Effects of oxygen therapy via nasal cannula on the oral-rectal temperature relationship of afebrile adult patients

It appears to be a common nursing practice to measure body temperature rectally on all patients receiving oxygen therapy, even when there is no contraindication for oral temperature measurement other than the presence of oxygen. Most of the nursing textbooks do not specify a particular site for measuring temperatures of patients receiving oxygen therapy. A survey was conducted at five of the six Salt Lake City hospitals to determine the opinions of Registered Nurses regarding sites for temperature measurement in patients receiving oxygen therapy by nasal cannula. Of the 100questionnaires delivered, 74 were completed and retuned. Sixty-four percent of the nurses felt temperatures should be measured rectally on all patients receiving oxygen therapy via nasal cannual. Thirty-six percent felt temperatures should be measured orally on patients receiving oxygen therapy via nasal cannula provided oral temperatures were not contraindicated by other problems or diagnoses. The result of the survey clearly identified an inconsistency among practicing Registered Nurses regarding sites for temperature measurements in patients receiving oxygen therapy. The purpose of the study was to determine it the oral route is an satisfactory method of measuring the temperature of afebrile adult patients receiving oxygen therapy by the nasal cannual method of administration. Oral and rectal thermometers used for temperature measurement were tested for precise accuracy in a circulating waterbath at 98.6 degrees F., 100.0 degrees F., and 102.0 degrees F. Those thermometers that deviated from the reading of the three control thermometers were rejected. The accurate thermometers were retested in the same manner to be assured of precisely accurate thermometers. The patients included in the study were selected on the basis of the following criteria: The patients were afebrile, and received continuous oxygen therapy for at least six hours preceding the first temperature measurement, and had not contraindication for either rectal or oral temperature measurement. The patients' oral and rectal temperature were measured simultaneously twice a day during the period of oxygen therapy via cannula and following the discontinuance of oxygen therapy. In this way each patient served as his own control. Each patient had two set of scores: The first set consisted of paired temperature reading during oxygen therapy and the second set consisted of paired temperature readings following oxygen therapy. Paired temperature readings were measured on eight patients. A correlated, two-tailed t test was calculated to determine if the differences between the oral and rectal temperatures were significantly different during oxygen therapy. The means of the set of difference scores obtained during the experimental phase and the control phase were used to calculate the t test. With 14 df, the obtained t ratio of .271 did not read the .05 level, indicating that the experimental variable, oxygen administered by nasal cannula, had no reliable effect on the oral-rectal temperature relationship. On the basis of the research findings, the conclusion may be drawn that patients receiving oxygen therapy via nasal cannula would register an accurate oral temperature providing there were no co contraindications to the oral measurement, such as mouth breathing, irrational behavior, or surgery on the mouth or nares.