Can training improve the results with infrared tympanic thermometers?

Background: Infrared tympanic thermometry (ITT) is a method for body temperature measurement. Correct measuring technique is said to be important to achieve good results with this method. The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy and effect of training in the use of infrared tympan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 1997-09, Vol.41 (8), p.1066-1070
Main Authors: PETERSEN, M. H., HAUGE, H. N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Body temperature
Clinical Competence
fever
Fever - diagnosis
Fever - nursing
Humans
Infrared Rays
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
nursing assessment
Nursing Staff, Hospital - education
Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects)
Rectum - physiology
Reproducibility of Results
Sensitivity and Specificity
Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments. Material. Instrumentation
thermometer standards
Thermometers
Tympanic Membrane - physiology
tympanic thermometry
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Summary:Background: Infrared tympanic thermometry (ITT) is a method for body temperature measurement. Correct measuring technique is said to be important to achieve good results with this method. The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy and effect of training in the use of infrared tympanic therm‐omtry (ITT) on the measurement results. Method: Nurses trained in the use of ITT, and nurses not trained performed measurement sequences on 65 patients: one rectal and two ITT measurements in each sequence. Results: Mean rectal temperatures were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than with ITT (0.44±0.42 (SD)˚C for trained, 0.56±0.4 (SD)˚C for untrained). Coefficient of repeatability for ITT measurements was ±0.54˚C for trained nurses, and ±0.48˚C for untrained. With ITT temperatures adjusted upwards of 0.5˚C, the sensitivity of ITT for detecting fever as defined by rectal measurements would be 70% for trained, and 54% for untrained nurses. Repeatability and sensitivity for trained and untrained nuses were not significantly (P > 0.05) different. Conclusion: Training had little effect on the accuracy of the measurements. According to our results, ITT is often unreliable and should be used with caution.
ISSN:0001-5172
1399-6576
DOI:10.1111/j.1399-6576.1997.tb04837.x