A nurse is teaching a newly licensed nurse about measuring body temperature in clients. The nurse should instruct to obtain an oral temperature in which of the following clients? (Select all that apply)

Choice A reason: Recent oral surgery contraindicates oral temperature measurement due to risks of disrupting surgical sites, causing pain, or inducing bleeding. The oral mucosa’s sensitivity post-surgery makes thermometer placement unsafe and potentially inaccurate due to inflammation or swelling. Tympanic or axillary methods are safer alternatives to ensure accurate temperature readings without complications. Choice B reason: Hemorrhoids affect the rectal area and have no impact on the oral cavity, making oral temperature measurement appropriate. This method is non-invasive, accurate, and unaffected by lower gastrointestinal conditions. Clients with hemorrhoids can safely have their temperature measured orally, as the condition does not interfere with oral thermometry’s reliability or safety. Choice C reason: Mouth breathing interferes with oral temperature measurement by allowing airflow to cool the oral cavity, leading to inaccurate, falsely low readings. Consistent closed-mouth positioning is required for reliable results. For clients who breathe through the mouth, tympanic or temporal artery thermometry is recommended to avoid errors caused by altered oral mucosal temperature. Choice D reason: Drinking ice water cools the oral cavity, causing falsely low temperature readings for up to 30 minutes. This affects the accuracy of oral thermometry, as the thermometer cannot reflect core body temperature. Alternative methods, such as tympanic or axillary measurements, should be used until the oral cavity stabilizes to ensure reliable results. Choice E reason: A coagulation disorder does not affect the suitability of oral temperature measurement. This non-invasive method poses no bleeding risk and is safe for clients with conditions like hemophilia. Oral thermometry accurately reflects core body temperature without interfering with the client’s hematological condition, making it an appropriate choice for temperature assessment.