The nurse should conduct effective reliable screening methods that are rapid and very useful to older adults.
1.The effective reliable tools such as the (HHIE-S)Hearing Handicap Inventory for the elders, 2. Find out Patient history and
Pure -tone screening. The nurse should take note of their findings. Some of these testing can be difficult for the elderly but must be initiated by the nurses by asking questions such as:
1.Do you have pain in your ears?.
1b.In the last three months have you had any type of pain in your inner or middle ears?.
2. Have you had any discharges from your ears in the last three months.
3.Have you had any surgery in your 👂ears?.
4.Have you observe any dizziness in the last three months not related to position changes?.
5.Have you noticed any rapid or sudden changes in your hearings in the last three months?.
If seniors have hearing impairment or you are in doubt, you might want to send them to see ( making referrals) otolaryngologist to analyze and identify medical conditions and to audiologist for an audiologic evaluation.
Moreover nurses will discover that the best person(s) to complain about hearing impairment will be from their patient or patients themselves. There are high levels of accurate self reporting among elderly woman.
At the same time it is important to note that older adults might not be aware of mild to moderate hearing Impairment because the process is usually very gradual in development.
HHIE- Screening or PURE TONE SCREENING can be use to test impaired hearing.
Most elderly people don’t want to wear hearing aids because they are been stigmatized. So unless the hearing is really bad they will refuse to comply.Some elders cannot afford earing aids.They can be directed to the right place to obtain required resources.
Some elderly ears are impaired due to Cerumen.
Removal of Cerumen impaction can help to correct some hearing Impairments.
Removal of the Cerumen is important before audiometry can be achieve.
Cerumen having been there for a long time can be hard,brown and dry and difficult to remove. Some elders will use stick, toothpick ,or cotton ball to remove the ear wax.
If you are having problem with your hearing talk to your health care providers to see if you have large amount of tragi (that is ear canal hair),or benign growth or Cerumen impaction.
Education:
Teach your patients not to perforate their inner ear.
Let you doctor know about your hearing Impairment.
Follow the doctor orders.
Nurses You Move Me 