Page | 1
NURS 220 MIDTERM 2026 LATEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS| ACE
YOUR GRADES.
A 31-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed a
progressive loss in his hearing. He says that it does seem to help
when people speak louder or if he turns up the volume. The most
likely cause of his hearing loss is:
A) otosclerosis.
B) presbycusis.
C) trauma to the bones.
D) frequent ear infections. - correct answer -A) otosclerosis.
A 70-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed that he is
having trouble hearing, especially in large groups. He says he
"can't always tell where the sound is coming from" and the words
often sound "mixed up." What might the nurse suspect as the
cause for this change?
A) Atrophy of the apocrine glands
B) Cilia becoming coarse and stiff
C) Nerve degeneration in the inner ear
D) Scarring of the tympanic membrane - correct answer -C)
Nerve degeneration in the inner ear
, Page | 2
During an assessment of a 20-year-old Asian patient, the nurse
notices that he has dry, flaky cerumen in his canal. What is the
significance of this finding?
A) This is probably the result of lesions from eczema in his ear.
B) This represents poor hygiene.
C) This is a normal finding and no further follow-up is necessary.
D) This could be indicative of change in cilia; the nurse should
assess for hearing loss. - correct answer -C) This is a normal
finding and no further follow-up is necessary.
The nurse is taking the history of a patient who may have a
perforated eardrum. What would be an important question in this
situation?
A) "Do you ever notice ringing or crackling in your ears?"
B) "When was the last time you had your hearing checked?"
C) "Have you ever been told you have any type of hearing loss?"
D) "Was there any relationship between the ear pain and the
discharge you mentioned?" - correct answer -D) "Was there any
relationship between the ear pain and the discharge you
mentioned?"
, Page | 3
A 31-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed pain in
his left ear when people speak loudly to him. The nurse knows
that this finding:
A) is normal for people of that age.
B) is a characteristic of recruitment.
C) may indicate a middle ear infection.
D) indicates that the patient has a cerumen impaction. - correct
answer -B) is a characteristic of recruitment.
While discussing the history of a 6-month-old infant, the mother
tells the nurse that she took a great deal of aspirin while she was
pregnant. What question would the nurse want to include in the
history?
A) "Does your baby seem to startle with loud noise?"
B) "Has the baby had any surgeries on the ears?"
C) "Have you noticed any drainage from her ears?"
D) "How many ear infections has your baby had since birth?" -
correct answer -A) "Does your baby seem to startle with loud
noise?"
The nurse is performing an otoscopic examination on an adult.
Which of these actions is correct?
A) Tilt the person's head forward during the exam.
B) Once the speculum is in the ear, release the traction.
, Page | 4
C) Pull the pinna up and back before inserting the speculum.
D) Use the smallest speculum to decrease the amount of
discomfort. - correct answer -C) Pull the pinna up and back
before inserting the speculum.
The nurse is assessing a 16-year-old patient who has suffered
head injuries from a recent motor vehicle accident. Which of these
statements indicates the most important reason for assessing for
any drainage from the ear canal?
A) If the drum has ruptured, then there will be purulent drainage.
B) Bloody or clear watery drainage can indicate a basal skull
fracture.
C) The auditory canal many be occluded from increased
cerumen.
D) There may be occlusion of the canal caused by foreign bodies
from the accident. - correct answer -B) Bloody or clear watery
drainage can indicate a basal skull fracture.
A colleague is assessing an 80-year-old patient who has ear pain
and asks him to hold his nose and swallow. The nurse knows that
which of the following is true concerning this technique?
A) This should not be used in an 80-year-old patient.
B) This technique is helpful in assessing for otitis media.
NURS 220 MIDTERM 2026 LATEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS| ACE
YOUR GRADES.
A 31-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed a
progressive loss in his hearing. He says that it does seem to help
when people speak louder or if he turns up the volume. The most
likely cause of his hearing loss is:
A) otosclerosis.
B) presbycusis.
C) trauma to the bones.
D) frequent ear infections. - correct answer -A) otosclerosis.
A 70-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed that he is
having trouble hearing, especially in large groups. He says he
"can't always tell where the sound is coming from" and the words
often sound "mixed up." What might the nurse suspect as the
cause for this change?
A) Atrophy of the apocrine glands
B) Cilia becoming coarse and stiff
C) Nerve degeneration in the inner ear
D) Scarring of the tympanic membrane - correct answer -C)
Nerve degeneration in the inner ear
, Page | 2
During an assessment of a 20-year-old Asian patient, the nurse
notices that he has dry, flaky cerumen in his canal. What is the
significance of this finding?
A) This is probably the result of lesions from eczema in his ear.
B) This represents poor hygiene.
C) This is a normal finding and no further follow-up is necessary.
D) This could be indicative of change in cilia; the nurse should
assess for hearing loss. - correct answer -C) This is a normal
finding and no further follow-up is necessary.
The nurse is taking the history of a patient who may have a
perforated eardrum. What would be an important question in this
situation?
A) "Do you ever notice ringing or crackling in your ears?"
B) "When was the last time you had your hearing checked?"
C) "Have you ever been told you have any type of hearing loss?"
D) "Was there any relationship between the ear pain and the
discharge you mentioned?" - correct answer -D) "Was there any
relationship between the ear pain and the discharge you
mentioned?"
, Page | 3
A 31-year-old patient tells the nurse that he has noticed pain in
his left ear when people speak loudly to him. The nurse knows
that this finding:
A) is normal for people of that age.
B) is a characteristic of recruitment.
C) may indicate a middle ear infection.
D) indicates that the patient has a cerumen impaction. - correct
answer -B) is a characteristic of recruitment.
While discussing the history of a 6-month-old infant, the mother
tells the nurse that she took a great deal of aspirin while she was
pregnant. What question would the nurse want to include in the
history?
A) "Does your baby seem to startle with loud noise?"
B) "Has the baby had any surgeries on the ears?"
C) "Have you noticed any drainage from her ears?"
D) "How many ear infections has your baby had since birth?" -
correct answer -A) "Does your baby seem to startle with loud
noise?"
The nurse is performing an otoscopic examination on an adult.
Which of these actions is correct?
A) Tilt the person's head forward during the exam.
B) Once the speculum is in the ear, release the traction.
, Page | 4
C) Pull the pinna up and back before inserting the speculum.
D) Use the smallest speculum to decrease the amount of
discomfort. - correct answer -C) Pull the pinna up and back
before inserting the speculum.
The nurse is assessing a 16-year-old patient who has suffered
head injuries from a recent motor vehicle accident. Which of these
statements indicates the most important reason for assessing for
any drainage from the ear canal?
A) If the drum has ruptured, then there will be purulent drainage.
B) Bloody or clear watery drainage can indicate a basal skull
fracture.
C) The auditory canal many be occluded from increased
cerumen.
D) There may be occlusion of the canal caused by foreign bodies
from the accident. - correct answer -B) Bloody or clear watery
drainage can indicate a basal skull fracture.
A colleague is assessing an 80-year-old patient who has ear pain
and asks him to hold his nose and swallow. The nurse knows that
which of the following is true concerning this technique?
A) This should not be used in an 80-year-old patient.
B) This technique is helpful in assessing for otitis media.
