Before I was an RN...I was fresh faced out of high school and got my first job as a caregiver at an Alzheimer's facility working NOCS. The sweet lady training me instructed me to go get the tympanic thermometer from the nurse's station to make gathering VS quicker. I had never used one and asked the RN how to use it. He looked at me for a second but then told me how. I went on my way gathering VS. I couldn't figure out how it was so much quicker and efficient than using the disposable ones for an axillary- it seemed to disturb that patients. I was in my last room, with my pt snorting (yes snorting, not snoring) up a storm, when the lady who was training me walked in. She said "Stop! What are you doing??" I said "I'm thought you wanted me to get vitals?" She said "It goes in their ear, not their nose!"