Home › CNA Practice Tests › Basic Nursing Skills Questions › Question 5
Mr. Chen is receiving oxygen by mask and breathes mostly through his mouth. The nurse asks for his temperature, but an oral reading would not be reliable. What is the best next step?
- A.Check with the nurse about using the axillary site
- B.Force the oral thermometer under his tongue anyway
- C.Skip the temperature and chart an estimate instead
- D.Use the rectal site for every oxygen patient routinely
Correct answer
A. Check with the nurse about using the axillary site
Why
Mouth breathing and an oxygen mask make oral readings unreliable, so another site is needed. The assistant should check with the nurse about the site, commonly axillary, rather than estimating a value or changing sites without direction.
Content outline: Basic Nursing Skills - Vital Signs: Temperature · From the Basic Nursing Skills practice bank (BN-005).