Question

What step should the nurse undertake during the administration of eardrops in children ages 1 to 3 years?

1) Pulling the auricle down and backward
2) Placing the cotton ball in the innermost part of the canal
3) Keeping the toddler in the side-lying position for 10 to 15 minutes
4) Holding the dropper 3 cm above the child's ear canal to instill the drops

Answer 1

In children ages 1 to 3, the correct step during eardrop administration is pulling the auricle down and backward. This helps straighten the ear canal for effective delivery of medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

When administering eardrops in children ages 1 to 3 years, the nurse should undertake the following step: pulling the auricle down and backward. This is necessary to straighten the child's ear canal and allow the medication to reach the middle ear effectively. Placing a cotton ball in the outer part of the canal after administration can help keep the drops in place, but it should not be inserted into the innermost part of the ear canal. Keeping the child in a side-lying position can be helpful to prevent the drops from spilling out, but it's not necessary to maintain that position for as long as 10 to 15 minutes. Holding the dropper too high above the ear canal may cause the drops to fall with too much force, so it should be held closer than 3 cm. These measures can help alleviate issues such as acute otitis media (AOM), which is common in young children.