Verifying the Temperature Accuracy
7-8 EarlyVue VS30 Instructions for Use
Verifying the Temperature Accuracy
To understand the method for verifying the accuracy of your thermometer, it is important
to understand how the thermometer works. Taking repeat temperatures in quick
succession on the same patient or comparing the readings to another thermometer will
not work for the following reasons:
• The thermometer is a “predictive” thermometer, which means that it uses an
algorithm to predict what a patient’s temperature would be in 3 to 5 minutes.
• When the thermometer is placed in the patient site, the probe is generally cooler than
the patient temperature site and the patient is generally warmer. Heat is then
transferred to the probe, causing the patient’s body site to be cooled. The body site
then takes approximately 20 minutes to return to the original temperature. If you
repeat the temperature measurement or use a different thermometer prior to the 20-
minute recovery time, the reading will likely be different.
• Different thermometers use different predictive algorithms. These algorithms are
based on a sampling of patients’ temperatures at the desired quick predict time
versus their 3-minute to 5-minute temperature. Therefore, comparing a VS30
temperature reading to a reading from a different thermometer is not an effective
method for testing accuracy.
After you take a predictive temperature measurement on a patient, you can verify the
value using the following procedure.
To verify the accuracy of the temperature
1 Replace the temperature probe in the probe well.
2 Touch the Temp numeric pane to open the Temperature menu
3 Touch the Mode menu and select Monitored.
The Monitored Mode icon appears in the Temp numeric pane when you remove the
probe from the well,
4 Remove the temperature probe from the probe well and firmly push the probe into a
probe cover.
5 Place the probe in the appropriate site on the patient.
Note
The Temp Low alarm may sound for several seconds while the temperature stabilizes.
6 Hold the probe in position for the following durations:
- 3 minutes for oral and rectal temperatures
- 5 minutes for axillary temperatures
This is the amount of time it takes for the probe and the patient’s body site to come
to thermal equilibrium (or the same temperature).
7 Before removing the probe, note the temperature value. (Monitored temperature
values are not saved to a patient record.)
To Next Page
Loading...