130 - Foundations of Ear Cerumen Management

This education will provide nurses with information to build knowledge, skills and confidence in performing ear irrigation and guide them in determining if ear irrigation is within their scope of practice. It will assist nurses to develop and implement effective policies and procedures individualised to their own workplace, ensuring safe and effective delivery of ear irrigation services. Anatomy, physiology, function of the ear and how to undertake an aural health assessment underpins the nurse’s understanding and ability to assess a patients’ appropriateness for ear irrigation and guides their practice to perform this safely.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this activity you should be able to:

• Determine if ear irrigation is within your scope of practice, and if not, how this may be achieved
• Identify and discuss basic anatomy, physiology and function of the ear
• Competently undertake an aural health assessment and correctly identify which patients are suitable for ear irrigation
• Discern the correct procedure used in ear irrigation, and
• Develop and implement ear irrigation policies and procedures within your own workplace.

Estimated Duration

3 hours

Target Audience

Suitable for all nurses working in primary health care including general practice.