Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 84%
Simulated
A hospitalized adult client who routinely works from midnight until 8 a.m. has a temperature of 99.1°F at 4 a.m. The nurse determines that this is most likely due to:
Correct answer
D
Rationale
Biological rhythms that follow a cycle lasting about 24 hours are termed circadian rhythm. The sleep-wake cycle is closely linked with cardiac rhythms, such as body temperature. While a person sleeps, core body temperature drops, often reaching the 24-hour low at 4 a.m. When the sleep period shifts, temperature fluctuations also shift to match the new sleep patterns.