A 75-year-old client has a baseline oral temperature of 96.8° F (36° C). Two hours later the client’s oral temperature is 100.8° F (38.2° C).
Which action should a nurse take next?

Notify the health care provider to report and anticipate new orders.

This is because an oral temperature of 100.8° F (38.2° C) indicates a fever, which could be a sign of infection or inflammation in an elderly client.

A fever of this magnitude could also cause dehydration, confusion, or seizures in older adults.

Therefore, the nurse should notify the health care provider as soon as possible to determine the cause and treatment of the fever.

Choice B is wrong because covering the client with an additional blanket could increase the body temperature and worsen the fever.

The UAP should not recheck the temperature in two hours, but rather monitor it more frequently and report any changes to the nurse.

Choice C is wrong because charting the temperature on the vital signs sheet and reporting to the new shift coming on is not enough to address the urgency of the situation.

The nurse has a responsibility to act on abnormal findings and communicate them to the health care provider.

Choice D is wrong because assessing the client’s temperature rectally and comparing the results is not necessary and could cause discomfort or injury to the client.

Rectal temperatures are usually higher than oral temperatures by about 0.5° F (0.3° C), so this would not change the interpretation of the fever.

The normal range for oral temperature in adults is 97.6° F to 99.6° F (36.4° C to 37.6° C).

“I can’t promise that the information won’t be shared if your health or safety is involved.” This response by the nurse would be appropriate because it respects the client’s confidentiality while also acknowledging its limits of it. The nurse has a duty to report any information that may indicate a risk of harm to the client or others.

Choice A is wrong because it dismisses the client’s need to share something and implies that the nurse is not interested or trustworthy.

Choice B is wrong because it gives a false assurance of confidentiality and may lead to ethical dilemmas if the client reveals something that requires reporting.

Choice C is wrong because it does not address the issue of confidentiality and may give the impression that the nurse is trying to avoid the conversation.