A client has recently experienced difficulty hearing out of both ears.

A client has recently experienced difficulty hearing out of both ears. Which of the following is the best nursing response to the client?

1. “Let’s irrigate your ears with cool water.”
2. “Can you turn your head toward me when I am talking to you?”
3. “Your hearing aid should not need a new battery for at least 3 months.”
4. “Try to avoid putting a Q-Tip (cotton-tipped applicator) into your ears.”

ANSWER

ANS: 4
Use of cotton-tipped applicators should be avoided because they can cause ear wax to become impacted within the canal. Warm water should be used to irrigate ears, not cool. Asking the client to turn his or head toward the nurse is not the best response. Batteries last 1 week with daily wearing of 10 to 12 hours.