RTs and Athletes

With the Super Bowl today, I think it's appropriate to discuss rectal temperature taking on athletes. The Korey Stringer Institute recommends using a rectal thermometer probe on all athletes suffering from heat illness. Some schools ask athletes to sign a waiver allowing trainers to take their rectal temperature. There are numerous videos on YT showing first responders how to accurately measure temperature in heat stroke victims and its always rectally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeEWrqtqRNQ&pp=ygUeaGVhdCBzdHJva2UgcmVjdGFsIHRlbXBlcmF0dXJl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDFJOQ8rBs&ab_channel=EnvironmentalErgonomics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtCa1Ho0LiY&pp=ygUeaGVhdCBzdHJva2UgcmVjdGFsIHRlbXBlcmF0dXJl

https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/heat-stroke-treatment-authorization-form_0.pdf

https://ksi.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1222/2019/05/Reducing-Heat-Illness-in-College-and-High-School-Sports.pdf

In the ED where I work, I can't tell you the number of times I've taken the rectal temperature of athletes at or near having a heat stroke. Most of the time it's going to be high school football players or track athletes during training in the summer months leading up to the beginning of the school year. Down here in the South, it doesn't take all that long in the day for the God awful humidity and boiling heat to take it's toll on those kids.

If they're brought to us in a confused state, delirious, unconscious, or with severe nausea, we're going to take their temperature rectally to obtain an accurate core reading. I hate they have to have it taken this way, its uncomfortable and embarrassing, but its important we get the most accurate results. Most actually don't seem to be too bothered when we do this as they're too sick, scared, or confused to really care that they're getting a probe stuck up their butt. It's a quick process, takes only a few seconds. But like I said before, a rectal reading is essential so we know what kind of heat injury we're dealing with.

@Nurse_Nikki

…and if the facility did not take a core body temperature reading ( under the conditions you described) and at some point after, the patient’s condition deteriorated or resulted in the patient dying, there is a very good chance there would be legal action brought against the facility.

If not mistaken heat stroke and other heat related injuries are or can be life threatening.

Rectal temperature taking though not necessarily common still has a place in the care of patients.

In the ED where I work, I can't tell you the number of times I've taken the rectal temperature of athletes at or near having a heat stroke. Most of the time it's going to be high school football players or track athletes during training in the summer months leading up to the beginning of the school year. Down here in the South, it doesn't take all that long in the day for the God awful humidity and boiling heat to take it's toll on those kids.

If they're brought to us in a confused state, delirious, unconscious, or with severe nausea, we're going to take their temperature rectally to obtain an accurate core reading. I hate they have to have it taken this way, its uncomfortable and embarrassing, but its important we get the most accurate results. Most actually don't seem to be too bothered when we do this as they're too sick, scared, or confused to really care that they're getting a probe stuck up their butt. It's a quick process, takes only a few seconds. But like I said before, a rectal reading is essential so we know what kind of heat injury we're dealing with.

@Nurse_Nikki Out of curiosity, a normal rectal temp generally runs 1-1.5 deg F higher than an oral. For a patient suspected of or sufferering from heat exhaustion, do you have anyy idea how much higher the rectal temp is or could be versus an oral temp? Is a rectal monitoring probe normally left in?

It would make sense to take a rectal temp. during a specific medical emergency. If I were delirious, and in shock, I wouldn’t care about being exposed or embarrassed. Besides, the digital thermometers are very sensitive and quick to register. I would doubt that rectal temperatures are taken on pro athletes, or for most people in general.

If I were delirious, or really incompacitated due to heat, injury or whatever, they could stick a thermoter up my ass and I wouldn’t care at all. If my regular doc wanted a “more accurate” temp during a routine exam, I’d walk out!

I had heatstroke 3 summers ago. The ambulance crew did an RT on the way to the ER. They had a hard time because I wouldn't let them pull my shorts down, but they finally got it in. Don't remember what my temp was.

When I got to the ER, they put a probe in my rectum and hooked it to the monitor, taping the wire to my buttocks. I didn't get the water immersion but did have to lay there in just a skimpy gown. They also catheterized me so I wouldn't have to get up to pee.

For about ten years, I had a girlfriend who was as much into rectal temperature as myself. Deborah had set the rule that we would take our mutual rectal temperature every day on eachover's lap, first thing in thé morningi. But on sundays, we had a different routine.Deborah liked to jog. I alllways refused to go running with her, too old or just lasy .

So, every sunday, as she came back from her jogging session, before any shower, she would position herself on my knees. I would lower her short and panties, part her sweaty buttchecks and insert a glass thermometer right into her tiny anus. Then, during five minutes, she slowly recuperated as I casually played with the registering thermometer. I was in Heaven and usually had an ererction. Her temperature was alllways over 38 celsius ( 100,4 Farenheit ) , usually between 38.4 (100.8 ) and 38.6 (101.2) . Deborah often joked over the fact that jogging elevated her temp more than fucking with me.

In use today for athletes or extreme workers there's a pill you swallow and it tracks temp remotely

@Tummypro

That's no fun.

Great idea to take her temperature after a run.