What should you do if a patient has difficulty breathing and breathes through their mouth?

When a patient has difficulty breathing and breathes through their mouth, using an axillary thermometer is the appropriate choice. The axillary site, which is located under the arm, provides a non-invasive way to measure body temperature without causing additional discomfort.

Taking the patient's temperature via the mouth can be problematic in this scenario because their method of breathing may affect the accuracy of the reading. If a person is breathing through their mouth, it can lead to a lower or inaccurate reading due to the ambient temperature of the oral cavity being influenced by the airflow. Therefore, using the axillary method avoids these complications, ensuring a more accurate and safer way to assess the patient’s temperature under stressful breathing conditions.

Other methods, such as using an oral or rectal thermometer, may not be feasible in this situation due to the patient’s breathing difficulties and could potentially introduce discomfort or complications. An oral thermometer necessitates that a patient can seal their lips around the device, which may not be possible with their breathing difficulties. Rectal thermometers, while accurate, are invasive and might not be appropriate for every healthcare scenario, especially if a less invasive method is available.