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A nurse is planning preoperative teaching for a patient with hearing loss due to otosclerosis. The patient is scheduled for a stapedectomy with insertion of a prosthesis. What information is most crucial to include in the patients preoperative teaching?
- A. The procedure is an effective, time-tested treatment for sensory hearing loss.
- B. The patient is likely to experience resolution of conductive hearing loss after the procedure.
- C. Several months of post-procedure rehabilitation will be needed to maximize benefits.
- D. The procedure is experimental, but early indications suggest great therapeutic benefits.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Stapedectomy corrects conductive hearing loss caused by otosclerosis by replacing the fixed stapes with a prosthesis, restoring sound conduction. It is not for sensory hearing loss, not experimental, and does not require lengthy rehabilitation.
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The nurse is caring for a patient who has undergone a mastoidectomy. In an effort to prevent postoperative infection, what intervention should the nurse implement?
- A. Teach the patient about the risks of ototoxic medications.
- B. Instruct the patient to protect the ear from water for several weeks.
- C. Teach the patient to remove cerumen safely at least once per week.
- D. Instruct the patient to protect the ear from temperature extremes until healing is complete.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Keeping the ear dry for 6 weeks post-mastoidectomy prevents infection by avoiding water entry into the surgical site. Ototoxic drugs, cerumen removal, or temperature extremes are not infection-related risks.
A patient is postoperative day 6 following tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy. The patient has phoned the surgical unit and states that she is experiencing occasional sharp, shooting pains in her affected ear. How should the nurse best interpret this patients complaint?
- A. These pains are an expected finding during the first few weeks of recovery.
- B. The patients complaints are suggestive of a postoperative infection.
- C. The patient may have experienced a spontaneous rupture of the tympanic membrane.
- D. The patients surgery may have been unsuccessful.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sharp, shooting pains are normal post-tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy as the eustachian tube adjusts, typically resolving in 2-3 weeks. Infection would involve constant pain and fever, and there's no evidence of rupture or surgical failure.
The nurse is discharging a patient home after mastoid surgery. What should the nurse include in discharge teaching?
- A. Try to induce a sneeze every 4 hours to equalize pressure.
- B. Be sure to exercise to reduce fatigue.
- C. Avoid sleeping in a side-lying position.
- D. Dont blow your nose for 2 to 3 weeks.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Avoiding nose blowing for 2-3 weeks prevents pressure changes that could dislodge grafts or prostheses. Sneezing, exercise, or side-lying are not contraindicated.
The nurse and a colleague are performing the Epley maneuver with a patient who has a diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The nurses should begin this maneuver by performing what action?
- A. Placing the patient in a prone position
- B. Assisting the patient into a sitting position
- C. Instilling 15 mL of warm normal saline into one of the patients ears
- D. Assessing the patients baseline hearing by performing the whisper test
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Epley maneuver starts with the patient sitting, followed by specific head positioning to reposition canaliths. Prone positioning, saline instillation, or hearing tests are not part of the procedure.
The nurse is planning the care of a patient who is adapting to the use of a hearing aid for the first time. What is the most significant challenge experienced by a patient with hearing loss who is adapting to using a hearing aid for the first time?
- A. Regulating the tone and volume
- B. Learning to cope with amplification of background noise
- C. Constant irritation of the external auditory canal
- D. Challenges in keeping the hearing aid clean while minimizing exposure to moisture
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Amplification of background noise is the primary challenge for new hearing aid users, often leading to discontinuation. Tone/volume adjustment, canal irritation, and cleaning are secondary concerns.