Final answer:
The best short-term client education goal for a client with a new hearing aid is for the client to demonstrate how to change the hearing aid batteries before leaving the clinic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The outcome that best reflects an understanding of short-term client education goals when a nurse is planning care for a client recently fitted with a hearing aid is: Client will demonstrate ability to change the batteries in his hearing aid before leaving clinic today. This outcome is achievable, measurable, and demonstrates the client's independence in managing their hearing aid, which is critical shortly after receiving it.
Cleaning the hearing aid with soap and water is not advised as electronics and moisture do not mix well. Stating the positive effects of wearing the hearing aid is more related to long-term outcomes and understanding impacts, while wearing the hearing aid to improve the ability to understand instructions is part of the ongoing usage, but not a specific educational goal. Therefore, changing the batteries requires immediate skill acquisition and is a necessary, practical, and fundamental aspect of hearing aid management.