Eyes, Ears, Nose

what supplies and PPE do you use for eye drops?

gloves and tissues for comfort and cleanliness

how should the patient position their head for eye drops?

tilt the head back, unless contraindicated, slightly toward the affected side

where are eyedrops directly placed?

into the lower conjunctival sac (lower eye lid)

— not on the cornea

how do you expose the lower conjunctival sac (lower eye lid) safely?

press down on the lower lash line to create a pocket without touching the eye

what must you avoid with the eye dropper tip?

do not touch the tip to the eye or lashes, to maintain sterility

what technique helps limit systemic absorption during eye drops?

apply gentle pressure to the inner canthus (tear duct) after instillation

uses of eye irrigation

to flush mucous membranes to remove secretions, foreign bodies, or chemicals from the eye

what hand positioning helps steady the eye dropper?

• rest the dominant (L) hand on the patient’s forehead

• nondominant (R) hand pulls the lower lid down

what PPE do you use for ear drops?

wear gloves

how should the patient lie for ear drops?

on the unaffected side, in a lateral position

how do you straighten the ear canal for age 3 and older?

pull the pinna up and back

how do you straighten the ear canal for under age 3?

pull the pinna down and back

what must you avoid with the ear dropper tip?

do not touch the dropper to the ear, to keep it sterile

where should the ear drops land in the canal?

along the side of the canal, not directly on the tympanic membrane

where should drops NOT touch in the ear canal?

directly on the tympanic membrane

what maneuver helps push drops into the ear canal?

press on the tragus after instillation

how long should the patient remain lateral after ear drops?

about 5 minutes, to allow absorption

why are look-alike dropper bottles risky?

because eye and ear bottles can look similar, increasing error risk; follow 3 checks and the rights

what PPE do you use for nasal spray?

wear gloves

what should the patient do before nasal medication, if appropriate?

blow the nose to clear mucus, unless contraindicated

how should head position be chosen for nasal meds?

tilt the head as directed by the specific medication and manufacturer’s instructions (sprays vs drops differ)

head position for nasal sprays/mist

head straight with mist generally chin-level

head position for nasal drops

a head tilt back

what is the correct compress and inhale sequence for nasal sprays?

1. insert the tip

2. compress per instructions

3. inhale (or not per manufacturer guidance)

when do you let the nasal spray bottle re-expand?

remove the device from the nostril first, then allow it to decompress

• to avoid suctioning mucus back in

why do we remove the nasal spray bottle from the nose before letting it re-expand?

to avoid suctioning mucus back in

how long should the patient avoid blowing their nose after a nasal med?

at least 5 minutes, to keep the med in place