. Judging by respirations he was not going to last more than an hour at most. He had no family there or anyone who was coming and I held his hand. His hand suddenly became quite noticeably very hot - I checked an AXILLARY T and it was 107! Then he expired very shortly after that.

I often wonder if other nurses have ever noticed right before their patient died, this kind of thing happened.

108.9 F, an old post surgical who was coded on the floor and brough down to the SICU. He only lived about 2 hours after than temp reading.

42.5 C (or 108.5 F). He wasn't my patient, but if my memory serves me correctly it was a street drug OD situation. His brain was cooked and he was terminally weaned the next day.