Final answer:
To administer ear drops to an adult, pull the pinna upwards to straighten the ear canal for effective delivery of medication.
Step-by-step explanation:
When installing ear drops in an adult who is lying down, the correct method is to gently pull the pinna upwards to straighten the ear canal. This maneuver helps to align the ear canal and facilitates the proper administration of the drops, allowing them to reach the middle ear effectively.
The anatomy of the ear, including the Eustachian tube, middle ear, and inner ear is essential to understanding how ear drops work. For instance, when the pinna is pulled upwards, the ear drops can travel past the Eustachian tube and reach the middle ear. It's important to know the structure of the ear, such as the cochlea, which is part of the inner ear; it's pictured as a coiled tube approximately 3 mm in diameter and stretches out to 3 cm in length if uncoiled.