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

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

• A. 100.4°F
• B. 101.3°F
• C. 102.2°F
• D. 99.6°F

Answer: (B)

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.