Opinions about Tympanic Thermometers

KBICU · Sep 18, 2012

In the ICU in my hospital we arent allowed to use typanic or temporal for that exact reason. Oral or core temps only (occasional axillary if pt has face trauma/cant get a core temp)

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Sep 18, 2012

They are good for quick and dirty. I have had times where I swear I can't get an oral to read.

Kay28 · Sep 18, 2012

Personally, I can't stand the tympanic or temporal, I always seem to get wacky results. Oral temps for me, unless the patient is unable to cooperate. Then we would go the rectal route.

LCinTraining · Sep 18, 2012

If they lay on that ear it will be much higher than body temp. If they have a fan blowing on that ear much lower. I do not trust timpanics at all.

BrandonLPN, LPN · Sep 19, 2012

Even when used 100% correctly, I have found temps with tympanic thermometers to be a full degree lower than oral or axillary. Some people (especially older people) have this weird underbite thingie, where the thermometer is just clamped between their teeth, making an oral temp impossible. In that case, I'd trust an axillary over a tympanic every time.

brownbook · Sep 19, 2012

I wish some one would reply with good evidence based information!

We used to use tympanic, anesthesia got very annoyed, they were getting "dinged" because their patients all came out of OR cold per the tympanic.

We recently switched to all temporal but now I see so many 100. temps even pre-op!

I say lets do all rectal, ha ha. (Out patient surgery patients would love that)!

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2012

The evidence on tympanic thermometers varies. I did a lit search several years ago while working in the hospital because I was trying to convince people that we should not be using this thermometers on patients who've just had cranial surgery. I do not trust tympanic thermometers... I prefer oral for a patient who will cooperate (and I do peds, so many of them just can't do an oral temp) and for those who can't or are too young for an oral, I'd do an axillary any day over a tympanic or a temporal. Downside is axillary takes longer and some of the little ones refuse to sit still for the time that it takes.

ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2012

My opinion of the most accurate to least accurate:

core blood temp from a PA cath

foley temp probe (only accurate if they are making urine)

then the esophageal temp probe which tends to migrate out and give false lows,

the rectal probe lags behind all of these-

axillary, then oral , then tympanic then temporal (only because most nurses and CNAs have no idea how to take an accurate temporal temp).

In a pinch you can tape a flexible rectal probe to the axilla- and get a really accurate temp & even if it's not a core temp you can folow trands.

wooh, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2012

If you use it right, they're fine. Which is pretty much true of EVERYTHING. If you use it wrong, not going to work. Temporal and tympanic. I think temporal are easier to use correctly. LOVE temporals. Quick, easy, accurate.

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2012

Will cerumen impacted years affect the temp reading? Stupid question, I know, but I've always been curious. I've had older patients whose ears were full of wax, and ear wax build up has been a constant problem for me too.

sapphire18 · Sep 19, 2012

I have never in my life used a tympanic thermometer.

I (surprisingly) have found temporals to be pretty accurate.

Foley core temps are my fave, then rectals (unless the pt is a constant fountain of diarrhea which is often the case).

I hate hate hate oral and axillary temps.