The nurse suspects that a patient has bone-conductive hearing loss. Which assessment technique should the nurse use to differentiate between bone conduction loss and air conduction loss?

Question

1. Rinne test
2. Weber test
3. assessment of balance and body position
4. palpation of mastoid process

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1
A Rinne test is a hearing test that compares air conduction of sound to bone conduction. In conductive hearing loss, bone conduction is equal to or greater than air conduction. A Weber test identifies a hearing loss by lateralization (increase in sound) to the ear with a conductive hearing loss. Thus this test would be helpful to identify a difference between left and right ear changes that might be related to a conductive hearing loss. Balance and body position changes would reflect a disturbance in the inner ear and possible nerve damage. If balance and body position are affected, this information does not differentiate between conductive hearing loss, nerve loss, and a combination of both types of losses. Palpation of the mastoid process would assess for pain or swelling, which can indicate inflammation of the external auditory canal and mastoid sinuses. Mastoiditis can lead to fluid or scarring within the middle ear, which could interfere with sound conduction from the external to the inner ear. This assessment would be helpful to identify a source for conduction hearing loss.