Question

A 33-year-old client is brought into the emergency room with a core temperature of 39°C (102.2°F). The client is red in the face, chest, and back due to significant cutaneous vasodilation. The client is likely in which stage of fever?

a) Fourth
b) Second
c) First
d) Third

Answer 1

Answer:

d) Third

Explanation:

Fever is the elevation of the body's temperature. The body's normal temperature is inside the range of 97 to 99ºF (36.1 to 37.2ºC) in adults. A rise in temperature is considered fever once it's reached 100.4ºF (38ºC). If the rise is below this threshold, it's considered low-grade fever.

There are 4 described stages of fever:

1. Prodromal stage: non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, mild headache and general malaise.
2. Second stage / Chill: cold sensation due to vasoconstriction, chills and shivering, pale skin with goosebumps,
3. Third stage / Flush: hot sensation due to vasodilation, the skin becomes warm and flushed
4. Defervescence: sweating, the body's temperature returns back to normal

This client's core temperature is 39ºC (102.2ºF), so he has a fever; and based on his current symptoms, he is going through the third stage of fever.