Name: fever care: medicines and cooling steps
Uploaded: 2024-06-20T13:02:51.000Z
Duration: 1 min 22 s
Channel: JoVE

Selecting an appropriate treatment for reducing fever relies on first determining the cause.
Medications such as antipyretics induce heat loss, while corticosteroids interfere with the hypothalamic response and reset the raised set-point.
If fever is due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics are prescribed to help fight against fever-causing pyrogens.
Conversely, if fever is due to viral infection, it can be managed non-pharmacologically since viruses have a short life span.
If a person experiences a drug allergy or hypersensitivity reaction, they may experience fever and a rash or pruritus. Interventions include discontinuing medication, treating impaired skin integrity, and allergen education.
Heatstroke requires emergency treatments such as administering intravenous fluids and irrigating the stomach and lower bowel with cold solutions as prescribed.
Non-pharmacological methods of fever reduction include tepid sponging, applying ice packs to axillae and groin areas, oscillating fans, and hypothermia blankets.
Though these techniques encourage further heat loss, nurses must ensure they do not cause shivering.

methods of reducing fever

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
<ol>
	<li>Suppose a bacterial infection is the cause of fever. In that case, the healthcare provider obtains culture specimens such as urine, blood, sputum, and wound sites, and appropriate antibiotics are prescribed based on these reports. Antibiotics destroy pyrogenic bacteria.</li>
	<li>If the fever occurs through viral infection, it lasts only briefly and has limited effects. However, it is essential to be mindful of children below three years of age as their thermoregulatory mechanisms are immature, and a very high temperature could rapidly lead to dehydration and febrile seizures. To manage viral fever, use antipyretic drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to reduce body temperature.</li>
	<li>If fever is caused by drug hypersensitivity or allergy, patients will have rash or pruritus (itching) symptoms. Treatment involves withdrawing the medication, treating skin integrity impairment, and educating the patient and family about the allergy.</li>
	<li>Antipyretic or fever-reducing drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) or acetaminophen are provided to induce heat loss. Also, Corticosteroids work on the hypothalamus and reset the raised set-point.</li>
</ol>
Nonpharmacological Methods Of Reducing Fever:
<ol>
	<li>Nonpharmacological methods usually include reducing fever through evaporation, conduction, convection, or radiation.</li>
	<li>Some methods include tepid sponge baths, bathing with alcohol-water solutions, applying ice packs to axillae and groin areas, and cooling fans.</li>
	<li>However, it is essential to note that these methods do not induce shivering because that will promote extra heat loss.</li>
	<li>Hypothermia blankets are used in which a refrigerated solution flows through the equipment&#39;s coils, which helps reduce temperature.</li>
</ol>
Heatstroke:
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Treatment involves relocating the patient to a cooler area, removing extra garments, using cold, damp cloths on the skin, and using oscillating fans to enhance convective heat loss along with medical emergency treatments such as administering intravenous (IV) fluids, irrigating the stomach and lower bowel with cold solutions, and applying hypothermia blankets.

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. ...

Education

JoVE Core

Nursing

Unit 1

Vital Signs: Temperature

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

fever care: medicines and cooling steps

Fever care focuses on lowering body temperature and finding the cause of the fever. Common signs and symptoms include hot, dry skin, a flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Proper treatment starts with identifying the root problem.

Pharmacological methods use medicine to reduce fever. If a bacterial infection is the cause, healthcare providers collect culture specimens such as urine, blood, sputum, and wound samples, then prescribe the right antibiotics based on those reports. Antibiotics destroy pyrogenic bacteria, which are bacteria that produce fever.

If fever comes from a viral infection, it usually lasts only briefly and has limited effects. Children younger than three years need close attention because their thermoregulatory mechanisms are still immature. A very high temperature can quickly lead to dehydration and febrile seizures in this age group. Antipyretic drugs, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, are used to lower body temperature.

When fever is caused by drug hypersensitivity or allergy, rash and pruritus, or itching, may appear. Treatment includes stopping the medication, caring for any skin integrity problems, and teaching the patient and family about the allergy. Fever-reducing drugs such as NSAIDs, which are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or acetaminophen may also be given. Corticosteroids can work on the hypothalamus and reset the raised set-point.

Nonpharmacological methods lower fever without medicine. These methods use evaporation, conduction, convection, or radiation. Tepid sponge baths, alcohol-water baths, ice packs placed in the axillae and groin, cooling fans, and hypothermia blankets can help reduce temperature. These methods should not cause shivering, because shivering increases heat loss efforts in the wrong direction.

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and needs fast treatment. The patient should be moved to a cooler area, extra clothing removed, and cold, damp cloths placed on the skin. Oscillating fans help increase convective heat loss, and emergency care may also include IV fluids, cold irrigation of the stomach and lower bowel, and hypothermia blankets.

Fever Care: Medicines and Cooling Steps

introduction to vital signs

How Nurses Check Vital Signs

Vital signs are basic body measurements that show how well essential functions are working. They include body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. These are often shortened to T, P, R, and BP. In some healthcare settings, oxygen saturation, or SpO2, is also included. Pain and level of consciousness may count as vital signs in certain situations. These measurements help healthcare professionals assess a person's well-being and spot changes in major body systems. They...

guidelines for measuring vital signs

Measuring Vital Signs for Accurate Nursing Care

Measuring vital signs accurately helps nurses track patient changes and respond with timely care. Careful technique also improves the reliability of the results. Before measuring, a nurse checks whether the patient is calm and comfortable. Anxiety or discomfort can affect the reading. The right equipment also matters. Blood pressure readings depend on using the correct cuff size, since a cuff that is too large or too small may give an inaccurate result. Nurses also inspect equipment for wear,...

body temperature

How the Body Regulates Temperature

The body regulates temperature by balancing heat production and heat loss. This balance helps keep core body temperature steady even during exercise or changes in the environment. Core temperature refers to the temperature of deep tissues under the skin, while surface temperature can change more easily. Heat is produced mainly by metabolic activity in the body’s core tissues. Blood carries this heat from the core to the skin, where it can be released into the environment. Core body temperature...

mechanism of heat transfer

How the Body Loses and Gains Heat

The body loses and gains heat through conduction, convection, evaporation, and radiation. These heat transfer mechanisms help the body stay in balance, or maintain homeostasis, when the environment is not thermoneutral. In a thermoneutral environment, the body is already in balance and does not need to use or release energy to keep its core temperature steady. Conduction is heat transfer through direct contact. It happens when skin touches an object with a different temperature. For example,...

factors affecting body temperature

Body Temperature Changes and Why They Happen

Body temperature changes for many reasons, and age is one of the most important. Newborns have an immature system that must respond quickly to environmental change, so their temperature can shift more easily. Older adults can also have trouble regulating temperature because of age-related changes and other factors. Exercise can raise body temperature because active muscles need more blood flow. The body also breaks down glucose and fat for energy, and that process produces heat. Hormone levels...

increased body temperature

Fever Phases and Body Temperature Control

Fever is a rise in body temperature above 38°C (100.4°F). A person with fever is called febrile. The hypothalamus, a part of the brain that works like the body’s thermostat, controls temperature by using a thermoregulatory setpoint. It reads signals from cold and warm receptors throughout the body and adjusts temperature as needed. Fever usually starts when the hypothalamic setpoint changes in response to infection or illness. A virus such as influenza, a bacterium such as streptococcus, or...

types of fever

Fever Types and Heat-Related Conditions

Fever can happen for many reasons, and not all fevers come from infection. It may be linked to nervous system disorders, certain cancers, blood diseases such as leukemia, embolism, thrombosis, heatstroke, dehydration, surgical trauma, crushing injuries, or allergic reactions. Rigor is one fever pattern marked by a sudden, severe shivering attack. During rigor, body temperature rises quickly to hyperpyrexia levels, which means an extremely high fever. Hyperthermia is different from a typical...

patterns of fever

Fever Phases and Temperature Patterns

Fever has clear phases and several temperature patterns. The first phase is the onset or invasion phase, when body temperature begins to rise. This rise may happen suddenly or gradually. The second phase is the steady phase. During this stage, body temperature reaches its highest point and stays constant at a high level. The third phase is the defervescence or decline phase. In this stage, the elevated temperature returns to normal, either suddenly or gradually. Fever may appear as...

Fever care focuses on lowering body temperature and finding the cause of the fever. Common signs and symptoms include hot, dry skin, a flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Proper treatment starts with identifying the root problem. Pharmacological methods use medicine to reduce fever. If a bacterial infection is the cause, healthcare providers collect culture specimens such as urine, blood, sputum, and wound samples, then prescribe the...

decreased body temperature

Hypothermia and Frostbite Signs

Hypothermia and frostbite are two cold-related conditions that can cause a decreased body temperature. They happen when heat loss from long exposure to cold becomes greater than the body’s ability to make heat. Core temperature readings help classify hypothermia and show how severe it is. Mild hypothermia occurs when core temperature falls between 32 °C (89.6 °F) and 35 °C (95 °F). It is linked to impaired thermoregulation, which means the body has trouble controlling its temperature. Moderate...

equipments used to measure body temperature

equipments-used-to-measure-body-temperature

Body Temperature Tools and Thermometer Types

Body temperature can be checked with several tools, and the result may be shown in Celsius or Fahrenheit. Different thermometers are used for different body sites and settings. Some give a reading in seconds, while others are older or single-use designs. Glass-bulb thermometers are hollow glass tubes with a bulb tip that holds a liquid such as ethanol or mercury. Mercury glass-bulb thermometers were once the standard for measuring body temperature. Today, many countries prohibit mercury...

temperature measurement sites

Body Temperature: Common Measurement Methods

Body temperature can be measured at several common sites, and each site has its own uses and limits. A thermometer is used to check temperature in the oral cavity, axillary region, temporal artery, and skin surface such as the forehead, abdomen, and axilla. Some sites give a closer estimate of true core temperature, which is the temperature inside the body. Core body temperature can be assessed in the rectum, tympanic membrane, pulmonary artery, esophagus, and urinary bladder. The oral site is...

assessing body temperature - tympanic membrane

assessing-body-temperature-tympanic-membrane

Using a Tympanic Thermometer Correctly

A tympanic membrane thermometer measures temperature through the ear. Correct use of the device helps support an accurate reading and reduces the chance of cross-contamination. Start with good hand hygiene before handling the thermometer. Turn it on and wait for the ready sign on the screen. Then place the probe cover in position before use. Ask the patient to tilt the head to the side for comfort. Check the ear canal for cerumen, or earwax, because it can block the probe lens cover. If...

assessing body temperature - oral

Oral Temperature Check with an Electronic Thermometer

Oral temperature checks use an electronic thermometer to measure body temperature through the mouth. Proper hand hygiene comes first to help prevent the spread of microorganisms. The thermometer is then removed from the charging unit, turned on, and used only after the ready sign appears. A probe cover is slid on until a click is heard. This helps prevent cross-contamination and keeps the cover in the correct place. The patient is asked to open the mouth, and the probe is placed under the...

assessing body temperature - rectal

Rectal Temperature Checks for Core Readings

Rectal temperature checks are a precise way to measure core body temperature. This method often gives a higher reading than oral temperature. It is used when an accurate internal temperature is needed. The procedure starts with hand hygiene and clean gloves to reduce cross-infection. The patient is placed in a side-lying position so the rectal area can be seen more easily. Only the anal region is exposed, and warmth and privacy are maintained. If feces or secretions are present, the area is...

assessing body temperature - axilla

Axillary Temperature Check with Digital Thermometer

Axillary body temperature is checked with a digital thermometer using a careful, step-by-step method. The goal is to get an accurate reading from the axilla, or underarm area, while keeping the patient comfortable and protected. Hand hygiene comes first, followed by clean gloves to help prevent infection and cross-contamination. The patient is then told what will happen so they can cooperate with the procedure. Privacy is maintained, only the axilla is exposed, and the patient is asked to stay...

assessing body temperature - temporal artery

assessing-body-temperature-temporal-artery

Temporal Artery Temperature Scan Steps

Temporal artery temperature scanning is a quick way to check a patient’s body temperature with a temporal artery thermometer. The process begins with hand hygiene and a fresh pair of gloves to help prevent cross-infection and keep the patient safe. The procedure should also be explained clearly so the patient knows what to expect and can cooperate with comfort. Before scanning, the forehead should be checked for moisture. If the skin is wet, it should be gently wiped with a clean cloth because...

key terms and concepts

Learn how fever is lowered with medicines and cooling methods, from antibiotics and antipyretics to sponge baths, fans, and emergency heatstroke care.

Fever Care: Medicines and Cooling Steps | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Nursing offers concise animated lessons on nursing practices, covering health systems, nursing organizations, and health concepts. It includes practical communication, infection prevention, and nursing fundamentals, providing students with a clear understanding of nursing principles.

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Fever Care: Medicines and Cooling Steps

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