Prep Ear Assessment for Advanced and Specialty Practice
A nurse is interviewing a client as part of a routine examination of his ears and hearing. The nurse notes that this client has high blood pressure. Which of the following questions regarding his hearing should the nurse ask that is associated with his high blood pressure?
"Do you experience any ringing, roaring, or crackling in your ears?"
The results of a client's Rinne test are as follows: bone conduction > air conduction. How should the nurse explain these findings to the client?
"You have a conductive hearing loss."
A client asks why cerumen is important because it "just clogs up the ear anyway." Which response would be most appropriate?
"It helps keep the tympanic membrane soft."
The client asks the nurse why the nurse put the tuning fork on the bone behind the ear. Which is the best response by the nurse?
"It identifies a problem with the normal pathways for sound to travel to your inner ear."
An adult client tells the nurse that his 80-year-old father is almost completely deaf. After an explanation to the client about risk factors for hearing loss, the nurse determines that the client needs further instruction when the client says
"It is difficult to prevent hearing loss or worsening of hearing."
When providing client education on hearing, the nurse should remind clients to utilize ear plugs when they are what? (Select all that apply.)
-Using lawnmowers -At train stations -At concerts
The nurse notes a tophus of the ear of an older adult. Which assessment data is consistent with a tophus?
A hard nodule composed of uric acid crystals
You are teaching a class on diseases of the ear. What would you teach the class is the most characteristic symptom of otosclerosis?
A progressive, bilateral loss of hearing
The nurse notes a cyst on the ear of an older adult. Which assessment data is consistent with a cyst?
A sac with a membranous lining filled with fluid
After having a client perform a Romberg test, which of the following would indicate to the nurse that the test is negative?
Client maintains the position during the exam
A client seeks medical attention for an earache. For which health problem should the nurse assess this client? Select all that apply.
Ear infection Sinus infection Dental problem Cerumen blockage
The nurse is providing client teaching to the mother of a 3-month-old with otitis media. What would the nurse explain is a risk factor for otitis media?
Exposure to cigarette smoke
Which finding should a nurse recognize as a normal when assessing the ears of an elderly client?
High-tone frequency loss
Which finding should a nurse recognize as a normal when assessing the ears of an elderly client?
High-tone frequency loss Presbycusis, a gradual hearing loss is common after the age of 50 years. It begins with a loss of the ability to hear high-frequency tones. Cerumen production may increase in older age or become drier & build up as the cilia become more rigid. The earlobes become elongated in older age. A bulging tympanic membrane is not a normal finding at any age
A client has a sensorineural hearing loss. Which condition would the nurse most likely identify as a cause?
Inner ear problem
Which of the following denotes the correct procedure for using an otoscope when examining the ears of a 32-year-old client?
Inserting the speculum down and forward into the ear canal
A nurse in a primary care provider's office is performing a focused assessment on a 71-year-old male client who is reporting hearing loss in their right ear. The Weber test reveals lateralization of sound to the right ear. The results of the Rinne test reveal bone conduction that is greater than the air conduction. The client reports frequent ear infections and increased ear wax.
Lateralization of sound to the affected ear - Conductive Hearing Loss Bone conduction greater than air conduction - Conductive Hearing Loss Frequent ear infections - Conductive Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Hearing Loss Increased ear wax - Conductive Hearing Loss
The nurse is preparing to examine a client's external auditory canal. Which equipment would be necessary?
Otoscope
You are a pediatric nurse caring for a child who has been brought to the clinic with otitis externa. What assessment finding is characteristic of otitis externa?
Pain on manipulation of the auricle
In which position should the nurse place the toddler when examining the ear?
Sitting on the parent's lap with parent steadying the head
The nurse is presenting an educational event for gardeners. When discussing the ears, what would be an important topic to cover?
Skin cancer prevention
During a Weber test, the client reports lateralization of sound to the good ear. The nurse interprets this as which the following?
There is a sensorineural hearing impairment.
Which of the following, if obtained during the health history, would alert the nurse to a possible ear-related problem?
Use of cotton swabs inside the ear
The nurse is preparing to use an otoscope to examine a client's ear canal and drum. With which of the following grip techniques should the nurse use to hold the otoscope?
between the thumb and fingers
The transmission of sound waves through the external ear and the middle ear is known as
conductive hearing
The nurse has performed the Rinne test on an older adult client. After the test, the client reports that her bone conduction sound was heard longer than the air conduction sound. The nurse determines that the client is most likely experiencing
conductive hearing loss
The nurse would suspect a problem at which area when pressure builds up on either side of the tympanic membrane?
eustachian tube
The nursing student hopefuls are taking a pre-nursing anatomy and physiology class. What will they learn is the anatomical feature that equalizes air pressure in the middle ear?
eustachian tube
The nurse is preparing to examine the ears of an adult client with an otoscope. The nurse should plan to
firmly pull the auricle out, up, and back.
The nurse is preparing to perform the Rinne test on a client. The nurse would place the tuning fork at which location first?
mastoid process
While inspecting the client's tympanic membrane, the nurse notes a pearly gray and shiny appearance. The nurse would interpret this finding as what?
normal tympanic membrane
A client comes to the clinic and reports pain when he touches his ear. With what is this finding most consistent?
otitis externa
A client has been diagnosed with conductive hearing loss. The nurse understands that which of the following could be the cause of this type of hearing loss?
perforated eardrum
A 60-year-old client has difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds. The nurse would document this finding as which of the following?
presbycusis
Which terms refers to the progressive hearing loss associated with aging?
presbycusis
A client has Darwin tubercle. What is this?
small, painless nodule at the helix
The nurse is planning to conduct the Weber test on an adult male client. To perform this test, the nurse should plan to
strike a tuning fork and place it on the center of the client's head or forehead.
A client diagnosed with arthritis has been taking aspirin and now reports experiencing adverse effects. What adverse effect indicates that a decrease in dose may be necessary?
tinnitus
