Today is our topic of discussion is Instillation of Ear Drops .
Instillation of Ear Drops
INSTILLATION OF EAR DROPS
Instillation of ear drops into the auditory canal .
Purpose
- To clean the ear
- To remove the foreign body or wax
- To relieve inflammation, congestion and pain
- To kill an insect lodged in the ear
- To anesthetize.
General Instructions
- Explain the procedure clearly to get patients cooperation.
- The auditory canal should be cleaned before instill the ear drops.
- Drops must be warm, when they are instilled into the ear.
- Hold the pinna of the ear upward and backward in case of adults and in children put it down backward to straighten the external auditory canal.
- Plug the ear with a small cotton ball or a small gauze piece.
- Allow 3 or 4 drops trickle down on one side of the canal so that the air may escape from the auditory canal and medication may reach up on the ear drum.
- Do not ignore any complaint by the patient.
Equipment
- A small tray containing.
- Medicine with dropper.
- Applicators with cotton tips.
- Normal saline Little cotton.
- Kidney tray and paper bag.
Procedure
- Wash hands and collect the articles and take it to the bedside.
- Explain the procedure to the patient
- Place the patient in supine or sitting position with head to side and the affected ear up.
- Pull the pinna down and back in case of adult and down and back in case of infant/child.
- Rest the other hand on patients head to avoid damaging the ear with dropper if the patient moves.
- Instill the medicine drop by drop directing the flow toward the canal do not allow the dropper to touch the ear.
- Place loose cotton in the outer ear absorbs any excess medicine and keeps the patients head turned to the side for 10 to 15 minutes.
After Care
- Place the patient comfortably.
- Replace the articles.
- Hand wash.
- Record the procedure in nurse’s record sheet.
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