An older client with chills and fever; which rectal temperature reading would the nurse anticipate?

Study for the HESI Makeup Day Test. Prepare with multiple choice questions, hints, and explanations to boost your readiness for exam day!

Multiple Choice

An older client with chills and fever; which rectal temperature reading would the nurse anticipate?

Explanation:
Fever shows the body's response to infection, raising core temperature to help fight pathogens. In adults, a fever is defined as a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, and older adults may mount a fever that's noticeable but not extremely high. When an older person has chills and fever, a moderate febrile reading is most consistent with that clinical picture. A reading around 101.3°F reflects a definite fever without going into higher ranges that would suggest more severe illness. The lower value of 99.6°F isn’t febrile, and while 100.4°F marks the threshold, the more telling finding in this scenario is a temperature in the low 101s. A high fever like 102.2°F could occur but is not as typical given the symptom combination.

Fever shows the body's response to infection, raising core temperature to help fight pathogens. In adults, a fever is defined as a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, and older adults may mount a fever that's noticeable but not extremely high. When an older person has chills and fever, a moderate febrile reading is most consistent with that clinical picture. A reading around 101.3°F reflects a definite fever without going into higher ranges that would suggest more severe illness. The lower value of 99.6°F isn’t febrile, and while 100.4°F marks the threshold, the more telling finding in this scenario is a temperature in the low 101s. A high fever like 102.2°F could occur but is not as typical given the symptom combination.

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