Nokea
A patient has been diagnosed with serous otitis media for the third time in the past year. How should the nurse best interpret this patients health status?
- A. For some patients, these recurrent infections constitute an age-related physiologic change.
- B. The patient would benefit from a temporary mobility restriction to facilitate healing.
- C. The patient needs to be assessed for nasopharyngeal cancer.
- D. Blood cultures should be drawn to rule out a systemic infection.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Recurrent unilateral serous otitis media in adults may indicate nasopharyngeal cancer obstructing the eustachian tube, requiring evaluation. It is not age-related, does not require mobility restriction, and is not systemic.
You may also like to solve these questions
The clinic nurse is assessing a child who has been brought to the clinic with signs and symptoms that are suggestive of otitis externa. What assessment finding is characteristic of otitis externa?
- A. Tophi on the pinna and ear lobe
- B. Dark yellow cerumen in the external auditory canal
- C. Pain on manipulation of the auricle
- D. Air bubbles visible in the middle ear
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pain when manipulating the auricle is a hallmark of otitis externa due to inflammation of the external ear canal. Tophi are related to gout, cerumen is a normal finding, and air bubbles suggest middle ear issues, not otitis externa.
A patient presents to the ED complaining of a sudden onset of incapacitating vertigo, with nausea and vomiting and tinnitus. The patient mentions to the nurse that she suddenly cannot hear very well. What would the nurse suspect the patients diagnosis will be?
- A. Ossiculitis
- B. Mnires disease
- C. Ototoxicity
- D. Labyrinthitis
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Labyrinthitis causes sudden vertigo, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, and hearing loss due to inner ear inflammation. Mnires disease has similar symptoms but is chronic, not sudden. Ossiculitis and ototoxicity do not match this presentation.
A child goes to the school nurse and complains of not being able to hear the teacher. What test could the school nurse perform that would preliminarily indicate hearing loss?
- A. Audiometry
- B. Rinne test
- C. Whisper test
- D. Weber test
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The whisper test, assessing the ability to hear a whispered phrase, is a simple screening tool for hearing loss that a nurse can perform. Audiometry, Rinne, and Weber tests require specialized training or equipment.
On otoscopy, a red blemish behind the tympanic membrane is suggestive of what diagnosis?
- A. Acoustic tumor
- B. Cholesteatoma
- C. Facial nerve neuroma
- D. Glomus tympanicum
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A red blemish behind the tympanic membrane is characteristic of glomus tympanicum, a vascular tumor. Acoustic tumors, cholesteatomas, and neuromas do not typically present this way.
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.