OBJECTIVE: To identify the attitudes of general practitioners towards the use of thermometers in general practice. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey. SETTING: All general practitioners in the catchment area of Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey. SUBJECTS: 145 general practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Answers to questions covering a variety of aspects concerning the use of thermometers in general practice. RESULTS: 116 (80%) doctors replied. Seven doctors did not have any method of taking a patient's temperature; up to 12 more doctors did not use their thermometers and 56 doctors used them infrequently, less than once a fortnight. Mercury glass thermometers were most commonly used (80 doctors; 69%), but only 8% of doctors used them correctly. Six doctors failed to clean their thermometers between patients. The study failed to identify the roles of axillary and rectal temperature readings. CONCLUSION: There is a wide variation in attitudes towards the use of thermometers in general practice.
OBJECTIVE: To identify the attitudes of general practitioners towards the use of thermometers in general practice. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey. SETTING: All general practitioners in the catchment area of Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey. SUBJECTS: 145 general practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Answers to questions covering a variety of aspects concerning the use of thermometers in general practice. RESULTS: 116 (80%) doctors replied. Seven doctors did not have any method of taking a patient's temperature; up to 12 more doctors did not use their thermometers and 56 doctors used them infrequently, less than once a fortnight. Mercury glass thermometers were most commonly used (80 doctors; 69%), but only 8% of doctors used them correctly. Six doctors failed to clean their thermometers between patients. The study failed to identify the roles of axillary and rectal temperature readings. CONCLUSION: There is a wide variation in attitudes towards the use of thermometers in general practice.
Authors: Matthew Thompson; Richard Mayon-White; Anthony Harnden; Rafael Perera; Diane McLeod; David Mant Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2008-04 Impact factor: 5.386