Audiologist and Audiometrist - what is the difference?
There are a number of different professional groups working in hearing care in New Zealand. The two groups represented by the New Zealand Audiological Society are audiometrists and audiologists. You will find a brief description about these two professions below.
MNZAS Audiologists
- Have completed a post-graduate qualification in Audiology
- Maintain continual professional development to stay current within the profession
- Work with clients of all ages from infants to older adults, including clients with complex needs
- Assess hearing, auditory, vestibular (balance) and neural function, including tinnitus and auditory processing
- Perform diagnostic assessments, including electrophysiological methods
- Provide aural, vestibular (balance) and tinnitus (re)habilitation as well as communication training
- Collaborate with other professions in their application and (re)habilitation
- Provide a range of (re)habilitation services including counselling and the prescription and fitting of devices/aids including
- bone conduction aids
- earplugs (custom noise/swim/musicians plugs)
- FM and other remote microphone systems
- hearing aids
- hearing assistive devices (eg smoke detectors and baby alarms)
- Implantable devices (cochlear implants, implantable hearing aids, bone anchored hearing aids
- Can access hearing aid funding from the Ministry of Health, ACC and Veterans’ Affairs.
NZAS Audiometrists
- Have completed a recognised qualification in audiometry
- Maintain continual professional development to stay current within the profession
- Work with clients aged 16 years and over with non-complex hearing loss
- Work with clients with complex needs with mentoring and support from an MNZAS audiologist
- Assess hearing and auditory function, including tinnitus
- Perform diagnostic assessments
- Provide aural (re)habilitation as well as communication training
- Provide tinnitus (re)habilitation in conjunction with hearing aid fitting
- Collaborate with other professionals in their applications in (re)habilitation
- Provide a range of (re)habilitation services including counselling and the prescription and fitting of devices and aids including:
- bone conduction aids
- earplugs (custom noise/swim/musician plugs)
- FM and other remote microphone systems
- hearing aids
- Hearing assistive technology (eg smoke alarms and baby alarms)
- Can access hearing aid funding from the Ministry of Health