Ear Foreign Body

Clinical Pathways promote evidence-based, safe, and high-value patient care by providing clinical recommendations and standard processes. They are developed by multidisciplinary committees of subject matter experts, informed by a methodical review of available evidence and consensus among committee members. 

Clinical Pathway: 

• Ear Foreign Body Algorithm 
• Ear Foreign Body Clinical Pathway Synopsis – provides care standards employed for this clinical pathway 

Additional tools associated with this Clinical Pathway: 

• Sedation Team NPO Guidelines (available to Children’s Mercy providers) 

 Exclusion criteria: 

• Cerumen impaction confirmed by otoscopic evaluation, refer to Cerumen Impaction Clinical Pathway 

Committee members involved in the development: 

• Amanda Nedved, MD | Urgent Care | Committee Co-Chair 
• Sheri Pratt, BSN, RN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Co-Chair 
• Gretchen Range, RN, BSN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Co-Chair 
• Laura Neff, MD, MPH | Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat) | Committee Member 
• Sonali Ramesh, MD | Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow | Committee Member 
• Vivek Dubey, MD | Emergency Medicine | Committee Member 
• Jennifer Bitner, APRN, FNP-C | Emergency Department | Committee Member
•  Holly Reid, BSN, RN | Emergency Department | Committee Member 
• Cameron (Cami) Gonzalez, BNS, RN | Emergency Department | Committee Member 
• Eileen Calabria, RN, MSN, CPNP, CBC | General Academic Pediatrics | Committee Member 
• Scotti Brackett, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Amy Boren, RN, MSN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• JoAnna Van Noy, RN, MSN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Laura Gillard, RN, MSN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Traci Burns, RN, BSN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Tracy Geier, RN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Malindar Ali, MHA, BSN, RN, CPN | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Sarah Simons, CNA | Urgent Care | Committee Member 
• Staci Hayes, RN, BSN, CPN | Ambulatory Administration/Education Coordinators | Committee Member 
• Alisha Dillingham, MSN, RN, CPN | Ambulatory Administration/Education Coordinators | Committee Member 
• Erin Todd, BSN, RN, CPN | Ambulatory Administration/Education Coordinators | Committee Member 
• Sarah Dierking, MSN, RN, CPHQ | Clinical Practice and Quality | Committee Member 
• Shannan Johnson, BSN, RN, CPN | Clinical Practice and Quality | Committee Member 
• Jena Servatius, B.S., RDMS, LSSGB, CPST | Ambulatory Administration/Quality Improvement Program Coordinator | Committee Member 

EBP Committee Members: 

• Kathleen Berg, MD, FAAP | Evidence Based Practice 
• Kelli Ott, OTD, OTR/L | Evidence Based Practice  

Publication dates: 

• Finalized date: 11/2025 
• Next expected revision date: 11/2028 

 Concerns with content: 

If you have any questions regarding this content or identify a broken link, please email evidencebasedpractice@cmh.edu.  

These pathways do not establish a standard of care to be followed in every case. It is recognized that each case is different, and those individuals involved in providing health care are expected to use their judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the patient based on the circumstances existing at the time. It is impossible to anticipate all possible situations that may exist and to prepare a pathway for each. Accordingly, these pathways should guide care with the understanding that departures from them may be required at times.