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Nursing vocabulary · Vital Signs

Afebrile

Meaning in nursing, with examples

adjectiveCommon term

In nursing, afebrile means: Not having a fever: a patient whose body temperature is within the normal range is described as afebrile.

In Turkish: ateşsiz, afebril

How it is used

Used mainly in notes and handover; in British notes 'apyrexial' is also very common. The opposite is 'febrile' or 'pyrexial'. Typical lines: 'afebrile overnight', 'remains afebrile', 'febrile at 38.4'. Patients themselves just say 'no temperature' or 'no fever'.

Example sentences

  1. She has been afebrile for 48 hours since the antibiotics were started.

  2. Obs are stable and he remains afebrile.

Common collocations

  • remain afebrile
  • afebrile overnight
  • afebrile for 24 hours
  • temperatureHow hot a patient's body is, measured with a thermometer in the ear, mouth, armpit, forehead or rectum. In everyday speech it can also simply mean a fever.
  • observationsIn nursing, the regular set of measurements taken from a patient, mainly the vital signs, and sometimes other checks such as pain or level of consciousness.
  • vital signsThe basic body measurements that show how well a patient's body is working: usually temperature, pulse, breathing rate, blood pressure and oxygen level.
  • sepsisA life-threatening condition in which the body's response to an infection starts to damage its own organs and tissues.

More terms: Vital Signs

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.