Table 2

Ability of parents and nurses to detect fever using a home tympanic thermometer, with a hospital tympanic thermometer being the reference standard

Nurse reported fever on hospital thermometer

Nurse reported no fever on hospital thermometer

Parent reported fever on home thermometer

13

2

Parent reported no fever on home thermometer

4*

41

Nurse reported fever on home thermometer

16

5

Nurse reported no fever on home thermometer

1**

38

*Readings by parents were 37.8 °C, 37.9 °C, and 38.4 °C twice with corresponding hospital thermometer readings being 38.6 °C, 38.5 °C, 38.6 °C, and 39.6 °C

**Reading was 38.4 °C on home thermometer and 38.6 °C on hospital thermometer

Robinson et al. BMC Family Practice 2005 6:3   doi:10.1186/1471-2296-6-3