Body temperature (shorthand Temp) is measured by a thermometer.

It depends on a number of factors, including:

• Location of measurement, typically from highest to lowest, being internal (rectal, vaginal), oral, and then skin. Typical internal temperature (gold standard to measure core temperature) is 37° C, or slightly cooler at 36.8 °C ± 0.4 °C
• Time of day, varying during the day by about 0.5 °C, with temperatures lower in the morning, and higher in the afternoon/evenings. Body temperature also tends to be lowest in the 2nd half of the sleep cycle
• Activity level of Pt
• Hunger
• Sleepiness
• Cold

• Hypothermia, is <35 °C
• Normal, is 37 ± 0.5 °C
• Fever and Hyperthermia, is >37.5 °C. The difference between Fever and Hyperthermia is whereas Fever is an increase in the temperature setpoint that the body attempts to maintain, Hyperthermia is the production/absorption of more heat than it can dissapate.
• Hyperpyrexia, is >40 °C

Thermometers, to take a patient's temperature, in various sites, including:

• Rectal, in the anus
• Oral, in the mouth
• Axillary, under teh arm
• Tympanic, in the ear
• Vaginal, in the vagina
• In the bladder
• On the skin of the forehead over the temporal artery

• Fever