Quiz

Submit your answers to earn CPD credits

Australasian College of Pharmacy members and subscribers can submit answers online via the College CPD Library (formerly know as GuildEd) at www.acp.edu.au.

Note: Pharmacists will be required to join the College as a member or subscriber to be able to submit answers to these assessments.

1. Which best describes the underlying mechanism of acute otitis externa?

  1. Cerumen impaction leading to pressure injury
  2. Moisture retention and micro-trauma allowing bacterial overgrowth
  3. Fungal colonisation as the main cause in all climates
  4. Viral middle-ear infection extending outward

2. Which clinical finding most strongly supports otitis externa?

  1. Chronic pruritus over several months
  2. High fever without localised ear tenderness
  3. Pain on tragal movement and diffuse canal erythema
  4. Bulging tympanic membrane with no canal tenderness

3. Which presentation requires referral rather than pharmacist management?

  1. Complete ear-canal occlusion with intense pain
  2. First episode with mild discharge
  3. Itching only
  4. Mild pain after swimming with visible canal

4. Which therapy best reflects current best practice for uncomplicated otitis externa?

  1. Withhold analgesia to assess natural course
  2. Antifungal drops as first-line treatment in all cases
  3. Topical antibacterial ± steroid drops; avoid ototoxic agents if perforation suspected
  4. Oral antibiotics for seven days

5. Which prevention strategy should be recommended for a frequent swimmer with intact eardrums?

  1. Oral antibiotic prophylaxis
  2. Wearing earbuds while swimming
  3. Cotton-bud cleaning after each swim
  4. Acidifying/drying drops post-swim, keep ears dry, avoid trauma

6. Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding ear examination procedures?

  1. Otoscopy should begin with the more painful ear to identify the source of discomfort
  2. Pressing on the tragus without pain rules out OE
  3. A clear, pearly tympanic membrane is considered a reassuring finding
  4. The whisper test is used to assess inflammation in the ear canal

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