Audiologists assess, diagnose, and treat patients ( children or adults) with audiological and vestibular disorders caused by infectious, genetic, traumatic, or degenerative conditions, such as hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, imbalance, hyperacusis, and auditory processing difficulties. They can prescribe a hearing aid and have a role in assessing and managing patients who may benefit from cochlear implants.
Conduct comprehensive hearing evaluations using a variety of diagnostic tests, including pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), and auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing. Interpret test results to assess hearing sensitivity, speech understanding, and auditory function.
Evaluate patients’ medical history, symptoms, and communication needs to identify hearing and balance disorders, such as sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders. Perform otoscopic examinations to assess the health of the outer ear and ear canal.
Develop individualized treatment plans based on the results of diagnostic assessments, patient preferences, and evidence-based practice guidelines. Recommend appropriate interventions, including hearing aids, assistive listening devices, cochlear implants, auditory rehabilitation, and balance therapy.
Select and fit hearing aids based on patients’ hearing loss, lifestyle, and cosmetic preferences. Program hearing aids using specialized software to optimize sound quality, comfort, and speech understanding. Provide counseling and guidance on hearing aid use, care, and maintenance.
Evaluate and treat patients experiencing tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) using sound therapy, counseling, and cognitive-behavioral techniques. Develop personalized tinnitus management plans to alleviate distress and improve coping strategies.
Assess patients with balance and dizziness disorders using vestibular function tests, such as videonystagmography (VNG), rotary chair testing, and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) testing. Diagnose vestibular disorders, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and Meniere’s disease.
Provide auditory rehabilitation services to individuals with hearing loss, including auditory training, speechreading instruction, communication strategies, and counseling. Facilitate adjustment to hearing aids and assistive listening devices to maximize communication and participation in daily activities.
Assess hearing and communication skills in infants and children using specialized pediatric audiometric techniques. Perform newborn hearing screenings, diagnostic assessments, and early intervention services for children with hearing loss or developmental delays.
Educate patients and their families about hearing health, hearing conservation, noise-induced hearing loss, and strategies for preventing it. Provide information on communication strategies, assistive technologies, and community resources for individuals with hearing impairments.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary healthcare teams, including otolaryngologists, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, and educators, to provide comprehensive care for patients with complex auditory and vestibular needs. Refer patients to other healthcare providers or specialists for further evaluation or treatment.
Maintain accurate and detailed patient records, including audiometric evaluations, treatment plans, progress notes, and billing information.
Stay updated on audiology research, technology, and clinical practice advancements through continuing education, professional conferences, and participation in professional organizations. Pursue licensure, certification, and specialty credentials to enhance clinical skills and expertise in audiology.
Audiologists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, private practices, schools, universities, and hearing aid dispensaries. They may also provide services in rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, community health centers, and government agencies.
Audiologists typically work regular business hours, although some may offer evening or weekend appointments to accommodate patients’ schedules. The work environment may involve a combination of office-based consultations, diagnostic testing, treatment sessions, and administrative duties.
A Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree from an accredited graduate program is the entry-level requirement for clinical practice as an audiologist. Some audiologists may hold a Ph.D. in audiology, hearing science, or related fields, particularly those pursuing research or academic careers. Clinical training, supervised practicum experiences, and completion of a clinical fellowship are essential components of audiologist education and training.
Audiologists must obtain state licensure or certification to practice independently, and some may pursue additional specialty certifications, such as pediatric audiology or cochlear implant rehabilitation, to demonstrate advanced competence in specific areas of practice. Continuous learning and participation in professional development activities are essential for maintaining licensure, staying current with best practices, and advancing clinical expertise in audiology.
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of audiologist.
Hygiene in a health care setting: The procedures related to maintaining a hygienic environment within a health care setting, such as hospitals and clinics. These can range from hand washing to cleaning and disinfecting medical equipment and infection control methods.
Audiometry: The way hearing acuity is measured, specifically related to sound intensity and pitch and tonal purity in order to diagnose hearing impairment and related disorders.
Health care legislation: The patients` rights and responsibilities of health practitioners and the possible repercussions and prosecutions in relation to medical treatment negligence or malpractice.
Audiology: The science related to the hearing, balance and other related disorders and conditions specific to adults or children.
Neurophysiology: The medical specialty which is concerned with the study of the nervous system functionalities.
Acoustics: The study of sound, its reflection, amplification and absorption in a space.
Communication related to hearing impairment: The phonologic, morphologic and syntactic aspects and characteristics of human communication for individuals affected by hearing impairment.
Physiology of hearing: The means by which sounds are transmitted through the outer, middle, inner ear, and brain.
Physiology of balance: The characteristics and functions of the vestibular system, which is responsible for body equilibrium.
Human physiology: The science that studies the human organs and its interactions and mechanisms.
Hearing loss: The manifestation, causes and symptoms of hearing impairment, which is the partial or total inability to hear.
Human ear: The structure, functions, and characteristics of the outer, middle, and inner ears, through which sounds are transferred from the environment to the brain.
Hearing aids: The types, characteristics, and suppliers of hearing devices that amplify sound for the individual who is wearing them, with the aim of making speech more intelligible and correcting impaired hearing.
Human anatomy: The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.
Psychoacoustics: The characteristics of sound perception from music or speech and their psychological effects on the individual`s hearing.
Pathology: The components of a disease, the cause, mechanisms of development, morphologic changes, and the clinical consequences of those changes.
Balance disorders: The causes that affect balance in humans, abnormalities and their symptoms such as vertigo, dizziness and disorientation.
Educate on the prevention of illness: Offer evidence-based advice on how to avoid ill health, educate and advise individuals and their carers on how to prevent ill health and/or be able to advise how to improve their environment and health conditions. Provide advice on identifying risks leading to ill health and help increase the patients’ resilience by targeting prevention and early intervention strategies.
Undertake clinical audit: Conduct internal clinical audit by collecting statistical, financial and other data related to service delivery.
Counsel patients on improving hearing: Counsel and instruct patients with hearing problems to help them improve their communication, guiding them to solutions like sign language or lip-reading.
Adjust cochlear implants: Fit and tune cochlear implants providing rehabilitation to listening with implant amplification systems.
Empathise with the healthcare user: Understand the background of clients` and patients’ symptoms, difficulties and behaviour. Be empathetic about their issues; showing respect and reinforcing their autonomy, self-esteem and independence. Demonstrate a concern for their welfare and handle according to the personal boundaries, sensitivities, cultural differences and preferences of the client and patient in mind.
Monitor patients’ progress related to treatment: Observe and report on healthcare users’ response to medical treatment, monitoring their progress or decay on a daily basis and modifying the treatment procedures whenever necessary.
Manage healthcare users’ data: Keep accurate client records that also satisfy legal and professional standards and ethical obligations in order to facilitate client management, ensuring that all clients’ data (including verbal, written and electronic) are treated confidentially.
Deal with emergency care situations: Assess the signs and be well-prepared for a situation that immediately threatens a person’s health, security, property or environment.
Provide health education: Provide evidence-based strategies to promote healthy living, disease prevention and management.
Communicate effectively in healthcare: Communicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, healthcare professionals, and community partners.
Follow clinical guidelines: Follow agreed protocols and guidelines in support of healthcare practice which are provided by healthcare institutions, professional associations, or authorities and also scientific organisations.
Advise on healthcare users’ informed consent: Ensure patients/clients are fully informed about the risks and benefits of proposed treatments so they can give informed consent, engaging patients/clients in the process of their care and treatment.
Comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice: Apply quality standards related to risk management, safety procedures, patients feedback, screening and medical devices in daily practice, as they are recognized by the national professional associations and authorities.
Adapt hearing tests: Adapt hearing tests to suit the age and ability of the patient.
Listen actively: Pay attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times; be able to listen carefully to the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users, or others and provide solutions accordingly.
Apply health sciences: Apply a broad range of bio-medical, psycho-social, organisational, educational, and societal aspects of health, disease, and healthcare to improve healthcare services and to improve quality of life.
Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department-specific standards and guidelines. Understand the organisation’s motives and common agreements and act accordingly.
Conduct health-related research: Conduct research in health-related topics and communicate findings orally, through public presentations or by writing reports and other publications.
Promote inclusion: Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, considering the importance of equality and diversity issues.
Interact with healthcare users: Communicate with clients and their carer’s, with the patient’s permission, to keep them informed about the clients’ and patients’ progress and safeguard confidentiality.
Ensure safety of healthcare users: Make sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person’s needs, abilities or the prevailing conditions.
Apply organisational techniques: Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures that facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.
Apply context-specific clinical competences: Apply professional and evidence-based assessment, goal setting, intervention delivery, and client evaluation, taking into account the developmental and contextual history of the clients, within one`s own scope of practice.
Refer healthcare users: Make referrals to other professionals, based on the healthcare user’s requirements and needs, especially when recognising that additional healthcare diagnostics or interventions are required.
Work in multidisciplinary health teams: Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare-related professions.
Adjust hearing aids: Program hearing aids using a computer, fitting and dispensing hearing aids, or administering cochlear implants, electronic devices used to improve a person`s hearing.
Accept own accountability: Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.
Use special hearing equipment for tests: Use audiometers and computers to determine the degree of a patient`s hearing disorder and find other factors relating to the problem.
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of audiologist. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Counselling methods: Counselling techniques used in different settings and with various groups and individuals, especially concerning methods of supervision and mediation in the counselling process.
Geriatrics: Geriatrics is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
Disability types: The nature and types of disabilities affecting the human beings such as physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional or developmental and the specific needs and access requirements of disabled people.
Paediatrics: Paediatrics is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
Speech techniques: The history and the characteristics of breathing, voice and speaking techniques.
Pedagogy: The discipline that concerns the theory and practice of education including the various instructional methods for educating individuals or groups.
Human psychological development: The human psychological development across the lifespan, theories of personality development, cultural and environmental influences, human behavior, including developmental crises, disability, exceptional behavior, and addictive behavior.
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of audiologist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Employ foreign languages in care: Communicate in foreign languages with healthcare users, their caregivers, or service providers. Use foreign languages to facilitate patient care according to the patient’s needs.
Conduct research on hearing topics: Conduct and direct research on topics related to hearing, reporting findings to help develop new technology, procedures, or treatments.
