In school-age children, how should the nurse pull the pinna during an otoscopic exam?

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Multiple Choice

In school-age children, how should the nurse pull the pinna during an otoscopic exam?

Explanation:
Pulling the pinna upward and backward straightens the ear canal in school-age children, making it easier to insert the otoscope and get a clear view of the tympanic membrane. This technique reduces the natural angle of the canal and helps you visualize the structures more directly. In younger children, the recommended maneuver is different—pulling the pinna down and back helps straighten the canal in kids under about three years old. Options that pull the pinna straight out or down and forward don’t align the canal effectively for visualization in this age group.

Pulling the pinna upward and backward straightens the ear canal in school-age children, making it easier to insert the otoscope and get a clear view of the tympanic membrane. This technique reduces the natural angle of the canal and helps you visualize the structures more directly. In younger children, the recommended maneuver is different—pulling the pinna down and back helps straighten the canal in kids under about three years old. Options that pull the pinna straight out or down and forward don’t align the canal effectively for visualization in this age group.

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