Deck 52: Ear and Hearing Disorders

Question 1

The 75-year-old patient has normal age-related changes in his ear that include all except:

A) Dry and wrinkled skin on the auricle
B) Otitis externa
C) Dry cerumen
D) Hair in the ear canal

Answer 1

Otitis externa

Question 2

A significant instruction to a patient being discharged after ear surgery is to:

A) Use stool softeners with caution.
B) Assume your usual activities.
C) Avoid blowing your nose.
D) Shampoo your hair with baby shampoo.

Answer 2

Avoid blowing your nose.

Question 3

When irrigating a patient's ear,the nurse will:

A) Straighten the ear canal and irrigate with a large-tipped bulb syringe.
B) Direct the solution to the middle of the canal to avoid damaging the ear.
C) Use a body temperature solution and have the patient hold a basin under the ear while directing the solution toward the top of the canal.
D) Repeat the irrigation with hotter water.

Answer 3

Use a body temperature solution and have the patient hold a basin under the ear while directing the solution toward the top of the canal.

Question 4

When the nurse reads in the patient's history that the patient has experienced otalgia,the nurse knows that the patient has:

A) Difficulty hearing
B) Buildup of cerumen
C) Ear pain
D) Ringing in ears

Question 5

The nurse assisting with a caloric test notes the specific patient response that indicates that the hearing disorder is a problem in the labyrinth,which is:

A) Blinking
B) Grimacing
C) Headache
D) Nystagmus

Question 6

When making the initial assessment on a patient with a hearing deficit,the patient reports that he often feels off balance and is dizzy when he stands up.These symptoms could be explained by:

A) Sinus infection
B) Rubella
C) Otalgia
D) Presbycusis

Question 7

Because the 85-year-old patient has had age-related changes in the cochlea,the nurse will:

A) Speak slowly.
B) Provide assistance with ambulation.
C) Speak in a lower tone.
D) Communicate with the patient in writing.

Question 8

The patient undergoing a Weber test says that the sound is louder in her left ear.This means that the patient has:

A) Normal hearing
B) Nerve damage from listening to loud music
C) Blocked ear canal in the right ear
D) Conductive hearing loss in the left ear

Question 9

When providing patient-teaching information for a patient who will be self-administering ear drops for an ear infection,the nurse would instruct the patient to:

A) Tip the affected ear up, and keep it in that position for several minutes after instilling the medication.
B) Keep the medication in the refrigerator to preserve it. Instill the medication with the affected ear tilted upward.
C) Touch the dropper to the opening of the ear canal to ensure that the drops are correctly instilled.
D) Warm the ear drops, and then tilt the head downward.

Question 10

The patient reports her hearing loss has become more severe over the last 3 months.The clinic nurse makes arrangements for an evaluation for a hearing aid by an:

A) Otologist
B) Otolaryngologist
C) Audiometrist
D) Audiologist

Question 11

When a patient has a suspected vestibular disorder,the physician orders an electronystagmography test.The nursing instruction for this test will include:

A) Use of tea or coffee on the morning of test
B) Electrodes placed on the scalp
C) Air blown into the external ear
D) Nothing to eat or drink (NPO) 3 hours before the test

Question 12

The nurse assessing the results of a Rinne test sees the notation of BC >AC.The nurse translates this to mean that the patient has:

A) Conductive hearing loss
B) Sensorineural hearing loss
C) Normal hearing
D) Cochlear defect

Question 13

In planning care for a child who has been diagnosed with a hearing impairment and considering the impact of a hearing deficit,the nursing diagnosis that would be appropriate would be:

A) Risk for injury, related to hearing impairment
B) Risk for social isolation, related to hearing impairment
C) Knowledge deficit, related to hearing impairment
D) Anxiety, related to hearing impairment

Question 14

A patient with diabetes says that he needs a hearing aid because he cannot hear well and everything sounds garbled and distant.The nurse's most informative response would be that a hearing aid may not help him because he probably has:

A) Mixed hearing loss
B) Conductive hearing loss
C) Central hearing loss
D) Sensorineural hearing loss

Question 15

The 75-year-old patient complains to the nurse that although she has cleaned her ears with cotton-tipped applicators for weeks,she still cannot hear her television unless the volume is loud and she misses a great deal of conversations.On examining her ears,the nurse anticipates:

A) Otitis externa
B) Purulent drainage
C) Dry cerumen across the canal
D) Pearly tympanic membrane

Question 16

The nursing report on a newly admitted patient who is profoundly deaf says that the patient is confused and difficult to assess because she does not appropriately respond to questions or sometimes fails to respond at all.The oncoming nurse will initially:

A) Consider asking the physician to assess the patient for dementia.
B) Assess the patient to determine whether her hearing aids are in.
C) Report to the physician that the patient is exhibiting signs of the sundown syndrome.
D) Assess the patient's medications to check for an overdose.

Question 17

When teaching the patient with Ménière disease about managing the disorder,the nurse will stress:

A) Limiting fluid intake.
B) Avoiding the use of alcohol and tobacco.
C) Using antiemetic medications sparingly.
D) Staying active during the day.

Question 18

The nursing diagnosis that would be most appropriate for a patient having ear surgery is:

A) Disturbed body image
B) Risk for injury
C) Acute confusion
D) Ineffective protection

Question 19

For the nursing care plan for a patient with Ménière disease,the nursing diagnosis that would take priority would be:

A) Social isolation, related to anxiety
B) Risk for injury, related to falls
C) Risk for deficient fluid intake, related to weakness
D) Nutrition: Less than body requirements, related to fatigue

Question 20

Because the 94-year-old patient is receiving gentamicin sulfate (Garamycin)in a continuous intravenous (IV)infusion,the nurse will add to the nursing care plan the diagnosis,"Risk for injury" and will make implementation of:

A) Pulling side rails in place.
B) Assisting with ambulation.
C) Measuring intake and output.
D) Providing for a possible seizure.

Question 21

Behaviors that would alert the nurse to a possible hearing deficit would be when the patient:

A) Watches the speaker's mouth.
B) Gives inappropriate answers to questions.
C) Pulls at the ears.
D) Fails to respond when spoken to.
E) Turns the good ear to the speaker.

Question 22

The nurse uses a diagram to show the physiologic sequence of hearing.After entering the external ear,the sound is then conducted through the: (Arrange the options in sequence.)

A) Tympanic membrane
B) Sensory receptors
C) Oval window
D) Acoustic nerve to the brain
E) Malleus, incus, and stapes

Question 23

The patient complains that his hearing aid is not working.The nurse should assess the device by:

A) Checking to see if the device is turned on.
B) Cleaning the earpiece, and removing cerumen clogged in the vent.
C) Opening the earpiece to see if the microphone wire is connected.
D) Examining the interior of the earpiece for water.
E) Validating that the battery is correctly placed.

Question 24

The young woman being admitted to the clinic service states that all the members of her family have been hard of hearing.She says her hearing loss became more pronounced when she was pregnant.You suspect that this patient has a type of hearing loss called:

A) Otosclerosis
B) Ototoxicity
C) Otalgia.
D) Otitis media

Question 25

On an intake physical examination,the patient reports that he has been taking 10 aspirin tablets a day for his arthritis.Based on this information the nurse should ask:

A) "Can you hear high pitched sounds?"
B) "Have you noticed deafness in just one ear?"
C) "Do you have ringing in your ears?"
D) "Do you experience dizziness when you stand?"

Question 26

A patient comes to the primary care clinic complaining of a head cold and ear pain with drainage.The nurse realizes that this patient may be experiencing:

A) Otitis externa
B) Hearing loss
C) Acute otitis media
D) Mastoiditis

Question 27

The nurse has noted some common characteristics in patients with conductive hearing loss,which are evident when the patient:

A) Hears adequately in noisy settings.
B) Hears sounds but has difficulty understanding speech.
C) Has improved hearing with hearing aids.
D) Has a history of diabetes mellitus.
E) Speaks in a normal volume.

Question 28

Patient teaching for a patient with Ménière disease includes:

A) "When you feel dizzy, just stay in bed and take your medications."
B) "Decrease your sodium intake, and take your diuretic medication between attacks."
C) "Vestibular rehabilitation might help, and you can still drink your morning coffee."
D) "Your vertigo will get better if you take your medications. You won't need any relaxation techniques."

Question 29

A 75-year-old patient reports having difficulty hearing in crowds but can hear just fine at home with his wife.The nurse responds that,"Your description sounds like _______________."

A) Otitis media
B) Presbycusis
C) Ototoxicity
D) Central deafness

Question 30

When planning care for a patient who cannot perceive or interpret sounds,the nurse takes into consideration that the patient may have a ____________________ hearing loss.