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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