Question

A nurse is assisting the health care provider with performing a Weber tuning fork test on a client. The nurse understands that this test checks for:

Option 1: Conductive hearing loss
Option 2: Sensorineural hearing loss
Option 3: Otosclerosis
Option 4: Otitis media

Answer 1

The Weber tuning fork test differentiates between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss by placing a vibrating tuning fork on the skull and observing which ear hears it louder or quieter.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Weber tuning fork test is a clinical assessment used to differentiate between types of hearing loss. It specifically checks for both conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. In the test, a vibrating tuning fork is placed at the top of the skull, and the sound should be heard equally in both ears if hearing is normal. With conductive hearing loss, the sound is louder in the affected ear due to a reduction in background noise. In contrast, with sensorineural hearing loss, the sound is perceived as quieter in the affected ear because of damage to the inner ear or neural pathways.