Agreement on the use of sensory screening techniques by nurses for older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care: a mixed-methods consensus approach.

OBJECTIVE: Based on two scoping reviews and two environmental scans, this study aimed at reaching consensus on the most suitable sensory screening tools for use by nurses working in long-term care homes, for the purpose of developing and validating a toolkit. SETTING: A mixed-methods consensus study was conducted through two rounds of virtual electronic suitability rankings, followed by one online discussion group to resolve remaining disagreements. PARTICIPANTS: A 12-member convenience panel of specialists from three countries with expertise in sensory and cognitive ageing provided the ranking data, of whom four participated in the online discussion. OUTCOME MEASURES: As part of a larger mixed-methods project, the consensus was used to rank 22 vision and 20 hearing screening tests for suitability, based on 10 categories from the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology questionnaire. Panellists were asked to score each test by category, and their responses were converted to z-scores, pooled and ranked. Outliers in assessment distribution were then returned to the individual team members to adjust scoring towards consensus. RESULTS: In order of ranking, the top 4 vision screening tests were hand motion, counting fingers, confrontation visual fields and the HOT-V chart, whereas the top 4 hearing screening tests were the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, the Whisper Test, the Measure of Severity of Hearing Loss and the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The final selection of vision screening tests relied on observable visual behaviours, such as visibility of tasks within the central or peripheral visual field, whereas three of the four hearing tests relied on subjective report. Next, feasibility will be tested by nurses using these tools in a long-term care setting with persons with various levels of cognitive impairment.

Improving Follow-Up for Failed Newborn Hearing Screening in Emirati Infants.

This column shares the best evidence-based strategies and innovative ideas on how to facilitate the learning and implementation of EBP principles and processes by clinicians as well as nursing and interprofessional students. Guidelines for submission are available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1741-6787.

[The role of the nurse in audiology departments]. / L'infirmière en service technique d'audiologie.

Auditory pathologies affect the ENT sphere and require specific patient care. The nurse plays an essential role. At Pellegrin university hospital in Bordeaux, the nurses in the hearing function test centre, in addition to their nursing skills, have also developed expertise in audiology and are involved in training and research.

Presbycusis and its management.

Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is becoming a public health issue. With the large number of ageing baby boomers, primary care providers can expect to see an increase in older adults suffering from chronic health problems such as presbycusis. It is the primary care provider's responsibility to perform prompt auditory screenings and to recognize the early clinical signs and symptoms of hearing loss. Early interventions, such as hearing aids or surgery, could help to improve the client's quality of life. Primary care providers should also teach older adults proper auditory hygiene, and provide information regarding support groups to the family and the caregiver as needed.

A nurse-managed universal newborn hearing screen program.

Hearing loss is one of the most common major birth defects, yet the average age for identifying significant hearing loss in children in the United States is 30 months. Hearing loss directly affects a child's ability to develop normal language skills, impairs his or her ability to communicate with others in the environment, and has been shown to correlate with poor academic performance. However, if hearing loss is detected early and interventions are begun before 6 months of age, children with hearing loss develop language, cognitive, and speech skills comparable to their non-hearing-impaired peers. Only 38 states mandate universal newborn hearing screening before discharge from the hospital. This article describes an institutional universal hearing screening program developed by nursing, which collaborated with physicians, audiologists, and otolaryngologists. Careful planning, including a thorough literature review, networking with area hospitals, and dialoging with experts in the field led to a successful program.The outcomes from this program compare favorably to nationally published data.

Universal newborn hearing screening coming soon: "hear's" why.

Screening the hearing of all newborns, both NICU and well nursery, is rapidly becoming the standard of care. The impetus for universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has come from outside the domain of nursing and the newborn nursery. Because nursing will be involved in nearly all aspects of UNHS, nurses need a thorough knowledge base about permanent childhood hearing loss (PCHL) and UNHS. Technology exisits today that can objectively and physiologically screen for this condition at a cost comparable to metabolic screening. PCHL occurs more than twice as often as all the hemoglobinopathies and inborn errors of metabolism combined. Undiagnosed hearing loss often leads to permanent developmental delays. The ultimate goal of early diagnosis and intervention for a congenital hearing loss is to enable the child to develop language and communication skills that correspond to his chronological age and innate cognitive abilities.

Hearing loss related to ototoxicity in children with cancer.

Children undergoing treatment for cancer often receive agents that put them at risk for ototoxicity. Platinum-based chemotherapy, aminoglycoside antibiotics, loop diuretics, and radiotherapy are all capable of inducing inner ear damage, which may result in significant sensorineural hearing loss. Frequent audiological monitoring is necessary for the early detection of changes in hearing thresholds. Age-appropriate modification of audiological testing is essential to obtain accurate results and provide maximum comfort for pediatric patients. When hearing loss is identified promptly, consideration may be given to treatment modification and/or early intervention with hearing aids and other assistive devices. The consequences of hearing loss differ depending on the developmental stage of the child at the time that hearing loss occurs. Language acquisition may be affected in very young children, whereas educational and psychosocial concerns are paramount for the older child. The pediatric oncology nurse is instrumental in assisting the child and family who are coping with hearing loss related to cancer treatment.