The Actual Situation of Hearing Loss Care For Older Adults by Visiting Nurses

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to clarify the actual situation of hearing loss care for older adults by visiting nurses.

Method: We conducted an online survey of knowledge, assessment, care, multidisciplinary collaboration, difficulties, and learning needs with 1,361 visiting nurses to understand hearing loss care’s actual situation.

Results: On knowledge of hearing loss care, the percentage of visiting nurses who were uninformed ranged from 60 to 90% across all items. Furthermore, results for assessment and care were low overall. The percentage of visiting nurses who did not perform assessment and care ranged from 50 to 100% and 40 to 100% across all assessment items and all but one care item, respectively. Additionally, the percentage of visiting nurses who did not practice multidisciplinary collaboration ranged from 60 to 90% across all items. Finally, many visiting nurses experienced difficulties when conducting assessments of hearing loss severity (approximately 80%) and earwax removal (approximately 70%). More than 90% of visiting nurses felt that “learning needs” related to hearing loss care were necessary.

Conclusion: While the knowledge and implementation rate of visiting nurses required for hearing loss care were low, learning needs for hearing-impaired care were high. These results suggest the need for hearing loss care education for visiting nurses in the future.