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. 1992 Apr 11;304(6832):961-3.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.304.6832.961.

Use of thermometers in general practice

S Clarke  1
Affiliations

Use of thermometers in general practice

S Clarke. BMJ. .

Abstract

Objective: To identify the attitudes of general practitioners towards the use of thermometers in general practice.

Design: Postal questionnaire survey.

Setting: All general practitioners in the catchment area of Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey.

Subjects: 145 general practitioners.

Main outcome measures: Answers to questions covering a variety of aspects concerning the use of thermometers in general practice.

Results: 116 (80%) doctors replied. Seven doctors did not have any method of taking a patient's temperature; up to 12 more doctors did not use their thermometers and 56 doctors used them infrequently, less than once a fortnight. Mercury glass thermometers were most commonly used (80 doctors; 69%), but only 8% of doctors used them correctly. Six doctors failed to clean their thermometers between patients. The study failed to identify the roles of axillary and rectal temperature readings.

Conclusion: There is a wide variation in attitudes towards the use of thermometers in general practice.

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Comment in

  • Measuring temperatures.
    Weinberg J, Darowski A. Weinberg J, et al. BMJ. 1992 May 23;304(6838):1381. doi: 10.1136/bmj.304.6838.1381. BMJ. 1992. PMID: 1524598 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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