| Learning Objective #1: Explain the advantages and disadvantages of at least two popular temperature assessment sites and devices | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Identify at least two benefits for establishing collaboration processes with international organizations |
East German medical device company collaboration: --a personal journey --establishing exciting research agreement strategies
With international threats of bioterrorism and infectious diseases such as AIDS, accurate, accessible body temperature measurement becomes an essential internationally-applicable nursing task. Study objectives: to describe relationships among age, race, site as variables affecting temperature measurement in adults 2) to compare temperature sites and differences between/among BD mercury and internationally marketed mercury-free Geratherm Galinstan-in-glass devices
Design: A correlational design was used to determine within-subject mean differences across sites and instruments. Descriptive statistics described temperature measures and sample.
Population: Hospitalized adults, Rural Oregon Sample: Convenience sample (N=120) Setting: 176-bed JCAHO accredited facility
Variables studied/methods: Temperatures (° F) measured at oral, axillary, groin, rectal sites with four each mercury-glass (BD) and Galinstan-glass (Geratherm) thermometers.
Findings: For mercury and Galinstan-glass thermometers within-subject temperature assessments were highest rectally, followed by oral, then skin sites. Galinstan readings showed rectal sites 0.91°F higher than oral and 1.3 °F above skin sites. Devices correlated strongly across sites and devices. Difference scores and confidence intervals between devices showed greatest variability at skin and least variability at rectal sites. Culture/race correlated with age and all temperature readings for site/device. Conclusions: Temperatures varied by age and race. Mercury thermometer readings correlated with Galinstan thermometer readings at all sites.
Implications: Bioterrorism is a major concern worldwide. In the presence of suspected biological warfare, key diagnostic decisions are made based on body temperature assessments. These assessments must be accurate and readily available under all conditions. Low tech thermometers present the advantage of being portable, storable, lightweight, sterilizable, inexpensive, and intuitive. However, access to mercury thermometers is restricted world-wide. With additional research to replicate findings, mercury-free Galinstan thermometers can be clinically used to monitor body temperature. Variables of age, culture/race need further study.
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