Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 5, February 29, 2024
(1) Each person whose
qualification to hold a license for the purpose of dealing in and fitting hearing
instruments is subject to Code of Ala. 1975, §
34-14-1,
et seq. and shall attend, or complete an approved
substitute for attendance, a minimum of ten (10) hours of approved continuing
professional education each calendar year.
(a)
Credit shall be given only for continuing education approved by the board. Such
approval shall be sought at least thirty days prior to the commencement of the
continuing education course, but such credit may be given retroactively.
(b) Beginning January 1, 2022, the number of hours
required means that the licensee must actually attend twenty (20) instructional
hours of continuing education every two (2) years with no credit given for
introductory remarks, meal breaks even when the instruction occurs during meal
periods, or business meetings unless business meetings are being used as
instructional opportunities by the Board. An instructional hour will in all events
contain no less than sixty (60) minutes of actual instruction. Notwithstanding,
annual renewals continue as per 445-X-1-.03(5) Renewal of Licenses.
(2) The following standards shall
govern the approval of continuing education credits by the board.
(a) The activity's primary objective shall be to
increase the professional competence of hearing instrument dealers, dispensers, and
fitters. It shall not be designed primarily for those outside the
profession.
(b) The activity shall deal
primarily with areas necessary to the professional competence of licensees, or the
professional responsibility and ethical obligations of licensees.
(c) Unless the Board gives written notice to each
licensed dispenser prior to the date thereof, courses offered by the following are
recognized by the Board as means of acquiring hours to meet the requirement of
continuing education for license renewal provided the courses are directly related
to the professional growth and development of hearing aid dispensers.
1. International Institute for Hearing Instrument
Studies.
2. International Hearing
Society.
3. Alabama Society of Hearing
Healthcare Providers.
4. American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
5.
Alabama Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
6. American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and
Neck Surgery, Inc.
7. Alabama Academy of
Audiology.
8. College courses taken for
credit or through official audit or seminars sponsored by such colleges.
(d) All educational opportunities other
than those offered by various state approved/sanctioned academies, societies and
associations require prior approval from the Board prior to the scheduled date of
such program. Applications for approval must include sponsor, date, location,
subjects, scope, instructors, qualifications of instructors, and classroom hours for
each subject.
(3) A hearing
aid dispenser or hearing aid specialist must obtain a minimum of twenty (20) hours
of continuing education. Beginning January 1, 2022, six (6) mandatory directed hours
are required to be submitted as part of the two (2) year reporting cycle. Mandatory
continuing education hours must include: two (2) hours must be in the
medical/hearing healthcare, two (2) hours must be in jurisprudence (Alabama laws and
rules) and ethics, two (2) hours must be in patient care/management. These hours
must be resident in-person hours, or Board approved video/virtual live hours with no
credit given for non-resident training (e-learning or online courses). These hours
must be included as part of the twenty (20) hour requirement in the two (2) year
reporting period in which they are obtained. The remainder of hours may be obtained
as product specific, hearing healthcare related or on the topic of practice building
and may be obtained either through residence or nonresident training.
(a) Approved areas of study to satisfy the two (2)
hours in the medical/hearing healthcare area are:
1. Anatomy and physiology
2. Diseases of the ear
3. Disease control
4. Otoscopy
(b) Approved areas of study to satisfy the two (2)
hours in patient care/management are:
1.
Audiometric Testing and Real Ear Measurements
2. Verification/Validation
3. Counseling/Rehabilitation
4. Impressions of the ear
5. Fitting/Dispensing
(c) Approved areas of study to satisfy the two (2)
hours in jurisprudence must include:
1.
Code of Ala. 1975, Chapter 14 Title 34 (Alabama
Laws)
2. Alabama Administrative Code
Chapter 445-X-1 (Alabama Rules)
3.
Business and Personal Ethics and/or Contract Law and/or HIPPA
(4) The method of reporting continuing
education shall be as follows:
(a) Each licensed
hearing aid dispenser or hearing aid specialist shall be responsible for maintaining
certificates of attendance or International Hearing Society (IHS) official
transcripts (and supporting documentation as appropriate) for continuing education
courses taken to satisfy the requirements for continuing education for a period of
four (4) years from the date of attendance;
(b) Prior to January 30 of each, two (2) year
reporting cycle, originals or official transcripts of required continuing education
credit hours must be forwarded to the Alabama Board of Hearing Instrument Dealers
Board for review.
(c) In the event a
licensee fails to submit proper certification of completed continuing education
requirements or other documentation required for license renewal, the application
will not be processed until all continuing education requirements are met.
(d) A licensee who fails to meet the continuing
education requirements shall be subject to disciplinary actions by the Board.
Notwithstanding, in the event of unforeseen catastrophic events, whether acts of
God, societal or health crises, the Board reserves the right, as it deems necessary,
to extend the deadline for any reporting cycle with proper notifications as required
to the State as well as hearing aid dispensers and hearing aid
specialists.
Author: Hearing Instrument Dealers Board
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975, §
34-14-11(4).
