Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-13-108 - Hearing Screener Qualifications

A. An individual may be a hearing screener if the individual:

1. Is an audiologist, or

2. If the individual:

a. Is at least 18 years of age;

b. Has a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma;

c. Has the ability to recognize a student's response to hearing a range of tones at different pitches and volumes; and

d. Has a current hearing screener certificate of completion, as specified in subsection (C).

B. An individual, who is not an audiologist, is eligible to become a hearing screener, if the individual:

1. Is at least 18 years of age;

2. Has a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma;

3. Has the ability to recognize a student's response to hearing a range of tones at different pitches and volumes;

4. Has completed classroom instruction provided by a hearing screening trainer, including:

1.a. Introduction to hearing screening for children, including the:

a.i. Anatomy and physiology of the ear,

b.ii. Auditory development,

iii. Language development,

c.iv. Signs and types of hearing loss in children,

d.v. Prevention of hearing loss in children,

e.vi. Otitis media, and

f.vii. Rationale for early identification of hearing loss;

2.b. Essentials for hearing screening children, including:

a. Auditory development;

b. Rationale for early identification of hearing loss;

c.i. When, how, and on whom hearing screening is performed;

d.ii. How to set up a hearing screening, including the selection of a method to use for hearing screening and a location to conduct hearing screening; and

iii. Infection control;

3.c. Hearing screening protocols, including:

i. Types of age-specific audiological equipment;

(1) A pure tone audiometer,

(2) Otoacoustic emission device, and

(3) Tympanometer,

ii. How to select an appropriate screening type;

iii. Proper hearing screening techniques;

a.iv. Possible results of hearing screening;

b.v. hearing screener requirements specified in this Article;

c.vi. Procedures for tracking students expected to receive hearing screening and recording hearing screening results;

vii. Identifying students who need a second hearing screening; and

viii. Requirements in A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 7.2, and requirements in this Article;

d. Hearing screening results, including documentation of:

d.i. Notification of and communication with the parents of students;

e.ii. The information that a parent of a student who does not pass a hearing screening is requested to obtain from the student's specialist and provide to the student's school;

f.iii. When and to whom a student's hearing loss is required to be reported;

g.iv. Procedures for reporting hearing screening results to the Department; and

h.v. What resources are available to the parent of a student who does not pass hearing screening;

i. Requirements in A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 7.2 and requirements in this Article in addition to screener requirements; and

4. Audiological equipment, including:

a. A pure tone audiometer:

i. How a pure tone audiometer works;

ii. Checking the pure tone audiometer and earphones before performing hearing screening;

iii. Earphone placement;

iv. Performing hearing screening using a pure tone audiometer;

v. Identifying students who need a second hearing screening; and

vi. Identifying students for whom notification of a parent is required; and

b. An otoacoustic emission device:

i. How an otoacoustic emission device works;

ii. Why and when it is appropriate to use an otoacoustic emissions device is used during hearing screening;

iii. Performing a hearing screening using an otoacoustic emissions device with a remote probe;

iv Identifying students who need a second hearing screening; and

v. Identifying students for whom notification of a parent is required.

5. Obtains a score of at least 80% on a written examination that covers the classroom instruction, as specified in subsection (B)(4); and

6. Demonstrates competency in the use of the audiological equipment, as applicable.

C. An individual who has completed the hearing screening instruction in subsection (B) may request training in the use of a tympanom-eter by completing the following classroom instruction provided by a trainer:

1. How a tympanometer works;

2. Why and when it is appropriate to use a tympanometer during hearing screening;

3. The anatomy and functions of the middle ear and Eustachian tube;

4. How to use a tympanometer;

5. Identifying students who need a second hearing screening; and

6. Identifying students for whom notification of a parent is required.

D. Obtain a score of at least 80% on a written examination that covers the classroom instruction specified in subsection (B) or (C).

E. Demonstrate competency in the use of the audiological equipment specified in subsection (B) or (C) that an individual received classroom instruction.

F.C. When the Department receives notification that an individual has satisfied the requirements in subsection (B), from the hearing screening trainer who provided the classroom instruction, written examination, and competency assessment, the Department shall issue to the individual a hearing screening certificate of completion that includes:

1. The individual's name;

2. The information provided in R9-13-109(D)(2)(b), (f), and (g); and

3. The date the individual completed the classroom instruction in subsection (B) or (C);

4. The date the individual completed the hearing screening:

a. Examination; and

b. Assessment, including the type of audiological equipment;

5.3. The date the hearing screening certificate of completion was issued.

6. An attestation that the classroom instruction provided to the individual meets the requirements in subsection (B) or (C); and

7. The trainer's printed name and date issued.

G.D. A hearing screener's certificate of completion expires four years from the issue date indicated on the hearing screening certificate of completion.

H. Prior to the expiration date of a certificate of completion, a screener shall complete the requirements in subsection (I) to renew the screener's certificate of completion.

I. A screener, who is not an audiologist, wanting to renew a certificate of completion shall:

1. Complete two hearing screening continuing education units each year:

a. Specified by the Department according to subsection (J), and

b. Applicable to the type of audiological equipment that the screener uses when performing a hearing screening;

2. As provided by a trainer:

a. Complete four hours of classroom instruction related to:

i. Development of speech and language,

ii. Essentials for hearing screening children, and

iii. Hearing screening protocols;

b. Obtain a score of at least 80% on a written examination that covers the hearing screening requirements in subsection (a); and

c. Demonstrate competency in the use of the audiological equipment consistent with the hearing screening training received in subsection (1) and (2);

3. Obtain a certificate of completion in a Department-provided format from the trainer who provided classroom instruction, the examination, and competency assessment in subsection (2) that includes:

a. The screener's name;

b. The hearing screening methods specified in subsection (1);

c. The date the screener completed the methods in subsection (1);

d. The date the screener completed the hearing screening:

i. Examination; and

ii. Assessment, including the type of audiological equipment;

e. The certificate of completion issue date;

f. An attestation that the classroom instruction provided to the screener meets the requirements in subsections (1) and (2); and

g. The trainer's printed name.

E. Before the expiration date of a hearing screening certificate of completion, a hearing screener, who is not an audiologist and wants to renew a hearing screening certificate of completion, shall:

1. Complete instruction, as provided by a hearing trainer or another Department-approved method related to:

a. Development of speech and language,

b. Essentials for hearing screening children, and

c. Hearing screening protocols;

2. Obtain a score of at least 80% on a written examination that covers the hearing screening requirements in subsection (B)(5); and

3. Demonstrate competency in the use of the audiological equipment consistent with the hearing screening training received in subsection (B)(6);

F. Within 30 calendar days after the Department receives notification that a hearing screener has satisfied the requirements in subsection (E), the Department shall issue to the hearing screener a renewal hearing screening certificate of completion.

J. By January 1 of each calendar year, the Department shall provide a list of Department-approved continuing education courses.

K.G. An individual who does not score at least 80% on the:

1. Initial written examination, as specified in subsection (B)(5), may retake the written examination; or

2. Second written examination, shall repeat the classroom instruction, as specified in subsection (B)(4) before taking a third written examination.

L. A screener, who does not score at least 80% on a written examination for renewal in subsection (I), may retake the written examination. A screener, who does not score at least 80% on the second written examination, shall repeat the classroom instruction in subsection (I)(1) and (2) before taking a third written examination.

M.H. An individual who is not a hearing screener:

1. May perform an initial three-frequency, pure tone hearing screening for a student, as specified in Table 13.3, under the supervision of a hearing screener; and

2. Shall not perform a hearing screening:

a. For a student who did not pass an initial hearing screening,

b. Using a combination of a tympanometer and a pure tone audiometer according to R9-13-103(G)(2) ; or

c. Using an otoacoustic emissions device, as specified in Table 13.3.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-13-108

Adopted effective February 18, 1986 (Supp. 86-1). Amended effective October 15, 1993 (Supp. 93-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 3307, effective July 16, 2002 (Supp. 02-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 1827, effective 7/2/2019. Amended by final rulemaking at 30 A.A.R. 1949, effective 7/7/2024.