Wong Sensory Impairment

Hearing is expressed in decibels (dB), or units of loudness. Which is the softest sound a normal ear can hear? a. 0 dB b. 10 dB c. 40 to 50 dB d. 100 dB

ANS: A By definition, 0 dB is the softest sound the normal ear can hear. Ten dB is the sound of the heartbeat or the rustling of leaves. 40 to 50 dB is in the range of normal conversation. The noise of a train is approximately 100 dB.

Prevention of hearing impairment in children is a major goal for the nurse. This can be achieved through which intervention? a. Being involved in immunization clinics for children b. Assessing a newborn for hearing loss c. Answering parents' questions about hearing aids d. Participating in hearing screening in the community

ANS: A Childhood immunizations can eliminate the possibility of acquired sensorineural hearing loss from rubella, mumps, or measles encephalitis. Assessing a newborn for hearing loss, answering parents' questions about hearing aids, and participating in hearing screening in the community are interventions to screen for the presence of hearing loss or deal with an identified loss, not prevention.

A school nurse is performing hearing screening on school children. The nurse recognizes that the most common type of hearing loss resulting from interference of transmission of sound to the middle ear is characteristic of which type of hearing loss? a. Conductive b. Sensorineural c. Mixed conductive-sensorineural d. Central auditory imperceptive

ANS: A Conductive or middle-ear hearing loss is the most common type. It results from interference of transmission of sound to the middle ear, most often from recurrent otitis media. Sensorineural, mixed conductive-sensorineural, and central auditory imperceptive are less common types of hearing loss.

A nurse should suspect possible visual impairment in a child who displays which characteristic? a. Excessive rubbing of the eyes b. Rapid lateral movement of the eyes c. Delay in speech development d. Lack of interest in casual conversation with peers

ANS: A Excessive rubbing of the eyes is a clinical manifestation of visual impairment. Rapid lateral movement of the eyes, delay in speech development, and lack of interest in casual conversation with peers are not associated with visual impairment.

Which term refers to the ability to see objects clearly at close range but not at a distance? a. Myopia b. Amblyopia c. Cataract d. Glaucoma

ANS: A Myopia, or nearsightedness, refers to the ability to see objects clearly at close range but not a distance. Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is reduced visual acuity in one eye. A cataract is opacity of the lens of the eye. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by increased intraocular pressure.

A nurse is caring for a hearing-impaired child who lip reads. The nurse should plan which intervention to facilitate lip reading? a. Speak at an even rate. b. Exaggerate pronunciation of words. c. Avoid using facial expressions. d. Repeat in exactly the same way if child does not understand.

ANS: A The child should be helped to learn and understand how to read lips by speaking at an even rate. It interferes with the child's comprehension of the spoken word to exaggerate pronunciation of words, to avoid using facial expressions, and to repeat in exactly the same way if the child does not understand.

A nurse is instructing a nursing assistant on techniques to facilitate lip reading with a hearing-impaired child who lip reads. Which techniques should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.) a. Speak at eye level. b. Stand at a distance from the child. c. Speak words in a loud tone. d. Use facial expressions while speaking. e. Keep sentences short.

ANS: A, D, E To facilitate lip reading for a hearing-impaired child who can lip read, the speaker should be at eye level, facing the child directly or at a 45-degree angle. Facial expressions should be used to assist in conveying messages, and the sentences should be kept short. The speaker should stand close to the child, not at a distance, and using a loud tone while speaking will not facilitate lip reading.

Which is an implanted ear prosthesis for children with sensorineural hearing loss? a. Hearing aid b. Cochlear implant c. Auditory implant d. Amplification device

ANS: B Cochlear implants are surgically implanted, and they provide a sensation of hearing for individuals who have severe or profound hearing loss of sensorineural origin. Hearing aids and amplification devices are external devices for enhancing hearing. Auditory implants do not exist.

A school nurse is performing hearing screening on school children. The nurse recognizes that distortion of sound and problems in discrimination are characteristic of which type of hearing loss? a. Conductive b. Sensorineural c. Mixed conductive-sensorineural d. Central auditory imperceptive

ANS: B Sensorineural hearing loss, also known as perceptive or nerve deafness, involves damage to the inner ear structures or the auditory nerve. It results in the distortion of sounds and problems in discrimination. Conductive hearing loss involves mainly interference with loudness of sound. Mixed conductive-sensorineural hearing loss manifests as a combination of both sensorineural and conductive loss. Central auditory imperceptive hearing loss includes all hearing losses that do not demonstrate defects in the conduction or sensory structures.

The nurse should suspect a hearing impairment in an infant who demonstrates which behavior? a. Absence of the Moro reflex b. Absence of babbling by age 7 months c. Lack of eye contact when being spoken to d. Lack of gesturing to indicate wants after age 15 months

ANS: B The absence of babbling or inflections in voice by age 7 months is an indication of hearing difficulties. The absence of the Moro reflex and eye contact when being spoken to does not indicate a hearing impairment. The child with hearing impairment uses gestures rather than vocalizations to express desires at this age.

The school nurse is caring for a child with a penetrating eye injury. Emergency treatment includes which intervention? a. Apply a regular eye patch. b. Apply a Fox shield to affected eye and any type of patch to the other eye. c. Apply ice until the physician is seen. d. Irrigate eye copiously with a sterile saline solution.

ANS: B The nurse's role in a penetrating eye injury is to prevent further injury to the eye. A Fox shield (if available) should be applied to the injured eye and a regular eye patch to the other eye to prevent bilateral movement. It may cause more damage to the eye to apply a regular eye patch, apply ice until the physician is seen, or irrigate the eye copiously with a sterile saline solution.

When assessing the eyes of a neonate, the nurse observes opacity of the lens. This represents which impairment? a. Blindness b. Glaucoma c. Cataracts d. Retinoblastoma

ANS: C A cataract is opacity of the lens of the eye. The child may have visual impairment secondary to the cataract, but the opacity is a cataract. Glaucoma is increased intraocular pressure. Retinoblastoma is a tumor of the eye.

Which of the following terms refers to opacity of the crystalline lens that prevents light rays from entering the eye and refracting on the retina? a. Myopia b. Amblyopia c. Cataract d. Glaucoma

ANS: C Opacity of the crystalline lens that prevents light rays from entering the eye and refracting on the retina is the definition of a cataract. Myopia, or nearsightedness, refers to the ability to see objects clearly at close range but not at a distance. Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is reduced visual acuity in one eye. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by increased intraocular pressure.

A father calls the emergency department nurse saying that his daughter's eyes burn after getting some dishwasher detergent in them. The nurse recommends that the child be seen in the emergency department or by an ophthalmologist. The nurse also should recommend which action before the child is transported? a. Keep eyes closed. b. Apply cold compresses. c. Irrigate eyes copiously with tap water for 20 minutes. d. Prepare a normal saline solution (salt and water) and irrigate eyes for 20 minutes.

ANS: C The first action is to flush the eyes with clean tap water. This will rinse the detergent from the eyes. Keeping eyes closed and applying cold compresses may allow the detergent to do further harm to the eyes during transport. Normal saline is not necessary. The delay can allow the detergent to cause continued injury to the eyes.

The nurse is talking with a 10-year-old boy who wears bilateral hearing aids. The left hearing aid is making an annoying whistling sound that the child cannot hear. Which is the most appropriate nursing action? a. Ignore the sound. b. Ask him to reverse the hearing aids in his ears. c. Suggest he reinsert the hearing aid. d. Suggest he raise the volume of the hearing aid.

ANS: C The whistling sound is acoustic feedback. The nurse should have the child remove the hearing aid and reinsert it, making certain no hair is caught between the ear mold and the ear canal. It would be annoying to others to ignore the sound or to suggest he raise the volume of the hearing aid. The hearing aids are molded specifically for each ear.

A nurse is preparing a teaching session for parents on prevention of childhood hearing loss. The nurse should include that the most common cause of hearing impairment in children is: a. auditory nerve damage. b. congenital ear defects. c. congenital rubella. d. chronic otitis media.

ANS: D Chronic otitis media is the most common cause of hearing impairment in children. It is essential that appropriate measures be instituted to treat existing infections and prevent recurrences. Auditory nerve damage, congenital ear defects, and congenital rubella are rarer causes of hearing impairment.

An adolescent gets hit in the eye during a fight. The school nurse, using a flashlight, notes the presence of gross hyphema (hemorrhage into anterior chamber). The nurse should: a. apply a Fox shield. b. instruct the adolescent to apply ice for 24 hours. c. have adolescent rest with eye closed and ice applied. d. notify parents that adolescent needs to see an ophthalmologist.

ANS: D The parents should be notified that the adolescent needs to see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Applying a Fox shield, instructing the adolescent to apply ice for 24 hours, and having the adolescent rest with eye closed and ice applied may cause further damage. Referral to an ophthalmologist is indicated.