HEENT ASSESSMENT EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH ALL CORRECT
ANSWERS
What are we assessing for in an ear assessment? - Answer-Size, shape, symmetry
(auricles are normally level with eachother), position, color (lesions, inflammation),
integrity (piercings), position (compare to level of lateral eye canthus; low set auricles =
chromosomal abnormalities), discharge (cerumen, drainage).
What lesions can appear on ears? - Answer-Cancerous lesions!
What is cerumen? - Answer-Earwax! Is it yellow/brown and can affect your hearing!
How do we position the ear of an adult in inspection? - Answer-Pull up, back, and out
How do we position the ear of an infant in inspection? - Answer-Pull back and down
What instrument do we use to inspect the inside of the ear? - Answer-Otoscope
How do we use the otoscope? - Answer-bring it down and around, look up at the
tympanic membrane. light shining from otoscope should be at 5 o'clock spot
What is important to remember when using an otoscope? - Answer-Make sure patient
doesn't have any immediate tympanic membrane problem, swollen eardrum.
A perforated eardrum will heal but with scarring = affects hearing! Eardrum perforation
can lead to surgery.
What are some other things we assess for in ear inspection? - Answer-Ear pain, itching,
vertigo, tinnitus, hearing acuity, ototoxicity, medication which may cause ototoxicity
What cranial nerve is responsible for hearing? - Answer-Cranial nerve VIII
What are medications that can cause ototoxicity? - Answer-Aspirin, Streptomycin,
furosemide, aminoglycosides**
What is important to remember when giving these medications? - Answer-Check
baseline hearing tests before administering these medications
What is important to remember about furosemide in particular? - Answer-Pushing it too
fast can affect the auditory nerve
, what is Weber's hearing test used for? - Answer-To find if a person has conductive or
sensorineural hearing loss
If the person can hear the sound in the bad ear they have a conductive loss, if they hear
it in the good ear it is sensorineural loss
What is Rinne's test used for? - Answer-Comparing bone and air conduction
If a person hears bone conducted sound longer or for same length there is a conductive
hearing loss
If a person hears air conducted sound slightly longer or not at all = sensorineural
hearing loss
What do we use the Romberg test for/ how do we perform it? - Answer-Balance,
vestibular function?
We do this test by having a patient stand with hands at sides and feet together, eyes
open and then CLOSE their eyes and have them stand for 20 secs with eyes closed. Do
they sway excessively, lose their balance? If the person sways before closing their eyes
do not have them do the test because they are at a risk for falling!
What are some questions to ask before performing a nose assessment? - Answer-Do
you have difficulty breathing?
Smelling? (cranial nerve I)
History of sinus infections?
What do we inspect during a nose assessment? - Answer-Shape (palpate externally for
tenderness or swelling; symmetry), Size (watch for edema), Skin (Breakdown or
excoriation), color (note discoloration), patency, mucosa, and deformity
How do we assess patency? - Answer-Ask patient to hold one nare, breath, hold other
nare and breath. Breathing equal?
What is a deviated septum? - Answer-Irregular bump in one nasal cavity, crooked, one
nare breaths better than the other
What do we assess for when looking at mucosa? - Answer-color, lesions (nasal polyps -
smooth benign growths), discharge, swelling, evidence of bleading
What do we do in a sinus assessment? - Answer-Assess for inflammation or swelling,
externally palpate the frontal and maxillary facial areas
Where? frontal-above eyebrows, and maxillary, below eyes, beneath cheekbones.
Palpate for pain, discomfort
When we are doing a mouth inspection what do we ask our patient to do in order to
evaluate cranial nerve VII? - Answer-Ask them to smile, puff out cheeks, and wiggle
eyebrows.
QUESTIONS WITH ALL CORRECT
ANSWERS
What are we assessing for in an ear assessment? - Answer-Size, shape, symmetry
(auricles are normally level with eachother), position, color (lesions, inflammation),
integrity (piercings), position (compare to level of lateral eye canthus; low set auricles =
chromosomal abnormalities), discharge (cerumen, drainage).
What lesions can appear on ears? - Answer-Cancerous lesions!
What is cerumen? - Answer-Earwax! Is it yellow/brown and can affect your hearing!
How do we position the ear of an adult in inspection? - Answer-Pull up, back, and out
How do we position the ear of an infant in inspection? - Answer-Pull back and down
What instrument do we use to inspect the inside of the ear? - Answer-Otoscope
How do we use the otoscope? - Answer-bring it down and around, look up at the
tympanic membrane. light shining from otoscope should be at 5 o'clock spot
What is important to remember when using an otoscope? - Answer-Make sure patient
doesn't have any immediate tympanic membrane problem, swollen eardrum.
A perforated eardrum will heal but with scarring = affects hearing! Eardrum perforation
can lead to surgery.
What are some other things we assess for in ear inspection? - Answer-Ear pain, itching,
vertigo, tinnitus, hearing acuity, ototoxicity, medication which may cause ototoxicity
What cranial nerve is responsible for hearing? - Answer-Cranial nerve VIII
What are medications that can cause ototoxicity? - Answer-Aspirin, Streptomycin,
furosemide, aminoglycosides**
What is important to remember when giving these medications? - Answer-Check
baseline hearing tests before administering these medications
What is important to remember about furosemide in particular? - Answer-Pushing it too
fast can affect the auditory nerve
, what is Weber's hearing test used for? - Answer-To find if a person has conductive or
sensorineural hearing loss
If the person can hear the sound in the bad ear they have a conductive loss, if they hear
it in the good ear it is sensorineural loss
What is Rinne's test used for? - Answer-Comparing bone and air conduction
If a person hears bone conducted sound longer or for same length there is a conductive
hearing loss
If a person hears air conducted sound slightly longer or not at all = sensorineural
hearing loss
What do we use the Romberg test for/ how do we perform it? - Answer-Balance,
vestibular function?
We do this test by having a patient stand with hands at sides and feet together, eyes
open and then CLOSE their eyes and have them stand for 20 secs with eyes closed. Do
they sway excessively, lose their balance? If the person sways before closing their eyes
do not have them do the test because they are at a risk for falling!
What are some questions to ask before performing a nose assessment? - Answer-Do
you have difficulty breathing?
Smelling? (cranial nerve I)
History of sinus infections?
What do we inspect during a nose assessment? - Answer-Shape (palpate externally for
tenderness or swelling; symmetry), Size (watch for edema), Skin (Breakdown or
excoriation), color (note discoloration), patency, mucosa, and deformity
How do we assess patency? - Answer-Ask patient to hold one nare, breath, hold other
nare and breath. Breathing equal?
What is a deviated septum? - Answer-Irregular bump in one nasal cavity, crooked, one
nare breaths better than the other
What do we assess for when looking at mucosa? - Answer-color, lesions (nasal polyps -
smooth benign growths), discharge, swelling, evidence of bleading
What do we do in a sinus assessment? - Answer-Assess for inflammation or swelling,
externally palpate the frontal and maxillary facial areas
Where? frontal-above eyebrows, and maxillary, below eyes, beneath cheekbones.
Palpate for pain, discomfort
When we are doing a mouth inspection what do we ask our patient to do in order to
evaluate cranial nerve VII? - Answer-Ask them to smile, puff out cheeks, and wiggle
eyebrows.
