Discussion

The average normal human oral temperature is 36.9°C.

In general, for the same individual:

• Axilla (armpit) temperature is usually (0.3°C) to (0.6°C) LOWER than an oral temperature.
• Oral temperature is about (0.3°C) to (0.6°C) LOWER than a rectal or ear (tympanic) temperature.
• Conversely, Tympanic (ear) and Rectal temperatures are (0.3°C) to (0.6°C) HIGHER than oral temperature.
  

The following table shows the "normal ranges" for human temperature taken using different routes as reported by Sund-Levander M, Forsberg C, Wahren LK.:

While debate remains as to whether "core body temperature" taken using the rectal route best reflect the body's "true" internal temperature, factors like:

• embarrassment to the patient,
• inconvenience to the patient and the nurse,
• ease of use for the nurse,
• expediency and
• speed & accuracy in obtaining temperature readings, etc
  

all mean that tympanic thermometers are favoured in adult wards as the temperature can be obtained in ONE second instead of waiting for a minute or even longer for an electronic oral thermometer.

However, axilla termperature is taken using electronic thermometers for children under 6 months in pediatric wards since their ear canals are still not large enough to accomodate a regular tympanic thermometer.

Our reflection

Gelinda:
Overall, I find that doing this blog is interesting, like the way we will be graded with a blog. I've learned quite a few things, such as collecting data as samples, keying data into SPSS and using SPSS to analyze the data. I believe this module will prepare me well for my final year project. Therefore this is really a good experience for me to deal with this project.

Robin:
Among the things I learned from this statistics module are:

• The different types of data and how to collect, collate & handle them.
• How to use different techniques appropriately to interpret and make sense of the data collected.
• How to use SPSS, a software program, to help me analyze the data.

With evidence-based nursing becoming increasingly important, the knowledge I learned from this module has helped to build a foundation for me to collect and analyze data from meaningful research studies commissioned by my employers in the future to illuminate new and emerging nursing trends.

Yanan:
Through this statistics project, I have learned how to collect date correctly, and analyze & interpret the data holistically. I also learned teamwork while learning from each other. Statistics is related to all aspects of our lives, it is important to master this subject to develop ourselves!

Shakinah:
Our statistics project is really interesting. This project enabled me to analyze the data we collected. It is a new experience as I have not done this before. Getting samples from our friends was fun. At the same time I think that this project will help be useful for me in my final year project.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Our project group would like to ♥♥♥THANK♥♥♥ our Lecturer, Ms Chia Choon Yee for her invaluable feedback and helpful suggestions during our consultation with her, as well as her interesting lectures and excellent textbook which she authored. Chia, C. Y. (2008). Statistics in health sciences. (4th ed.). Singapore: McGraw Hill Education (ISBN 978-007-126949-0. Comes with CD-ROM). Statistics is a new subject for many of us. Without her patient explanation & guidance backed by clear examples, both during her lectures and in her well-written & generously illustrated textbook, we would not have been able to complete our Statistics blog project.