Author Question: The nurse is caring for a happy, playful baby who has been treated for recurrent ear infections. ... (Read 61 times)

Bernana · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse is caring for a happy, playful baby who has been treated for recurrent ear infections.

Upon assessment, the nurse finds fluid in the middle ear, but the baby has no apparent signs of local or systemic illness. The nurse suspects that the baby is experiencing mild hearing loss, because the father must speak to her a couple of times before the baby responds. The nurse should suspect
a. acute otitis media.
b. otitis media with effusion.
c. acute otitis externa.
d. otomycosis.

Question 2

A nurse is acting as a preceptor for a group of student nurses. The group is discussing common problems associated with the ear.

To evaluate the group's understanding, the nurse asks, What is the difference between otitis media with effusion (OME) and acute otitis media (AOM)? What response by a student nurse best demonstrates understanding?
a. AOM may require treatment with short-term antibacterial therapy. OME may cause mild hearing loss without pain, and antibacterial therapy is minimally effective.
b. Both AOM and OME need treatment with short-term antibacterial therapy.
c. OME can occur after AOM and lasts for a few days, whereas AOM is not as serious and can be treated at home.
d. With AOM, parents should consider having tubes inserted into ear. With OME, parents need not be too concerned.

kxciann · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterized by fluid in the middle ear but without evidence of local or systemic illness. OME may cause mild hearing loss, but it does not cause pain. The condition can persist for weeks to months after OME has resolved.
Acute otitis media is characterized by inflammation and fluid in the middle ear, pain, fever, vomiting, irritability, impaired hearing, sleeplessness, and otorrhea.
Acute otitis externa, also known as swimmer's ear, is a bacterial infection of the external auditory canal. It is marked by a rapid-onset ear pain with pruritus, impaired hearing, purulent drainage, and increased tenderness upon manipulation of the auricle.
Otomycosis, or fungal otitis externa, manifests as intense pruritus and erythema and may or may not involve pain and hearing loss.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
AOM is characterized by rapid-onset middle ear effusion and middle ear inflammation. It may be bacterial or viral in origin, or both. Treatment with antibiotic therapy is based on age and certainty of diagnosis. OME is characterized by fluid in the middle ear but without evidence of local or systemic illness, and it may cause mild hearing loss. Antibiotics have a minimal effect in OME.
Antibiotics have minimal effect in OME and should not be used.
OME can persist for weeks to months after AOM has resolved.
Tubes in the ears are indicated for recurrent otitis media, not for AOM or OME.