Skill 21

Ear Drop Administration

When administering ear medications, be aware of certain safety precautions. Internal ear structures are very sensitive to temperature extremes; administer ear drops at room temperature. Instilling cold drops can cause vertigo (severe dizziness) or nausea and debilitate a patient for several minutes. Although structures of the outer ear are not sterile, use sterile drops and solutions in case the eardrum is ruptured. A final safety precaution is to avoid forcing any solution into the ear. Do not occlude the ear canal with a medicine dropper because this can cause pressure within the canal during instillation and subsequent injury to the eardrum. If you follow these precautions, instillation of ear drops is a safe and effective therapy.