As a day shift nurse on a patient-care unit, you perform assessments on your patients at the beginning of the shift. The first patient that you assess is an 85-year-old man admitted yesterday with pneumonia. During shift report, the night nurse stated the patient had a fever on admission but that the patient's temperature was normal during the night shift. The patient had an elevated white blood cell count of 12.4 K/cmm on admission and received three doses of intravenous antibiotics since admission. As you assess the patient's vital signs, you find the patient has a temperature of 101.1.°F (38.4°C). The patient offered no complaints other than shortness of breath. You noted the patient is flushed with a respiratory rate of 20 and a pulse oximeter reading of 95% on 1.5L of oxygen delivered through a nasal cannula. His repeat white blood cell count on the morning of your care is 13.2 K/cmm. Prior to your assessment, the healthcare team enters the patient's room. The physician asks, "Is he improving?" Please answer the following questions:
1. How will you respond to the physician?
2.What questions should you have asked during the handoff shift report when it was reported that the patient's temperature was normal during the night shift?