As indicated in paragraph 2-3i, the location where the temperature is taken causes a slight difference in a patient’s temperature reading.
Suppose you were to measure a patient’s oral, axillary, and rectal temperature at the same time. The axillary temperature reading would be about 1º F (0º.6 C) lower than the oral temperature reading while the rectal temperature reading would be about 1 ºF (0.6º C) higher than the oral temperature reading (figure 2-6).
NOTE: This example is given in order to illustrate a point. You do not take a patient’s temperature three different ways at the same time.
![2.16 Will I get the same temperature readings for oral, axillary, and rectal temperatures? 1 Figure 2-6. Normal average rectal, oral, and axillary temperature readings (approximate).](https://brooksidepress.org/vitalsigns/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MD0531_img_6-246x300.jpg)