Assistant Audiology Practitioner

at  East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

The post holder is part of the Audiology team based at East Lancs Hospitals NHS Trust.
A practicing Assistant Audiological Practitioner, who contributes towards provision of a comprehensive Adult Audiology Service.
Assists the qualified Audiologists in the daily clinical work of the department and is responsible for managing their own workload within a community setting with supervision in adult services. This involves basic rehabilitative care and care for adult hearing aid users including routine hearing aid repairs.
Demonstrates effective communication and interpersonal skills with other professionals and service users, including patients, parents, carers and relatives.
Takes part in contributing to service development and maintains professional standards.
Maintains patient and departmental records both written and electronic using computer databases and word processing.
Operational: Assessments and clinical tests on adults and children over 5 years of age with minimum supervision in the hospital setting.
Provision of routine hearing aid repairs to adults with hearing disability dealing with enquires and other matters which are generally routine, for non-routine enquires is able to refer to the qualified audiologists.
We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to join us in our busy team of adult audiologists. Our work covers sites across East Lancashire in both hospital and community settings. The appointee will be responsible and accountable for their day to day clinical work.

MAIN DUTIES (CONTINUED):

1. T o perform and analyse routine assessments of hearing on
   adults and children over 5 years of age with minimum
   supervision. To assist in the diagnostic assessment of
   pre- school infants .
   Adult Department – perform routine audiological assessments in hospital setting using air conduction headphones and bone conduction vibrator to obtain accurate hearing threshold levels, follo wing departmental and national polices and procedures. Instructs the patient on test require ments, use of tact and persuasion where barriers to understanding exist. Requiring frequent use of keyboard whilst sitting in a restricted position.
   Paediatric Department - in a community setting working to departmental and national policies and procedures for routine assessments using air conduction headphones and bone conduction vibrator to obtain accurate hearing threshold levels, follo wing BSA guidelines. Instructs the chi ld on test requirements, use of tact and persuasion where barriers to understand exist this may require the use of play audiometry using toys. Requiring frequent use of keyboard whilst sitting in a restricted position.
   Paediatric Department - Assist the Doctor/Clinical Scientist/Paediatric Audiologist in the assessment of hearing in children which may include children who have developmental problems. This involves ac tive participation and ensuring that all test stimuli are presented at the required level at the correct time.
   Adult/Paediatric: Perform middle ear analysis using screen ing tympanometry, including probe microphone insertion to determine the middle ear pathology .
   Adult/Paediatric: Perform examina tion of the ear using clinical o toscope in order to identify healthy and abnormal ear conditions. Recognising contra-indications to performing further procedures, seek advice from supervising Audiologist.
2. Contributes to rehabilitation of hearing aided patients with minimum supervision ( Adult Services )
   Instructing patient on effective use of aid, communicating realistic expectations, advice on the disabling effects of hearin g loss. E mpower ing the patient in working towards their rehabilitation and management of hearing loss.
   Using effective communication and persuasion where a poor motivational attitude to hearing loss may exist and barriers to understanding and communication may include hearing loss, visual impairment (including deaf-blind clients), dementia and stroke patients with aphasia.

MAIN DUTIES (CONTINUED):

1. To participate hospital/community setting hearing aid repair sessions . This entails:
   Adults : Dealing with routine maintenance and replacement of faulty hearing aids, supply of batteries, re-tubing of earmoulds . Patient guidance and instruction. Referring non-ro utine repairs to the qualified A udiologist.
   Dealing with queries and problems presented by patients and carers and referring them to the appropriate professional if required .
   To provide this routine service to inpatients on the wards, patients own home, nursing homes and at outside community clinics where transport of equipment to carry out these duties is required . Occasionally this will require working in less than ideal conditions.
   Paediatrics and Adults : To provide a postal hearing aid repair service, including the replacement of lost/faulty hearing aids, supply of batteries and paediatric sundries. Dealing with routine enquiries and problems presented by parents, carers, teachers of the deaf and referring them to the appropriate professional if required . Referring non-rou tine enquires to the qualified A udiologist.
2. Modification of earmoulds for patients using appropriate equipment (with training) including dental drill, buffer/ grinder and safety equipment, to ensure comfortable and acoustically viable fit.
   For adults with all types of hearing aid, requiring skill, dexterity and judgement when working to finer tolerances.