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Measuring Oral Temperature

Measuring oral temperature accurately identifies fever or hypothermia and helps detect changes in a resident's health status.

15 steps·5 evaluator checkpoints·5 common mistakes

1Step-by-Step Procedure

1
Gather equipment: electronic oral thermometer, thermometer probe covers/sheaths, gloves, paper and pen.
2
Wash hands and put on gloves.
3
Identify the resident and explain the procedure.
4
Ask if the resident has eaten, drunk, smoked, or had cold/hot liquids in the past 15–20 minutes; if so, wait before proceeding.
5
Insert a clean probe cover/sheath onto the thermometer probe.
6
Turn on the thermometer and wait for the ready signal.
7
Ask the resident to open their mouth and lift their tongue.
8
Place the probe tip under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket (to one side of the frenulum).
9
Instruct the resident to close their lips gently around the probe and breathe through their nose.
10
Hold the thermometer in place and wait for the audible beep indicating the reading is complete.
11
Remove the thermometer, read the temperature on the display.
12
Eject or remove the probe cover without touching it; discard.
13
Remove gloves and wash hands.
14
Record the temperature, route (oral), date, and time.
15
Report any abnormal reading to the nurse immediately.

✓
A fresh probe cover is applied before placement.
✓
Probe is placed in the posterior sublingual pocket, not under the front of the tongue.
✓
Resident keeps lips closed around the probe until the beep.
✓
Temperature is read accurately and recorded with route noted.
✓
Probe cover is discarded without contaminating hands.

⚠
Placing the probe under the front of the tongue rather than the sublingual pocket — this gives a falsely low reading.
⚠
Removing the thermometer before the completion beep sounds.
⚠
Forgetting to use a fresh probe cover for each measurement.
⚠
Not asking whether the resident recently ate or drank before measuring.
⚠
Failing to note the route (oral) when recording.

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Always confirm the probe cover is securely on before inserting.
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The sublingual pocket is to either side of the tongue's frenulum — angle the probe there.
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Wait for the beep — never pull out early.
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Normal oral temperature is approximately 97.6–99.6°F (36.4–37.6°C); know the range.

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