Nevada Hearing Aid Dispensing Requirements

The profession of hearing aid dispenser is regulated at the state level and each state maintains its own standards for licensure or registration.

Initial Licensure Requirements

• Be a citizen of the United States or is lawfully entitled to remain in the United States
• Be over 21 years of age
• Have met educational requirement
  • An associate's degree or higher degree from an accredited college or university in hearing aid technology, audioprosthology, or other curriculum approved by the Board which includes the testing of hearing and the dispensing and modification of hearing aids;
  • A bachelor's degree or higher degree in any field and satisfactory completion of the independent study course of the National Institute for Hearing Instrument Studies; or
  • A master's degree in clinical audiology from an accredited college or university.
• Have met certification requirement
  • Be certified by the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences; or
  • Obtain a certificate of clinical competence in audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Have passed a written and practical exam

Reciprocity

Licensing reciprocity is not addressed in the law/regulations.

Continuing Education

A licensee shall complete 12 hours of continuing education relating to the fitting of hearing aids each year in a program which has been approved by the Board, National Institute for Hearing Instrument Studies, American Academy of Audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Academy of Dispensing Audiologists or Educational Audiology Association.

Audiologist Dispensing

Audiologists who dispense must obtain a Hearing Aid Specialist license.

Board Composition

The Board of Hearing Aid Specialists, consisting of five members appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall appoint: One member who is a physician with a specialty in otorhinolaryngology or otology; One member who is licensed to engage in the practice of audiology; One member who is a hearing aid specialist; Two members who are representatives of the general public and have hearing disorders. These members must not be: a hearing aid specialist, a physician with a specialty in otorhinolaryngology or otology or a person licensed to engage in the practice of audiology; or the spouse or the parent or child, by blood, marriage or adoption, of a hearing aid specialist, a physician with a specialty in otorhinolaryngology or otology or a person licensed to engage in the practice of audiology.

Facilities, Procedures and Instrumentation

Proof of calibration for each audiometer used by the licensee for the testing of clients must be provided during license renewal.

A licensee shall take the pertinent case history of, and perform personally the following minimum procedures bilaterally on, each prospective candidate for a hearing aid:

• Pure tone audiometry, including air conduction testing and bone conduction testing through an annually calibrated system
• Live voice, only if a separate sound-treated room is available, or recorded voice audiometry, including speech reception threshold testing, most comfortable and uncomfortable level testing, and speech discrimination testing presented through a speech audiometer.
• Effective masking, when applicable
• Before a hearing test and an ear impression is performed, an otoscopic examination of the ear canal in which the tympanic membrane is visualized
• After an ear impression is performed, an otoscopic examination in which the tympanic membrane is visualized

Trial Period

30 days from date of delivery.

Mail Order

A hearing aid specialist may sell hearing aids by catalog or mail if:

• The hearing aid specialist has received a written statement signed by a physician, an advanced practitioner of nursing, an audiologist or a hearing aid specialist which verifies that he or she has performed an otoscopic examination of that person and that the results of the examination indicate that the person may benefit from the use of a hearing aid;
• The hearing aid specialist has received a written statement signed by a physician, audiologist or a hearing aid specialist which verifies that he or she has performed an audiometric examination of that person and that the results of the examination indicate that the person may benefit from the use of a hearing aid;
• The hearing aid specialist has received a written statement signed by a hearing aid specialist which verifies that an ear impression has been taken; and
• The person has signed a statement acknowledging that the licensee is selling him or her the hearing aid by catalog or mail based upon the information submitted by the person.

A hearing aid specialist who sells hearing aids by catalog or mail shall maintain a record of each sale of a hearing aid made pursuant to this section for not less than 5 years.

Resources

The information contained herein was collected and summarized annually. For detailed information on hearing aid dispenser requirements, contact the state board and visit this website:

Hearing Aid Specialists Laws and Regulations

Questions regarding this document? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.