What should you do if a client is smoking, eating, or drinking when you are about to take their temperature?

When taking an oral temperature, it is important to ensure accuracy by considering factors that can affect the reading. Smoking, eating, or drinking can significantly alter the temperature of the oral cavity, leading to inaccurate measurements. To allow the substances consumed to dissipate and for the oral cavity to return to a more stable temperature, a waiting period is recommended.

The appropriate duration generally accepted is about 15 minutes after a patient has smoked, eaten, or drunk anything before measuring their oral temperature. This timeframe allows sufficient cooling or stabilization of the mouth to provide a reliable reading. Thus, waiting 15 minutes is the advisable practice to ensure that the temperature measurement reflects the client’s true body temperature rather than being influenced by recent activities.