MSc/PGDip Advanced Audiology Studies / Course details

This unit will provide you with in-depth systematic knowledge and comprehensive understanding about behavioural and electrophysiological auditory assessment for the paediatric population from newborns to the age of transition to adult services.

The unit aims to enable you to analyse and synthesise your understanding of knowledge and perform hearing assessment of paediatric patients, demonstrating the attitudes and behaviours necessary for the role of a audiology professional within a paediatric patient focused service and in particular you will able to appropriately modify behavioural and electrophysiological auditory assessment to the needs of the patient and test battery required.

• Esteem lectures by leading experts in the field, webinars.
• Directed and self-directed reading.
• Cinically-integrated learning: on-line case studies, reports and reflective logs based on clinical practice.
• Discussion-based learning: on-line discussion boards and workshops.
• Group/team-based learning: on-line wiki tasks.
• Enquiry-based learning: on-line small scale investigations, reverse case studies.
• Experience-based learning: sharing patients’ perspectives.

• Demonstrate knowledge with behavioural hearing assessment to children at the full range of developmental stages.
• Demonstrate knowledge of techniques / methodologies applicable to perform electrophysiological audiological investigations in paediatric patients presenting in a range of audiological settings.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the range of assessments and which are suitable to the demands of the clinical question being asked.
• Demonstrate knowledge of communication and counselling to explain the procedures, outcomes and limitations of a range of audiology assessments.
• Show knowledge of how the outcomes and limitations of the subjective and objective hearing assessments affect hearing aid prescribing and other rehabilitative approaches.

• Critically evaluate and independently apply your knowledge with respect to quality assessment of test outcomes.
• Manage the ethical dilemmas of testing and consent and work pro-actively with others to formulate solutions.
• Critically reflect on the complexity of social and psychological impacts on individual engagement with health providers.
• Critically evaluate the research literature with respect to emerging hearing assessment methods.

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of current research and its application to the performance of a range of technical skills.
• Critically reflect and apply in practice a range of clinical and communication skills to advise and communicate effectively with patients, their families, carers and other healthcare professionals.
• Demonstrate practical skills in modifying behaviourals and electrophysiological hearing assessments to optimise testing in challenging test conditions.
• Engage with patients and other members of the multi-disciplinary team to select the most appropriate hearing assessment battery to best meet their needs in all paediatric patient groups.

• Critically reflect on your own response to both normal and complex situations within the limits of professional competence referring as appropriate to senior staff.
• Recognise the importance of effective multidisciplinary team input to evaluating the validity of hearing assessment within the context of behavioural observation.
• Recognise that urgent medical treatment may be required and refer appropriately.
• Appreciate the value of listening empathetically and positively to the problems and fears of the patient, families and carers and respond accordingly.
• Be committed to and support continuous improvement of diagnostic services, with particular reference to auditing practice, evidence based practice, innovation, new and improved technologies.
• Critically reflect on your own response to both normal and complex situations within the limits of professional competence referring as appropriate to senior staff.
• Take into account social, cultural and ethical boundaries, making alternative arrangements where necessary.

Written feedback. 

Clarke, R. 2008. Part 12: Paediatric otorhinolaryngology. In: Gleeson, M. et al. Scott-Brown’s Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (Vol. 1). 7th ed. London: Hodder Arnold.