Final answer:
In the Rinne test, the nurse places the activated tuning fork at the mastoid process to test for hearing. The correct answer is option B.
Step-by-step explanation:
To assess an adult client's hearing, the nurse performs the Rinne test by activating the tuning fork and placing it first at the mastoid process. Conductive hearing involves the conduction of sound vibrations through the middle ear ossicles, while sensorineural hearing involves the transmission of sound via the inner ear's neural components.
The test begins at the mastoid bone, allowing the patient to indicate when they no longer perceive the sound. The tuning fork is then moved next to the ear canal, and if air conduction is not heard, it suggests a conductive hearing deficit.
Another hearing assessment is the Weber test, which differentiates between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss by placing the tuning fork on the top of the head or skull. This test helps determine if the hearing loss is unilateral and identifies which type of hearing loss the patient is experiencing.