Audiometrist

An Audiometrist (from Latin [audīre] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), "to hear"; and from Italian -metria, “to measure” ) or Audiometric Officer, is a health-care professional technician who has received special training in the use of Pure tone audiometry equipment. An audiometrist conducts hearing tests, or "audiometric screening", with an Audiometer to establish hearing levels. The results are represented by an audiogram, and are usually interpreted by an audiologist, or a registered Medical Officer, unless the audiometrist is also an audiologist, with the aim of diagnosing hearing loss.

There are currently some misconceptions regarding the definition of Audiometrist and Audiologist, which vary from country to country. These misconceptions continue to grow, in Australia in particular, which leads to the need for greater communication, less segregation of each other's role within the community and a broader understanding of each other's qualifications.

Audiometrist vs. Audiologist

The word "Audiometrist" is derived from the word Audiometry, as distinct from Audiology. However, the title audiometrist is often used interchangeably with the role of audiologists, thereby making a precise definition of the word more difficult. Audiologists can therefore refer to themselves as audiometrists, although they still perform the tasks of audiologists. The origin of this cross-attribution is unclear, but may stem from the fact that many audiometrists also receive subsequent training in audiology, thereby making them both audiometrists and audiologists. Additionally, preferences for definitions of audiometrists are more varied worldwide, mainly because Audiometry education and licensing requirements vary from country to country, and the use or mis-use of the word in this fashion continues worldwide. A further role confusion arises because many audiometrists are involved directly in the hearing aid industry in an assistive capacity when they get in-house training for hearing aid audiometry, while others apply audiometry purely to Occupational Health. Since audiologists are more qualified, they can do the work of audiometrists, but not the other way round. This may often lead to the assumption that audiometrists are considered audiologists.

In recent years, in Australia in particular, the lines between Audiometrist and Audiologist have become more blurred and it is widely accepted that either are qualified, given the appropriate experience and qualifications, to adequately perform each other's required duties. Although the Audiology fraternity in Australia (which was originally a break away from Audiometry) has become an entity unto itself, neither audiometrists nor audiologists are doctors and therefore should not be claiming superiority over a piece of paper.

Uk and Ireland

In the UK and Ireland Audiometrists generally differ from Audiologists in that they do not require or hold an Academic Degree or Doctorate in Audiology. Audiometrists are certified under the British and Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists, the Health and Safety Executive and the Health Service Executive, and the time period of their training is generally shorter than audiologists. Unlike Audiologists, they are not licensed to treat hearing loss with the use of hearing aids.

Australia and New Zealand

As in the UK and Ireland, in Australia and New Zealand Audiometrists (often referred to as Audiometric Officers) can receive certified training in audiometric screening. However, unlike the UK and Ireland, if they continue their training in Audiology, under the Office of Hearing Services (OHS) scheme Audiometrists and Audiologists are seen as performing the same tasks. An Audiometrist (as an Audiologist) in Australia or New Zealand usually has a TAFE qualification and needs to be accredited with a professional body to provide services via the OHS program.

Most clinical "Audiometrists" in Australia are required to undergo as much, if not more clinical experience than Audiologists. In fact, after two to three years studying a Diploma of Hearing Device Prescription and Evaluation, (HTL51307) which can only be obtained after completing a Certificate IV in Audiometric Assessment under full clinical supervision, which in itself takes twelve to eighteen months, can one even qualify to apply to enroll in the Diploma course. Upon graduation of their Diploma, Audiometrists are required to complete a further two years clinical supervised experience where they are closely supervised and monitored in a wide variety of audiological techniques. These range from pediatric assessment in clients aged from 3 years to the very elderly and cover all aspects of screening, diagnostic and prescriptive methods. Only then are they permitted to sit a stringent theoretical and practical exam before a panel of industry experts which provides them with a nationally recognised Qualified Practitioner provider number and certificate of clinical practice. Only Audiometrists who have completed a Diploma of Hearing Device Prescription and Evaluation are qualified to sit this exam and prescribe and to fit hearing aids.

One main misconception between Audiometrists and Audiologists is that the Audiometrist requires the approval or guidance of an Audiologist. Because of the different training requirements from other countries, in Australia and New Zealand it may be that the Audiometrist is far more qualified in their field than the Audiologist.

U.S. and Canada

In the United States and Canada, Audiometrists, sometimes referred to as "Audiometric Technicians", also receive accreditation in audiometric screening, under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)and Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA). When audiometry is applied to industry, audiometrists are sometimes also called Occupational Hearing Conservationists. When Audiometrists become qualified as Audiologists, they are more commonly referred to as Hearing Instrument Specialists, and are licensed hearing professionals that perform diagnostic hearing evaluations, as well as prescribe and fit hearing aids. A Hearing Instrument Specialist in the US or Canada is the equivalent of a Hearing Aid Dispenser in the UK or Ireland.

See also

• Hearing
• Audiometry
• Audiometer
• Audiogram
• Audiologist
• Audiology
• Hearing test
• Hearing loss
• Occupational Health