Skills Hub

patient-prep-vitals

Oral Temperature Measurement

Always tested on the CCMA

Measure oral temperature using an electronic thermometer.

About this skill

Oral temperature measurement with a disposable probe cover, the sublingual pocket placement, and the timing considerations for hot/cold food or smoking within 30 minutes.

10 total steps
4 critical steps
Time limit: 3 min

What graders are watching for

  • 1
    Probe goes in the posterior sublingual pocket
  • 2
    Wait 30 minutes after hot/cold food, drink, or smoking
  • 3
    Normal oral range is 97.6 to 99.6 degrees F

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

  • !
    Measuring immediately after the patient has had hot or cold food or drink
  • !
    Placing the probe under the front of the tongue
  • !
    Asking the patient to hold the probe (they may bite down)

Practice this skill step-by-step

The static walkthrough above is the marketing overview. The full step-by-step interactive practice (with critical-step highlighting, per-step "why this matters" rationale, and what graders watch for on each individual step) is unlocked with a subscription.

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