Dimensions of Multiskilling: Considerations for Educational Audiology

Area of Science:

• Educational Audiology
• Healthcare Personnel Training

Background:

• Educational audiologists frequently delegate tasks to support personnel.
• Support personnel require specific training to perform audiology-related tasks under supervision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss multiskilling and the utilization of support personnel in educational audiology.
• To provide guidelines, models, and best practices for implementing multiskilling.

Main Methods:

• The article reviews principles of multiskilling, including guidelines and models.
• It examines components for successful multiskilling implementation.
• A hearing aid monitoring program is used as a case illustration.

Main Results:

• Multiskilling enables support personnel to perform delegated audiology tasks effectively.
• Successful implementation requires adherence to guidelines and best practices.
• A hearing aid monitoring program demonstrates the practical application of multiskilling.

Conclusions:

• Multiskilling and the use of trained support personnel can significantly enhance audiology service delivery in schools.
• This approach benefits school-aged children with hearing loss by improving access to care.