A nurse is assessing a patient's hearing. Which of the following items does the nurse gather before conducting the assessment? (Select all that apply.)

Question

a. Tuning fork
b. Ophthalmoscope
c. Cotton-tipped applicator
d. Current list of medications
e. Snellen chart

Answer 1

ANS: A, D
The nurse uses a tuning fork when conducting the Weber test to assess lateralization of sound and the Rinne test to assess air and bone conduction—two tests used to assess hearing. A current list of patient medications is needed to determine whether the patient is taking any medications, such as antibiotics, that could possibly cause ototoxicity. Cotton-tipped applicators are not used during an ear examination; instead they are sometimes used to assess the patient's ability to distinguish sharp from dull sensations. Ophthalmoscopes and Snellen charts are used during a visual examination.