Hearing Aid Specialist

Also called: Audiology Assistant, Audiology Technician, Audioprosthologist, Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (Board Certified HIS), Hearing Aid Consultant

Hearing Aid Specialist

Varies

estimated salary

Hearing aid specialists select and fit hearing aids for customers. Administer and interpret tests of hearing. Assess hearing instrument efficacy. Take ear impressions and prepare, design, and modify ear molds.

  • Train clients to use hearing aids or other augmentative communication devices.
  • Counsel patients and families on communication strategies and the effects of hearing loss.
  • Select and administer tests to evaluate hearing or related disabilities.
  • Administer basic hearing tests including air conduction, bone conduction, or speech audiometry tests.
  • Maintain or repair hearing aids or other communication devices.
  • Perform basic screening procedures, such as pure tone screening, otoacoustic screening, immittance screening, and screening of ear canal status using otoscope.
  • Create or modify impressions for earmolds and hearing aid shells.
  • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in audiology.
  • Demonstrate assistive listening devices (ALDs) to clients.
  • Assist audiologists in performing aural procedures, such as real ear measurements, speech audiometry, auditory brainstem responses, electronystagmography, and cochlear implant mapping.
  • Diagnose and treat hearing or related disabilities under the direction of an audiologist.
Work Context
  • Deal With External Customers — 90% responded "Extremely important".
  • Electronic Mail — 87% responded "Every day".
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 93% responded "Every day".
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 78% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 69% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Telephone — 79% responded "Every day".
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 55% responded "A lot of freedom".
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Work Activities
  • Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Test patient hearing.
  • Test patient hearing.
  • Instruct patients in the use of assistive equipment.
  • Fabricate medical devices.
  • Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.
  • Repair medical facility equipment.
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Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
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Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation
  • Actively looking for ways to help people.
Instructing
  • Teaching others how to do something.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity
  • The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Problem Sensitivity
  • The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology
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Education

Get started on your career:

Job Outlook

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
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