Exam 16: Ears

During an examination, the patient states he is hearing a buzzing sound and says that it is "driving me crazy!" What does this indicate?

The nurse is testing the hearing of a 78-year-old man and is reminded of the changes in hearing that occur with aging that include which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

The nurse is taking the history of a patient who may have a perforated eardrum. What would be an important question in this situation?

The nurse is examining a patient's ears and notices cerumen in the external canal. Which of these statements about cerumen is correct?

In an individual with otitis externa, which of these signs would the nurse expect to find on assessment?

A 70-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed that he is having trouble hearing, especially in large groups. He says "I can't always tell where the sound is coming from" and that the words often sound "mixed up." What might the nurse suspect as the cause for this change?

During an assessment of a 20-year-old Asian patient, the nurse notices that he has dry, flaky, white cerumen in his canal. What is the significance of this finding?

While discussing the history of a 6-month-old infant, the mother tells the nurse that she took a significant amount of aspirin while she was pregnant. What question would the nurse want to include in the history?

The nurse is performing a middle ear assessment on a 15-year-old patient who has had a history of chronic ear infections. When examining the right tympanic membrane, the nurse sees the presence of dense white patches. The tympanic membrane is otherwise unremarkable. It is pearly, with the light reflex at 5 o'clock and landmarks visible. What should the nurse do?

During an examination, the nurse notices that the patient stumbles a little while walking, and, when she sits down, she holds on to the sides of the chair. The patient states, "It feels like the room is spinning!" What do this signs and symptoms indicate?

The nurse is assessing a patient who may have hearing loss. Which of these statements is true concerning air conduction?

A patient with a middle ear infection asks the nurse, "What does the middle ear do?" Which is the best response by the nurse?

The nurse is preparing to do an otoscopic examination on a 2-year-old child. Which one of these reflects the correct procedure?

A patient has been admitted after an accident at work. During the assessment, the patient is having trouble hearing and states, "I don't know what is the matter. All of a sudden I can't hear you out of my left ear!" What should the nurse do next?

In performing a voice test to assess hearing, which of these actions would the nurse perform?

The nurse is performing an assessment on a 65-year-old man. He reports a crusty nodule behind the pinna. It intermittently bleeds and has not healed over the past 6 months. On physical assessment, the nurse finds an ulcerated crusted nodule with an indurated base. Based on these findings, what does the nurse suspect?

During an otoscopic examination, the nurse notices an area of black and white dots on the tympanic membrane and the ear canal wall. What does this finding suggest?

The nurse is performing an ear examination of an 80-year-old patient. Which of these findings would be considered normal?