When using a glass thermometer at home to accurately assess axillary t

When using a glass thermometer at home to accurately assess axillary temperature, the nurse should tell the parent of a 1 1/2-year-old child to:

1. Hold the thermometer at the bulb end
2. Cleanse the thermometer in hot water
3. Assess the thermometer for 5 minutes
4. Allow the child to hold the thermometer

ANSWER

ANS: 3
When assessing a client’s axillary temperature with a glass thermometer, the thermometer should be left in place for 3 to 5 minutes. The thermometer should be held at the opposite end of the bulb. The thermometer should be covered with a plastic sheath when in use and after used the plastic sheath is discarded. If the thermometer requires cleaning, the nurse should not use hot water, as it could cause the thermometer to break. The parent should hold the thermometer, not the child. A 1 1/2-year-old client may drop the thermometer, creating a mercury spill.