The nurse is assessing a patient who came in for a hearing examination. Which of the following tests or tools may the nurse use to assess CN VIII, the acoustic nerve?

Explanation

• The Weber test is used to assess for conductive hearing loss. The Weber test is performed by striking a tuning fork and placing midline on the patient's head. Normal test results are the patient hearing the tuning fork equally in both ears. If it is heard louder in one ear that indicates that ear has conductive hearing loss

• The Romberg test is done to check for the cerebellar and vestibular function 

• The Rosenbaum chart is used to examine visual acuity 

• Tonometry measures intraocular pressure

• The Rinne test is conducted to evaluate the patient for conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. A tuning fork is struck and placed near the mastoid bone. The patient is asked to report when he no longer hears the tuning fork. Then the tuning fork is placed next to the ear canal and the patient again reports when they no longer hear it. A normal test is indicated when the patient can hear the tuning fork twice as long near their ear canal than they hear it next to the mastoid bone. Conductive hearing loss is indicated if the patient hears the tuning fork near their mastoid bone longer than or equal to the amount of time they heard it next to their ear canal. Sensorineural hearing loss is indicated if the patient hears the tuning fork longer next to their ear canal, but it is not twice as long as the amount of time they heard it next to their mastoid

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