Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Practice Exam

During which assessment is a tuning fork placed on the mastoid bone and in front of the ear canal?

1. Weber test

2. Rinne test

3. Audiogram

4. Otoscopy

The correct answer is: Rinne test

The Rinne test is specifically designed to assess hearing by comparing air conduction and bone conduction. In this test, a tuning fork is first struck and placed on the mastoid bone behind the ear to evaluate bone conduction, which is the sound transmitted through the skull to the inner ear. Once the patient can no longer hear the sound, the tuning fork is then moved in front of the ear canal to evaluate air conduction. This comparison helps determine if there is conductive or sensorineural hearing loss, as normal hearing will typically show that air conduction is better than bone conduction. In contrast, the other options serve different purposes: the Weber test primarily assesses lateralization of sound, and an audiogram evaluates a range of hearing frequencies using specific tones. Otoscopy involves examining the ear canal and tympanic membrane with an otoscope. Each of these assessments has distinct methodologies and objectives, highlighting the unique role of the Rinne test in auditory evaluation.