Acoustic differences in tinnitus between noise-induced and non-noise-induced hearing loss.

BACKGROUND: Tinnitus, the perception of sound without external stimuli, varies across hearing loss types. The present study compared the acoustic characteristics of tinnitus in patients with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and in those with hearing loss unrelated to noise exposure. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the acoustic characteristics of tinnitus in patients with noise-induced and non-noise-induced hearing loss. METHODS: A total of 403 patients with tinnitus were divided into those with noise-induced and non-noise-induced hearing loss. Patients were evaluated by pure tone audiometry (PTA), tinnitogram, transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) tests. RESULTS: Patients with NIHL exhibited significantly higher hearing thresholds across all frequencies (125-8000 Hz) (p < .05) and reported significantly higher tinnitus intensity (p < .05). Otoacoustic emission tests showed that response rates were significantly lower (p < .05), and ABR tests found that latency periods were significantly more prolonged (p < .05), in patients with NIHL. CONCLUSIONS: Tinnitus differs acoustically between patients with NIHL and those with non-noise-induced hearing loss, with specific patterns of intensity and auditory responses. These findings emphasize the need for tailoring the management of tinnitus according to the underlying type of hearing loss.

Three-dimensional needs of standardized patients in nursing simulations and collaboration strategies: A qualitative analysis.

Simulation-based education using standardized patients is recognized as an effective education method from which students can learn in a safe and controlled environment, and instructors can provide consistent education. It has been reported that the level of standardized patients' satisfaction in the simulation experience positively affects to their case mastery and providing feedback to learners. This study aimed to explore standardized patients' lived experiences on nursing simulation using qualitative research to provide empirical resources to facilitate collaboration with standardized patients for efficacious nursing simulation. Study participants were recruited from simulation centers and had experience with nursing simulation education as standardized patients within the last 3 years. Focus group interviews were conducted to explore experiences of the 12 standardized patients in nursing simulations. The focus group interviews were conducted with structured four steps of opening, transition, key, and ending questions, from which additional questions and discussions followed. They were recorded electronically and transcribed for analysis. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. Two researchers read the interview transcripts several times to become familiar with the content, and then interpreted them systematically. From the qualitative analysis of standardized patients' experiences on nursing simulation, 23 codes, 10 sub-categories, 4 categories, and a theme were derived. It would be concluded that standardized patients have serving, learning, and interpersonal needs on their simulation, which may be related to their experiences in the simulation that affects learning outcomes of the students' as well. By facilitating positive experiences of standardized patients, quality of nursing simulation could be increased to provide more active and effective learning opportunities for students.