Featured Nursing Articles

Understanding Nursing Procedure # 8: Eye, Ear, and Nose Care

Patients who present with eye, ear, or nose problems are probably quite annoyed by what is happening to their bodies. They are looking to you for good nursing practices that can ease their pain as soon as possible.

The Importance of Eye, Ear, and Nose Care

Your vision is obviously very important; suddenly having problems with your sight can be cause for alarm. The same goes for your ability to hear, and your ability to take a deep breath or smell food with your nose. When it comes to eye, ear, and nose care, you might often find your nursing skills put to the test by patients who are very anxious about which nursing procedures may be done.  Patients often worry whether or not you can restore them back to normal health.

Eye, Ear, and Nose Care Tips

When it comes to problems with eyes, ears, and the nose, remember how closely the three areas are connected. Pain that affects the ears might manifest itself through teary eyes, while problems with the nose may make the ears ring. If you have ever had a sinus infection, you know exactly how one problem can affect another.

These tips should help patients deal with the situation, and can help you diagnose the problem:

• When you are using an electric irrigator, run water through it before beginning the procedure. This cleans the reservoir and helps the patient adjust to the noise.
• Some ear wax buildup can be attributed to high cholesterol. Ensure the patient is following up with their general practitioner for appropriate lab work.
• When it comes to eye care, a person's diet really can make a difference. Patients should be eating foods rich in Vitamin C and E.
• A patient having eye issues should not wear contacts--they should have a backup pair of glasses to wear instead.
• Itching of the eyes or ears could indicate a problem with the nose. When examining the patient, don't make the mistake of thinking the symptoms are not connected.
• Nasal vasoconstrictor sprays are helpful, but if used for more than five days, they can lead to even more problems, such as nasal obstruction. Ask the patient about over-the-counter sprays they may have used.

A Final Word on Nursing Procedure

Whether you went through a significant amount of hands-on training or obtained an online nursing degree, you may often be faced with eye, ear, and nose problems you have never seen before. Combine the tips from seasoned pros to with what you learned in nursing school, and your patients should be much more comfortable with your expertise.

Sources:

• Teaching the Elderly About Eye Care
• Ear Care Guidance Document; ENT Nursing
• Nasal Obstruction