PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of infrared temperature measurements compared to axillary temperature in order to detect fever in patients.
METHODS
Studies published between 1946 and 2012 from periodicals indexed in Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, KoreaMed, NDSL, KERIS and other databases were selected using the following key words: "infrared thermometer." QUADAS-II was utilized to assess the internal validity of the diagnostic studies. Selected studies were analyzed through a meta-analysis using MetaDisc 1.4.
RESULTS
Twenty-one diagnostic studies with high methodological quality were included representing 3,623 subjects in total. Results of the meta-analysis showed that the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of infrared tympanic thermometers were 0.73 (95% CI 0.70~0.75), 0.92 (95% CI 0.91~0.92), and 0.90, respectively. For axillary temperature readings, the pooled sensitivity was 0.67 (95% CI 0.62~0.73), the pooled specificity was 0.87 (95% CI 0.85~0.90), and the AUC was 0.80.
CONCLUSION
Infrared tympanic temperature can predict axillary temperature in normothermic and in febrile patients with an acceptable level of diagnostic accuracy. However, further research is necessary to substantiate this finding in patients with hyperthermia.

PURPOSE
This study was designed to develop, to implement and evaluate a fever management nursing protocol for adult patients.
METHODS
This study was conducted through seven steps following both the guideline development procedures of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and the Model of the Asan Medical Center Evidence-Based Practice, as follows: 1) identifying the clinical needs and composition of the protocol development group; 2) identifying and evaluating the evidence; 3) assessing the level of evidence and grading recommendations; 4) forming a protocol; 5) evaluating the protocol using an expert group validity test and identifying barriers to its implementation; 6) protocol development; and 7) evaluation of practical improvement measures following implementation of the protocol.
RESULTS
The evidence-based protocol for fever management in adult patients was completed and includes five domains and 15 items. The protocol had good content validity (CVI=.90) and nursing practice could be improved after implementation of the protocol.
CONCLUSION
This nursing protocol can be used as a guide for nursing in febrile adult patients. We recommend that further guidelines be updated in an interdisciplinary manner in order to foster local adaptation of the best clinical practices.

Citations

• Comparison of Clinical Outcomes between Rebound Hyperthermia and Non-Rebound Hypertherma Groups in Postcardiac Arrest Syndrome Patients Undergoing Targeted Temperature Management
  Ha Na Rhee, Jeong Yun Park
  Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing.2023; 16(3): 99.     CrossRef
• Development and Effectiveness of Practice Application Program of Intravenous Infusion Evidence-Based Nursing Practice Guideline - for Small and Medium Sized Hospitals
  Inhwa Hong, Young Eun
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2020; 50(6): 863.     CrossRef
• Performance and Influencing Factors of Evidence‐Based Pressure Ulcer Care Among Acute Care Hospital Nurses
  Ji‐Kyo Kim, Sung‐Hee Yoo, Ju‐Hee Nho, Jae‐Kyun Ju
  Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing.2019; 16(1): 29.     CrossRef
• Critical Review I to Standardize the Textbooks of Fundamentals of Nursing: Vital Sign Assessment, Body Temperature Regulation, Oxygenation
  YunHee Shin, Seung Kyo Chaung, Hyun-Ju Kim
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.2019; 26(4): 282.     CrossRef
• Tepid massage for febrile children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
  Junghee Lim, Juyoung Kim, Bora Moon, Gaeun Kim
  International Journal of Nursing Practice.2018;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Schools’ Response to MERS(MERS-CoV) Outbreak: Schools’ Discretionary Response in Absence of Control Tower
  In Sook Lee, Jae Hee Yoon, Eun Joo Hong, Chae Yoon Kim
  Journal of the Korean Society of School Health.2015; 28(3): 188.     CrossRef