How to give ear drops
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Ear drops only work if they reach the canal and stay there. Cold drops or the wrong ear pull can cause dizziness and waste the dose.
What you need
- Ear drops
- Gloves
- Cotton ball if ordered
Step by step
Identify and check
Use two identifiers and confirm the drug and which ear. Ask about ear pain, discharge or a known hole in the eardrum before giving drops. [1]
Warm the drops
Hold the bottle in your hands for a few minutes. Cold drops can cause dizziness and nausea. [2]
Position the patient
Have the patient lie on the side or tilt the head with the affected ear up. Clean your hands and put on gloves. [3]
Straighten the canal
For adults and older children, pull the outer ear up and back. For children under about 3 years, pull it down and back. [3]
Place the drops
Let the drops run down the side of the canal without touching the ear with the tip. Gently press the small flap in front of the ear to help them move in. [2]
Keep the position
Ask the patient to stay on the side for about 5 minutes. Place a loose cotton ball only if ordered. [2]
Document
Record the drug, ear, number of drops, time and any dizziness or pain. [3]
Common errors
- Using cold drops straight from the fridge.
- Pulling the ear the wrong way for the patient's age.
- Letting the patient sit up right after the drops.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- The Joint Commission, National Patient Safety Goals
- Open RN, Nursing Pharmacology 2e (CC BY 4.0)
- Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Pharmacology 2e and Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.