A 70-year-old male complains of shortness of breath and has bilateral hearing aids. He does not respond to questions, and you hear a whistling sound. You should:

The correct approach in this situation is to try repositioning the hearing aid or remove it and turn down the volume. This is important because the whistling sound indicates that there may be feedback occurring within the hearing aids, which can happen if they are not fitted properly, if there is earwax blocking the sound, or if they are turned up too high. Addressing the feedback by either repositioning or adjusting the volume can help the patient hear you better, facilitating communication during your assessment.

Being able to communicate effectively with the patient is crucial, especially in an emergency setting where their current health condition is a concern. By attempting to modify the hearing aids, you are taking steps to ensure that you can gather important information from the patient about their symptoms and medical history.