02-643-5 Me. Code R. § 5

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024

Section 643-5-5 - Supervision of Trainee Hearing Aid Dealers and Fitters

1.Qualifications of Supervisor

A supervising hearing aid dealer and fitter must be licensed in Maine and must have a minimum of 2 years professional experience following completion of the traineeship described in 32 M.R.S.A. §17301(2)(C) or a substantially similar traineeship completed in another jurisdiction. A supervising audiologist must be licensed in Maine and must have a minimum of 2 years professional experience following completion of the clinical practicum required by Chapter 3, Section 2 of the board's rules. The supervisor shall agree in writing on a form provided by the board to provide supervision pursuant to the laws and rules relating to hearing aid dealing and fitting and must be approved by the board as part of the trainee's application process.

2.Change of Supervisor

A. A trainee hearing aid dealer and fitter shall notify the board of a change of supervisor on a form provided by the board. Notice shall include the qualifications of the new supervisor. The new supervisor shall agree in writing on a form provided by the board to provide supervision pursuant to the laws and rules relating to hearing aid dealing and fitting. The change of supervisor is not effective until the new supervisor is approved by the board.

B. The supervisor of a trainee hearing aid dealer and fitter shall notify the board of the termination of the supervisory relationship no later than 10 days after the termination. The supervisor shall submit with the notice the documentation of supervision required by Chapter 6, Section 1 of the board's rules.

C. Upon termination of a supervisory relationship, the supervisee may not continue to perform the duties of a trainee hearing aid dealer and fitter until a new supervisor has been approved by the board as set forth in Section 5(2)(A) of this chapter.

[NOTE: The board urges supervisors and supervisees to submit the notices required by this subsection sufficiently in advance of an anticipated change of supervisor in order to avoid a break in permitted status of a trainee hearing aid dealer and fitter.]

3.One Supervisor Per Supervisee; Maximum Number of Supervisees

A. A supervisee may have not more than one approved supervisor.

B. A supervisor may be approved to supervise up to 2 trainee hearing aid dealers and fitters, provided that a supervisor may not supervise a total number of temporary licensees, trainee hearing aid dealers and fitters, speech-language pathology assistants and students in excess of the supervisor's ability to competently supervise such persons and also perform any direct client services for which the supervisor is responsible.

4.Direct Supervision of Trainee

A trainee hearing aid dealer and fitter may practice only under the direct supervision of an approved supervisor who meets the qualifications set forth in this chapter. Permissible tasks, under direct supervision, include but are not limited to making ear impressions, measuring human hearing, delivering and fitting a hearing aid, making follow-up adjustments, and giving instruction and counseling. In particular, and without limitation of the direct supervision requirement, a trainee may not independently:

A. Make any final determination concerning the interpretation of hearing aid test results; or

B. Determine which hearing aid is most appropriate for a particular user.

A supervising hearing aid dealer and fitter or audiologist is legally and ethically responsible for the work of a trainee under the licensee's supervision, and is legally and ethically responsible for the adjustment and servicing of any hearing aid sold with the participation of any such trainee.

02-643 C.M.R. ch. 5, § 5