Temperature comparison in the perioperative period

Detecting temperature changes in the perioperative period is important to prevent and detect potential complications such as hypothermia and malignant hyperthermia. The literature contained studies on various noninvasive thermometers and their accuracy. The research question was: What is the relationship between infrared tympanic membrane, temporal artery, and axillary crystal liquid temperature measurements and oral temperature measurements in the perioperative period? The hypothesis was: Crystal liquid temperature measurements will have a closer relationship with oral temperature measurements than infrared tympanic membrane or temporal artery measurements in the perioperative period. The study was quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. The study site was an ambulatory surgery center. Informed consent was obtained. Thirty-six participants were assigned to tympanic membrane, temporal artery, or crystal liquid axillary groups. Participants received group and oral electronic measurements in each of the three perioperative periods. Reliability and validity are addressed. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, t-tests, and scatter plots. Temporal artery measurements correlated with oral measurements in intraoperative and postoperative periods. Tympanic membrane and crystal liquid correlated with oral measurements in the postoperative period. Temporal artery measurements were statistically significantly different from oral measurements in all three perioperative periods. Tympanic membrane measurements were statistically significantly different from oral measurements in the intraoperative and postoperative periods. Crystal liquid measurements were statistically significantly different from oral measurements in the postoperative period. Crystal liquid measurements were hard to collect and difficult to read. A trend was noted in the difference between temporal artery and oral measurements. Temporal artery measurements are consistently higher than oral measurements. Limitations are discussed. Nursing implications are discussed. Research implications are discussed.