RLE 14

• The ears are the sensory organs of hearing and balance.
• During the assessment of the ears, various signs and symptoms can signal changes in the ears.
• The nurse's role is to detect changes in the ears and work with the health care team to prevent infections, loss of hearing, or loss of balance.
• This document and the information thereon is the property of PHINMA Education (Department of Nursing).
• The rationalization activity during the face to face interaction with the students involves the instructor explaining the answers to the students and encouraging them to ask questions and discuss among their classmates.
• Labial mucosa is the answer to the question.
• If the patient has noticed a hearing change, further assessment utilizing the mnemonic "OLD CART" is helpful.
• Common or concerning symptoms of the ears include hearing loss, earache, discharge, tinnitus, and vertigo.
• To gain a complete portrait of the patient, the nurse should ask about the patient's past history, family history, lifestyle habits, and associated manifestations.
• An alternate pathway that bypasses the external and middle ear is called bone conduction.
• The structure in the inner ear that senses the position and movements of the head and helps to maintain balance is the labyrinth.
• If a patient presents at the clinic with a chief complaint of right ear pain and you note a rash in the right ear canal, you should ask if they are taking Guaifenesin, Oral contraceptives, Nicotine, Alcohol, or Guanethidine.
• During oral sex, students should use oral barriers, dental prophylactic, dental dams, oral condoms.
• Lingual mucosa lines the cheeks.
• Tonsils are T1.
• The average age of significant hearing loss detected if the infant is not assessed prior to leaving the hospital at birth is 12 months.
• Acute ossiculo-mastitis is a possible cause of right ear pain with a rash in the right ear canal.
• Congenital hearing loss, removal of cerumen, "Swimmer's ear", ear surgery, trauma or injury to the ear(s), infection, exposure to hazardous noise levels, history of syphilis, rubella, meningitis, allergies, smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke, and exposure to loud noise can be associated with changes in the ears.
• The nurse should design questions to assess proper the concern below: Earache.
• For discharge, tinnitus, and vertigo, the nurse should refer to pages 282 to 283 for a complete history taking.
• The nurse should gain the following to get the complete portrait of the patient: past history, family history, lifestyle habits, and associated manifestations.
• Palpate for sinus tenderness.
• Inspect the inside of the nose with nasal speculum or with an otoscope.
• Observe the nasal mucosa, the nasal septum and any abnormalities.
• Compares air and bone conduction.
• Inspection of the nasal cavity.
• The sound is normally heard in the centre of the head or equally in both ears.
• The range of human speech is 150 Hz to 1500 Hz.
• Inspect the soft palate, anterior and posterior pillars, uvula, tonsils, and pharynx.
• Inspect the oral mucosa for colour, ulcers, white patches, and nodules.
• Inspect the anterior and inferior surfaces of the nose.
• Quickly hold the vibrating end of the tuning fork near the opening of the ear canal and ask if the patient can hear it.
• When assessing a patient you note that the tonsils are touching the uvula, document the tonsils as T3.
• The instructor will prepare 10-15 questions that can enhance critical thinking skills.
• Inspect the roof of the mouth for colour and architecture and continuity of the hard palate.
• Observe the colour and moisture of the lips, inspect for lumps, ulcers, cracking, or scaliness.
• Test for nasal obstruction.
• Inspect the dorsum of the tongue for symmetry, colour and texture.
• Place a vibrating tuning fork on the mastoid process behind the ear and have the patient tell you when the vibration stops.
• Normally, sound should be heard after vibration can no longer be felt, that is, air conduction (AC), is better than bone conduction (BC).