Clinical thermometers are designed for measuring temperature in humans or animals and can be inserted into the mouth, ear, anus, armpit, or attached to the forehead. They need to be sterilized to prevent cross-contamination and calibrated for accuracy. Mercury thermometers are no longer used due to safety concerns, and disposable or probe cover models are available to reduce the risk of infection. Calibration can be done by the manufacturer or with a calibration guide.
A clinical thermometer is an instrument for measuring temperature, designed for clinical use in humans or animals. There are a number of considerations built into the design of such thermometers, including the need to reduce the risk of cross-contamination between patients. Many drug stores sell ones designed for home use by people who want to be able to monitor their temperature. These products are also available from medical supply catalogs.
Historically, this type of thermometer was made with mercury, but this element is rarely seen in clinical use in modern times. The problem with a mercury thermometer is that the device can break, spilling mercury and endangering human or animal health. Such thermometers can also be difficult to use, as they need to be held in place for several minutes and need to be rotated to reset, as the thermometer is designed to hold the mercury in place once it reaches its maximum temperature so the device can be pulled out for an accurate reading.
Clinical thermometers can be inserted into the mouth, ear, anus, or armpit, depending on the design. Some are even designed to be attached to the forehead. Since they are sometimes placed in rather intimate places, sterilization is important. Another major issue is calibration, as it’s important to get an accurate reading when a few degrees can make a big difference. Thermometers also need to be easy to use and read to ensure people can get accurate measurements.
Some companies get around the sterilization problem with disposable models. In this case, the thermometer is designed to be used on a patient and then discarded. Other companies design thermometers that can be thoroughly cleaned and are intended for use with probe covers. Probe covers are single-use plastic covers that slip over the insert part of the thermometer, reducing the risk of microorganisms passing between patients.
A clinical thermometer is accurately calibrated at the time of manufacture. Some come with calibration guides that people can use to recalibrate them in their own practices, while in other cases, the thermometer can be sent back to the manufacturer. For cheaper thermometers, it may make more sense to confirm that the thermometer isn’t reading correctly and simply discard it, rather than wasting time re-calibrating it.
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