Calibrating Your Clinical Practice with National Practice Standards

Prerecorded presentation available to view on-demand on April 17, 2021

This on-demand program is offered for FREE to all AAA 2021 Virtual Conference registrants and AAA 2021 All-Inclusive Webinar Package subscribers.  Please allow one business day after registering for the AAA 2021 Virtual Conference to receive access to activate your registration.

Presenters:  Jennifer Phelan, AuD; Sarah Curtis, AuD; Patricia Gaffney, AuD; and Jason Galster, PhD 

Duration: 1 hour

CEUs: 0.1 AAA

Instructional Level: Fundamental

Program Focus: Knowledge

Learning Outcomes: Upon completion, each participant in the eAudiology Web Seminar will be able to:

1. Differentiate between standards, guidelines, and best practices. 
2. Identify the importance of clinical practice standards for the profession of audiology. 
3. Discuss the mission of the Audiology Practice Standards Organization and the current standards available from the organization.

Description: Standards are not uncommon in audiology. Equipment calibration, testing spaces, and hearing aids all need to meet certain standards to ensure consistency. For instance, if we receive an audiogram from an outside facility, we seldom question the audiometer's calibration or the fact that testing was conducted in a room that meets noise standards. If this was not the case, we expect documentation reflecting this deviation from the standards. Documentation from a screening conducted in a community center may state the screening was not conducted in a sound treated environment, ensuring others are aware that the test environment deviated from what is expected. Although audiologists expect standards in certain areas, our profession currently does not have universally adopted clinical practice standards. These standards are necessary to ensure a minimum standard of care that provides foundational consistency for our profession. While standards are integral to provide a level of professional regularity, how these differ from guidelines and best practices may not be clear. Guidelines and best practices should use standards as the foundation of their development. This presentation will clarify the structure of standards, guidelines, and best practice, while providing examples from within audiology and other professions. By understanding this relationship audiology can work toward universal acceptance and adoption of clinical practice standards. 

The Audiology Practice Standards Organization (APSO) is an independent entity, charged with the development of clinical practice standards that span the spectrum of audiology practice. While another organization may seem cumbersome, this organizational independence allows for standards to be written by and available to all professionals. Providing information about the current status of standards from the APSO will allow participants to understand the goals of this organization. Constant dialogue around standards will allow audiologists embrace the need for these minimums in our clinical practice. In a time when audiology is experiencing challenges from outside the profession, we can ensure consistency in our messages and services through clinical practice standards. The APSO provides a structure to develop, maintain, and promote these standards, while inviting all audiologists to contribute their voice to the process. 

Jennifer Phelan, AuD

Jennifer Phelan is currently an Assistant Professor and Clinic Coordinator in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at the University of South Dakota. 

No financial relationships or conflicts of interest. 

Sarah Curtis, AuD 

Sarah Curtis, AuD, ABA-C is the owner of Sounds of Life Hearing Center, LLC in Concord Township, Ohio, opened in October 2018. She obtained her AuD from the University of Tennessee in 2010. Clinical experiences include a 4th Year Externship at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland, OH; and employment with Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center (Lakeland, FL), University Hospitals (Cleveland, OH), and CVS Hearing Center. Dr. Curtis provides audiological services for pediatric and adult patients. She is a board member of the Audiology Practice Standards Organization and is passionate about growing the profession of audiology through improved clinical practices and education of future audiologists.

No financial relationships or conflicts of interest. 

Patricia Gaffney, AuD 

Patricia Gaffney, AuD is currently an associate professor at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Ft Lauderdale, FL. She earned her bachelor's degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC and her Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from the University of Pittsburgh. She joined the audiology department at NSU in 2007. She is also the director of the NSU United Kingdom Doctor of Audiology program. Her specialty is vestibular diagnostics and treatment. At NSU she teaches the introductory vestibular class, vestibular lab, the advanced vestibular class, and a vestibular specialty course designed for advanced students who wish to specialize in vestibular diagnostics and treatment. She also teaches geriatric audiology, amplification I and II and accompanying labs. In addition to teaching, she sees patients in the NSU Audiology clinic with students seeing a mixture of vestibular and hearing aid patients. She also is the director for the NSU interprofessional fall prevention clinic. Dr Gaffney has presented at various national and state meetings on various topics including vestibular, amplification, and professional issues. Dr Gaffney also maintains memberships in several organizations, volunteers for various committees, and has previously served on the American Academy of Audiology Board of Directors. She is currently on the board of trustees for the American Academy of Audiology Foundation and the board of directors for the Audiology Practice Standards Organization. 

No financial relationships or conflicts of interest. 

Jason Galster, PhD 

Dr. Galster is Director of Clinical Research at Advanced Bionics overseeing the clinical investigation of emerging technology, regulatory clinical affairs, and scientific collaborations that focus on the treatment of hearing loss with cochlear implants and hearing aids. He is a recognized advocate for the profession of audiology, author, and lecturer. 

No financial relationships or conflicts of interest.