The question is often asked to me: «Is it preferable to take the temperature by the oral or rectal route?» Here I share the summary of an article by Dr. Frédéric Picotte, general practitioner and emergency physician in the Shawinigan region.

Rectal temperature would be the most reliable when the person, regardless of their age, shows a change in their health status. Indeed, a study by Niven et al. demonstrated that in 30% cases, fever would not be detected by taking it by the oral or axillary route. (Niven et al., Accuracy of peripheral thermometers for estiming temperature : A systemic review and meta-analysis, 2015)

According to Dr. Picotte, when taking a temperature for screening purposes, rectovaginal temperature is the most recommended. The other routes would be reliable in situations where the patient presents signs and symptoms of fever. In screening situations, they are unable to detect an increase in temperature in 30% of the patients.

For readers working in CHSLD, the document Definitions for the surveillance of nosocomial infections in residential and long-term care settings, INSPQ 2014, reports on the results of taking temperature in an elderly person. It mentions the results of oral, tympanic, axillary or rectal temperature measurements that indicate the presence of geriatric fever.

I therefore conclude that our choice of the method for taking the temperature is guided by:

• Medical prescription,
• Establishment Protocol,
• Situation of screening, admission or routine care
• Does the patient have any signs and symptoms of infection?.

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