Questions about taking your rectal temperature

Question #1: When your temperature was being taken rectally either by your mom or another family member, how did you lay for the thermometer to be insertrd?

A. Over the person's lap for the insertion?

B. On the bed for the thermometer to be inserted.

Question #2: When the nurses took your rectal temperature, did you

A: Lay over the nurse's lap?

B: Lay on the exam table?

My answer to the first question is A because I was always laying over my mom's lap to have my temperature taken rectally.

My answer to the second question is neither because I was never touched by a nurse. The nurse did do ear and oral temperatures and arm pit when I got older.

I am the oldest of 5 kids in my family. I remember mom taking my younger brothers' or sisters' temperatures (and mine) over her knee until about 8 or 9,unless we were already in bed. When i was 16, I had bacterial pneumonia and was hospitalized with a full facial oxygen mask. My temp was taken rectally on my side or on my tummy. I remembering counting off the 75 seconds till the electronic unit beeped, while it was being held in place by the nurse.

As a nurse, let me tell you NOBODY lays across a nurse's lap for anything.

Only time you lay across a nurses lap is in fantasy and for me was on bed at home and the nurse usually held it as I layed on the exam table.

Question 1 - I may at some point been over my mothers lap, but I have on recollection of it. Definitely in the bed (and covered by the sheet while it registered.

For both questions, I was positioned on my tummy either on my mother's bed or on the paper-lined table at the pediatricians office. I am quite sure I was over my mom's lap when I was quite small, but that goes a bit beyond my memory. At the pediatricians office, it was kind, but also very structured and procedural, as well as professional. I had two nurses over the time I was at the pediatrician. Both were similar in age, probably late 40s and this was long before digital thermometers were introduced. It was simply oral or rectal, and my mother was typically in the room and let them know her preference was rectal for me. They had a similar approach, so once this brief conversation took place, my nurse would go to the cabinet and get the Vaseline and I would be instructed to turn over. At that point, I would lay anxiously and quiet as she took the rectal thermometer out of the holder, rinsed it, shook it down and then came to me and told me to hold still for her.

Always laying on a bed for me, no memories of having it taken over someone's lap. But I also don't have any memories of getting my temperature taken rectally by a nurse at any time, so I can only answer the first question.

At the pediatrician's office lying face down on the table. My parents always took my temperature with me lying over their lap.

On the bed for the thermometer to be inserted.

Lay on the exam table

At home it was laying in bed, bottoms up until I was older, than it was on my side. My Pediatrician's office didn't take temperatures so the only rectal temps I had by nurses was when I was very young and those were taken with me on my side. That was actually kind of frightening at first, for some reason having the nurses lay me on my side to slip in the thermometer instead of me being on my stomach really freaked me out the first time. But I got used to it, and since my temp was way up they took it about every hour, so I got used to it very quickly. I had one later as a teen while hospitalized but that was on my side also, although by that time I was used to having it taken in that position. And as an adult the few times I have had it taken in the hospital it has always been with me on my side, leg bent. For fun its tummy time for sure, just feels better that way.

At home, it was always lying on my bed. At the doctor's office, it was lying on the exam table, with one exception. One summer I became very ill, with a high temp, and that one time, age 8 if I recall, I was across mom's lap while the nurse took my temp.

I can still recall having my temp. taken before age 5 or 6. It was always on my parent's bed, or my own. Never over a lap. Also, I don't remember it being done at the doctor's office...ever. They took oral temps. on me since around 5 or 6 too, and that was the beginning of the 60's, when apparently rectal was common for toddlers to teens. I hadn't known of rectal temps. being taken on older kids and teens, until I heard about it from friends, and actually saw thermometers and Vaseline jars out in the open, while visiting them.

Question one : A

Question two : B

Question one : B

Question two : B

I would lay on the couch or bed face down. Same with my sister.

I don't ever remember a nurse taking mine rectally. I mean I am sure it happened but I was too young to remember. I only remember my mouth and once under my arm.

Always on the side. Either on the sofa or in my bed, covered with a blanket.

It seemed like doctors just asked my mum whether I had a temperature and she told them about the reading. So my temperature has never been taken at a doctor's and I haven't been in hospital until today either.

I only remember from about age 5 on and every time at home it was in my bed. The last time it was taken at home I was 8. When I went to the pediatrician it was always on the exam table. I went to the same pediatrician until my 14th birthday and I spent a lot of time on one of his exam table with a bared heinie.

Question one : A

Question two : B

B and B

Never had RT over someones lap.

A and B

Never been over a persons lap that I can remember-----always on my belly on an exam table or in my bed when I was in the hospital as a 6yo and one time as a 14yo

In bed is where my temperature is taken

For Question 1. I dont remember family taking it.

Question 2: The doctor would have me bend over the table to take it that way I would get my shot too.

At home I was usually over graany's or dad's lap. I can say I felt comforted by the close contact but they were able to keep me still better.

In a doctor's office it was always on the an exam table. I asked a retired nurse ( 64+) if she ever did it on her lap. She said only if necessary to about age three. Any child with a disability might also be handled better face down on her lap but she did not recall an instance.

As a small kid (up to about 5-6), remembered having my rectal temp taken in bed in the diaper position (on my back, knees on chest), then on my bed laying on my side up to age 12 more or less.

Only had my rectal temp taken in a medical setting a few times and it was laying on my left side.

At home it was usually over the lap but sometimes on the bed. At the doctors it was lying on the exam table

For me it was always over mom’s lap at home and on my side at the doctor’s.

Always laid down on the bed. And at the drs on the exam table

B. On the bed for the thermometer to be inserted.

B: Lay on the exam table?

😃

The only 2 times I remember mine being taken that way as a kid. I was standing up for both times