The nurse and a 62-year-old client are discussing the client’s sense o

The nurse and a 62-year-old client are discussing the client’s sense of hearing. Which of the fol-lowing assessment questions is most likely to launch a conversation concerning the client’s ability to hear effectively?

1. “Do you think you have a hearing problem?”
2. “Do you hear as well as you did 5 years ago?”
3. “Would you rate your hearing as excellent, good, fair, poor, or bad?”
4. “Can you tell me when you believe you started to experience a hearing loss?”

ANSWER

ANS: 3
During the history, it is useful to assess the client’s self-rating for a sensory deficit. You can simply say, “Rate your hearing as excellent, good, fair, poor, or bad.” Then, based on the client’s self-rating, explore the client’s perception of a sensory loss more fully. The remaining options are either closed-ended questions (which do not encourage communication) or an assumption of hearing loss.