Audiometrist

An Audiometrist (from Latin audīre, "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. 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.