Hello all,
Since you seemed to like the comparison of our scope of practice
guidelines with Physical Therapists, I decided to google up some stuff
on Audiologists.
What I like about this one is the positive language -- what an
Audiologist can do. I love the first sentence. The current SoP doesn't
make me feel like " A Lactation Consultant is an independent,
professional provider of primary breastfeeding health care, who
specializes in the support, promotion, and preservation of the
breastfeeding relationship and in the identification, assessment,
*diagnosis*, management and treatment of lactation challenges."
I have also come up with a wording I like:
"Lactation Consultants will work as part of the health care team serving
the breastfeeding family, and will work in the best interests of the
client."
Jo-Anne
II. Definition of an Audiologist
An audiologist is an independent, professional provider of primary
hearing health care, who specializes in the prevention of hearing loss
and in the identification, assessment, diagnosis, management, and
treatment of hearing and balance disorders. Audiologists hold a master's
or doctoral degree in audiology from an accredited university, and are,
in most provinces, licensed or otherwise governed by a regulatory body.
Audiologists serve in a number of roles including clinician,
diagnostician, therapist, educator, consultant, researcher, and
administrator. They provide clinical and academic training to students
in audiology and related fields such as medicine, by teaching about
hearing and hearing loss, the prevention of hearing loss, and the (re)
habilitation of those with hearing loss. They provide information and
training on hearing to other professions, including psychology, social
work, education, and other related professions, and to business and
industry. They develop and oversee hearing conservation programs for
both occupational and recreational noise exposure. They may serve as
expert witnesses within the boundaries of forensic audiology.
Audiologists provide services in hospitals, private practice,
rehabilitation centres, public health settings, schools, government
agencies and other environments in which audiological services are relevant.
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III. Scope of Practice
The scope of practice of audiologists is defined by the training and
knowledge base of those who are licensed or otherwise regulated to
practice audiology. The central focus of the profession of audiology is
on human hearing, both normal and impaired, and its relationship to
disorders of communication. Because of their potential relationship to
auditory impairments, a secondary focus of audiology is on vestibular or
balance disorders. Areas of practice may include the following:
Identification
Audiologists develop and oversee screening programs to detect
individuals with hearing impairment, from neonatal through geriatric
ages. They train and supervise both professional and volunteer
non-audiologists performing hearing screening in a variety of health and
educational settings, including hospitals, schools, and care facilities.
By virtue of their training in speech and language disorders,
audiologists may perform speech or language screening, or other
screening measures, for the purpose of initial identification and
referral to other specialists.
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Assessment and Diagnosis
Assessment of hearing includes the administration and interpretation of
behavioural, electroacoustic, and electrophysiologic measures of the
peripheral and central auditory systems. Audiological interpretation of
test results may include diagnostic statements as to the site of lesion
within the auditory system, and/or the probable etiology of the impairment.
Interpretation of auditory test results may also include statements as
to the expected impact hearing impairment may exert on daily activities
of communication. Assessment of the vestibular system includes
administration and interpretation of clinical and electrophysiologic
tests of equilibrium. Assessment is accomplished using standardized
testing procedures and appropriately calibrated instrumentation.
Interpretation of test results may include diagnostic statements as to
the site of lesion within the vestibular system, and/or the probable
etiology of the impairment.
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Habilitation and Rehabilitation
Audiologists provide the full range of habilitative and rehabilitative
services to those with hearing impairment, and are a source of
information for family members, other professionals, and the general
public. They select, prescribe, fit, and evaluate amplification devices,
including hearing aids and surgically implanted devices such as cochlear
implants and bone-anchored hearing aids. They also select, dispense, and
evaluate assistive devices designed to aid the communication process.
Audiologists determine the appropriateness of amplification systems and
assistive devices, evaluate benefit, and provide training regarding
their use. Audiologists provide counselling regarding the effects of
hearing loss on communication and psychosocial status in personal,
social and vocational arenas, and strategies for improving
communication. They conduct otoscopic examinations, clean earcanals, and
remove cerumen when it can be done so comfortably and safely, without
requiring direct contact with the tympanic membrane. They take ear
impressions for purposes of making custom hearing aids and earmolds, and
for custom hearing protection or water protection.
Audiologists fit, sell, and dispense hearing aids and other
amplification systems or devices. They assess and provide non-medical
management for persons with tinnitus using techniques that include, but
are not limited to, biofeedback, masking, hearing aids, retraining,
education and counselling.
They are an integral part of the team within the school system that
manages students with both peripheral and central hearing impairments.
They serve as consultants in matters pertaining to classroom acoustics,
assistive listening systems, hearing aids, communication and
psychosocial effects of hearing loss, and maintain both classroom
assistive systems and students' personal hearing aids.
Audiologists are also involved in the rehabilitation of persons with
vestibular disorders. They participate as members of vestibular
rehabilitation teams to recommend and carry out goals of vestibular
rehabilitation therapy including, for example, habituation exercises,
balance retraining exercises, and general conditioning exercises.
Audiologists provide habilitation services for infants and children with
hearing impairment and support services to family members. These
services may include, but are not limited to, therapy (both direct and
indirect), home intervention, family support, and case management.
Audiologists are members of auditory implant teams, who determine
candidacy based on auditory and communication information. They provide
pre- and post-surgical assessment, counselling, auditory training,
rehabilitation, implant programming, and maintenance of implant hardware
and software.
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Hearing Conservation
Audiologists design, implement and coordinate hearing conservation
programs, covering both occupational and recreational noise exposure.
This includes identification and reduction of noise-hazardous
conditions, identification and prevention of hearing loss,
recommendations and counselling for the use of hearing protection,
employee and public education, and the training and supervision of
non-audiologists performing hearing screening in both occupational and
non-occupational settings.
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Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring
Audiologists administer and interpret electrophysiologic measurements of
neural function including, but not limited to, sensory and motor evoked
potentials, tests of nerve conduction velocity, and electromyography.
These measurements are in differential diagnosis, pre- and postoperative
evaluation of neural function, and neurophysiologic intraoperative
monitoring of central nervous system, spinal cord, and cranial nerve
function.
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Research
Audiologists design, implement, analyze, interpret and report the
results of research related to auditory and vestibular systems, both
normal and impaired. Areas of research may include, but are not limited
to, speech perception, auditory processing, psychoacoustics, hair cell
regeneration, hearing aid design, and the psychosocial consequences of
hearing loss.
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Additional Expertise
Some audiologists, by virtue or education, experience, and personal
choice choose to specialize in an area of practice not otherwise defined
in this document. Nothing in this document shall be construed to limit
individual freedom of choice in this regard.
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