Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Exam

What does the whisper test assess?

1. Hearing ability

2. Vision clarity

3. Motor skills

4. Speech fluency

The correct answer is: Hearing ability

The whisper test is specifically designed to assess a person's hearing ability. In this test, the examiner stands a short distance away from the patient and whispers a series of words or numbers. The patient is instructed to repeat what they hear. This method allows clinicians to evaluate the functioning of the auditory system, particularly the ability to perceive sounds at a distance that may be relevant in everyday situations. It is not used for assessing vision clarity, which would involve tests that examine visual acuity or eye health, nor does it evaluate motor skills, which would require different methods such as coordination tests or reflex assessments. Speech fluency, on the other hand, pertains to the smoothness or rhythm of speech, often examined through conversational analysis or specific assessments targeting language production. Hence, the whisper test’s primary focus is clearly on evaluating hearing, making the correct answer the assessment of hearing ability.