Initial Evaluation of the Patient with Otologic Problems

I n industry the nurse is usually the initial medical contact of the patient with otologic problems. Frequently, the nurse must initiate investigation or treatment without the immediate availability of a physician for guidance. This places an unusually heavy responsibility upon the nurse, and only with exceptionally broad knowledge of the field of otology can she properly discharge this responsibility. The diagnosis of otologic conditions may be simple and straightforward or may be obscure and require sophisticated diagnostic techniques. Even in difficult cases, where the diagnosis is not immediately arrived at, the nurse must be able to determine the urgency of the problem. In this communication we shall endeavor to provide some practical aspects of otologic conditions which we feel would be useful for the nurse in such a situation. We will do this by discussing the important characteristics of the various otologic conditions which are likely to be encountered in industry. By no means are we attempting to provide a complete review of the field of otology as this guide is only intended for the nurse who already possesses a good background of knowledge in this field.