18606 version 2
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Carry out a hearing evaluation with an adult
Level
5
Credits
8
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: obtain a case history of an
adult referred for a hearing test; use an otoscope to examine the ear canal
and tympanic membrane; administer pure-tone screening audiometry;
interpret the results of the screening test; and determine a relevant referral
procedure.
Subfield
Community Support
Domain
Hearing Therapy
Status
Registered
Status date
20 May 2008
Date version published
20 May 2008
Planned review date
31 December 2013
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry
and teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Community Support Services Industry Training
Organisation Limited
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0024
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
The performance of all elements of this unit standard must comply with any relevant
cultural or legislative requirements including the rights and responsibilities of people
receiving services or supports as outlined in the Health and Disability Commissioner
(Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996.
2
In performance criterion 5.1 ‘locality’ refers to where the client lives and their degree
of mobility.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
18606 version 2
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3
Definitions
The standard procedures referred to in this unit standard are those recommended by
the University of Auckland School of Medicine Clinical Guidelines, November 2005.
These are available from Careerforce, PO Box 25-255, Christchurch.
Organisation’s policies and procedures are the policies and procedures of the
employing organisation of the employee and include ethical codes, standards, and
requirements of any other organisations involved.
4
Current best practice is documented in the University of Auckland, School of
Medicine Master of Audiometry Programme pure-tone audiometry clinical protocols.
These are available from Careerforce, PO Box 25-255, Christchurch.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Obtain a case history of an adult referred for a hearing test.
Performance criteria
1.1
Case history records the individual’s details and identified needs.
Range
1.2
details and identified needs may include but are not limited to –
name, age, contact details, GP, employment status, history of
hearing loss within family, onset of hearing loss, exposure to
noise, the impact of the hearing loss, health conditions,
audiological assessment, otological assessment, use of
prostheses.
Case history is recorded in accordance with organisation’s policies and
procedures.
Range
may include but is not limited to – legibility, correct terminology,
objective language, impersonal language, dated, signed or
initialled, recorded in ink, use of standard abbreviations.
Element 2
Use an otoscope to examine the ear canal and tympanic membrane.
Performance criteria
2.1
Hygiene procedures are carried out in accordance with the organisation’s
policies and procedures.
2.2
The otoscopy examination process is carried out in accordance with the
organisation’s policies and procedures.
2.3
The otoscopic examination determines the presence of obstructing material and
the visibility of the tympanic membrane.
Range
material may include but is not limited to - wax, foreign object.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
18606 version 2
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2.4
The otoscopic examination determines the condition of the ear canal and the
tympanic membrane.
Range
condition may include but is not limited to – perforation, blood,
discharge, offensive smell, exostoses, inflammation, skin debris.
Element 3
Administer pure-tone screening audiometry.
Performance criteria
3.1
Administration of pure-tone screening audiometry is in accordance with
standard procedures.
3.2
Pure-tone screening audiometry produces an audiogram that enables an adult’s
level of hearing to be determined.
3.3
Interpretation of audiogram identifies the adult’s hearing ability.
Range
descriptors may include but are not limited to – frequency range,
decibel range, degree, type, shape, test symbols, speech
spectrum.
Element 4
Interpret the results of the screening test.
Range
degree, type, shape, test symbols, speech spectrum.
Performance criteria
4.1
Interpretation is consistent with pure-tone screening audiometry results in
accordance with current best practice.
Element 5
Determine a referral procedure for an adult tested.
Performance criteria
5.1
The requirement for referral to a health professional is determined in
accordance with the results of the otoscopic examination.
Range
results requiring a referral may include but are not limited to –
occluding wax, blood, pus, foreign bodies, unusual appearance of
the ear canal, unusual appearance of the eardrum, aural toilet
requirements of a diabetic adult.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
18606 version 2
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5.2
The referral procedure is in accordance with professional referral pathways and
with the results of the otoscopic examination and the needs and wishes of the
adult tested.
Range
5.3
The adult tested is referred to a relevant health professional in accordance with
the otoscopic examination results and their case history.
Range
5.4
needs and wishes may include but are not limited to – locality,
cultural needs, funding needs, funding limitations, availability of
professional support services.
results requiring a referral may include but are not limited to –
occluding wax, blood, pus, foreign bodies, unusual appearance of
the ear canal, unusual appearance of the eardrum, aural toilet
requirements of a diabetic adult;
case history may include but is not limited to - hearing loss that
has not been subjected to diagnostic tests, sudden hearing loss,
sudden deterioration in hearing level, sudden or rapid onset of
symptoms, unilateral or bilateral plugged sensation in the ear,
severe tinnitus, pulsatile tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo and nausea,
earache, fluctuating hearing level, family history.
The test results and the case history of the adult tested are communicated to
relevant health professionals in accordance with organisation’s policies and
procedures.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services Industry Training Organisation Limited
enquiries@cssito.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016