A 31-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed a progressive loss in his hearing. He says that it does seem to help when people speak louder or if he turns up the volume of a television or radio. The most likely cause of his hearing loss is:
a. Otosclerosis.
b. Presbycusis.
c. Trauma to the bones.
d. Frequent ear infections.
Question 2The mother of a 2-year-old is concerned because her son has had three ear infections in the past year. What would be an appropriate response by the nurse?
a. It is unusual for a small child to have frequent ear infections unless something else is wrong.
b. We need to check the immune system of your son to determine why he is having so many ear infections.
c. Ear infections are not uncommon in infants and toddlers because they tend to have more cerumen in the external ear.
d. Your son's eustachian tube is shorter and wider than yours because of his age, which allows for infections to develop more easily.
Question 3A patient in her first trimester of pregnancy is diagnosed with rubella. Which of these statements is correct regarding the significance of this in relation to the infant's hearing?
a. Rubella may affect the mother's hearing but not the infant's.
b. Rubella can damage the infant's organ of Corti, which will impair hearing.
c. Rubella is only dangerous to the infant in the second trimester of pregnancy.
d. Rubella can impair the development of CN VIII and thus affect hearing.
Question 4During an interview, the patient states he has the sensation that everything around him is spinning. The nurse recognizes that the portion of the ear responsible for this sensation is the:
a. Cochlea.
b. CN VIII.
c. Organ of Corti.
d. Labyrinth.
Question 5A patient has been shown to have a sensorineural hearing loss. During the assessment, it would be important for the nurse to:
a. Speak loudly so the patient can hear the questions.
b. Assess for middle ear infection as a possible cause.
c. Ask the patient what medications he is currently taking.
d. Look for the source of the obstruction in the external ear.
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