Phonak ABCs of eAudiology #4: 10 Steps to Employee Training
The Phonak ABCs of eAudiology is a handbook of step-by-step guides for incorporating eAudiology and Phonak eSolutions into daily hearing care practice. Each guide has been written by a renowned international expert in this field. A comprehensive range of considerations have been broken down into easy-to-follow steps towards practice implementation. Following the 10 steps in this series of implementation guides could see hearing care professionals up and running with eAudiology services in your practice very soon, benefiting from improved workflows and cost savings, providing your clients quality care in a way which is most convenient to them.
There are benefits to offering eAudiology as a service delivery option for clients, as it expands our ability to help people address their hearing challenges and improve their quality of life. As hearing care professionals, however, it is not uncommon to feel uncertain about how to add eAudiology to your practice.
Where to start?
Step 1
Identify one or two people at your workplace who can collaborate with you in the development of a strategic plan to incorporate eAudiology into your practice.
Step 2
Make a list of the people that need training in your practice.
Step 3
Identify the specific training needs of each individual, including determining the knowledge and/or confidence gaps that need to be addressed.
Step 4
Identify barriers to training. Barriers can be related to thoughts (eg, fears, perceptions), environmental factors (eg, space, logistics), and knowledge and/or skill deficits.
Step 5
Work together to develop an action plan to address identified barriers. Use SMART goals to guide the process: Specific—Measurable—Attainable—Relevant—Timebound.
Step 6
Identify resources and mentors to support the learning process and implementation of eAudiology in your practice.
Step 7
Take time to practice delivering eAudiology in a safe environment to gain confidence. This can be role playing with one another and mock trials in-house.
Step 8
Identify one or two clients to try eAudiology with that you think would be motivated and willing to offer you feedback on the process.
Step 9
Have regular team meetings and document your progress—together, determine next steps needed to advance the implementation of your plan.
Step 10
If needed, adjust your goals along the way so you continue to make progress, and be sure to celebrate your progress. Each small step takes you closer to the goal of incorporating eAudiology as a service delivery option for your clients.
To download a PDF of the article, please click here: 10 Steps to Employee Training
Are you up to the challenge?
Get your team together, make a list of the people on your team, and schedule a meeting!
Other Articles in the Phonak ABCs of eAudiology series below:
| 1. | Licensure and Stakeholder Support | William Campbell |
| 2. | Optimizing Your eAudiology Environment | Danielle Glista, PhD |
| 3. | Clinical Applications and Feedback Provision | Gurjit Singh, PhD |
| 4. | Employee Training | Karen Muñoz, EdD |
| 5. | Scheduling and Reimbursement | Rachel Higginbotham, AuD |
| 6. | Technology and Connectivity | Jean Anne Schnittker, AuD |
| 7. | Talking to Clients about eAudiology | Gina Angley, AuD |
| 8. | Client Selection and Other Considerations | Evelyn Davies-Venn, PhD |
| 9. | Family-centered Care and eAudiology | Joseph Montano, EdD |
| 10. | Record Keeping and Data Protection | William Campbell |
About the Author: Karen Muñoz, EdD, CCC-A
, is a professor of audiology and the interim department head in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education at Utah State University. She worked as a clinical audiologist and provided clinical supervision for audiology graduate students for 17 years before beginning her academic career in 2007. She conducts research related to patient and family-centered care and understanding parent and professional factors that facilitate/interfere with outcomes for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and learning to communicate using spoken language.
