Administering Ear Medications

Purpose:
To relieve pain
To treat infection
To better visualize during examination

Equipment
- Disposable tissues
- Medication
- Cotton ball
- Gloves

Procedure/Steps
1. Check the medication order against the original physician’s order.
2. Wash hands carefully.
3. Prepare the medication following the “five rights.”
4. Proceed to the client’s bed side and identify the client.
5. Put on gloves
6. Ask the client to lie on the side of unaffected ear.
7. Remove excess drainage with a dry wipe.
8. Expose the external ear canal by properly adjusting the client’s ear lobe. For adults, pull the lobe up, back, and outward. For children, pull the lobe down and back.
9. (a) Hold the dropper or the tip of the squeeze bottle above the opening of the external auditory canal. Allow the prescribed number of drops to fall on the side of the canal.
(b) Do not touch any part of the ear with the dropper or squeeze bottle during administration.
10. Instruct the client to remain the side-lying position for 5-10 minutes with the affect ear upward.
11. If the procedure is ordered for both ears, allow 5-10 minutes between instillation. Report the above steps for the other ear.
12. Dispose of gloves and wash hands.
13. Document the procedure.