2005 Idaho Code - 54-2903 — DEFINITIONS

                                  TITLE  54
                    PROFESSIONS, VOCATIONS, AND BUSINESSES
                                  CHAPTER 29
                   SPEECH AND HEARING SERVICES PRACTICE ACT
    54-2903.  DEFINITIONS. As used in this chapter:
    (1)  "Applicant" means a person applying for a license or permit under
this chapter.
    (2)  "Audiologist" means a natural person who meets the requirements of
this chapter, is duly licensed in accordance with this chapter and is engaged
in the practice of audiology.
    (3)  "Board" means the speech and hearing services licensure board.
    (4)  "Bureau" means the bureau of occupational licenses.
    (5)  "Department" means the department of self-governing agencies.
    (6)  "Hearing aid" means any wearable electronic instrument or other
device designed for the purpose of aiding or compensating for impaired human
hearing and any parts, attachments or accessories, including earmolds attached
to the hearing aid, but excluding batteries and cords. "Hearing aid" does not
include those devices classified by the federal drug administration as
assistive listening devices.
    (7)  "Hearing aid dealer and fitter" means a person licensed pursuant to
this chapter to provide hearing aid evaluations and to sell, dispense and fit
hearing aids in the state of Idaho.
    (8)  "Hearing aid evaluation" means the measurement of human hearing for
the purpose of selecting or adapting a hearing aid, and not for obtaining
medical diagnosis or legal documentation, and includes the following:
    (a)  Air conduction threshold testing;
    (b)  Bone conduction threshold testing;
    (c)  Speech reception threshold testing;
    (d)  Speech discrimination testing;
    (e)  Most comfortable loudness level testing; and
    (f)  Uncomfortable loudness level testing.
    (9)  "Improper fitting" means a pattern of hearing aid selections or
adaptations which cause physical damage to any portion of the ear, in which
the electroacoustic characteristics of the hearing aid are inadequate for the
consumer, or in which the hearing aid is physically or acoustically unsuited
to the consumer including, but not limited to:
    (a)  An all-in-the-ear hearing aid which continually falls out of the ear;
    (b)  Any hearing aid or earmold which causes inappropriate feedback, pain
    or discomfort to the ear within thirty (30) days of the original delivery
    of the hearing aid to the consumer;
    (c)  Fitting a consumer with impacted cerumen; or
    (d)  Fitting a consumer with either an apparent unilateral sensorineural
    hearing loss or a significant air-bone gap without prior medical
    evaluation and approval.
    (10) "License" means a license issued by the board under this chapter
authorizing practice as a speech-language pathologist, audiologist, or hearing
aid dealer and fitter.
    (11) "Practice of audiology" means to apply the principles, methods and
procedures of measurement, evaluation, testing, counseling, consultation and
instruction that relate to the development and disorders of hearing,
vestibular functions and related language and speech disorders to prevent,
modify or rehabilitate the disorders or to assist individuals in auditory and
related skills for communication, and may include intraoperative monitoring
and the fitting, adjustment, programming, selling and dispensing of hearing
aids and assistive devices.
    (12) "Practice of fitting and dealing in hearing aids" means the
selection, adaptation, dispensing, fitting or sale of hearing aids, and
includes the testing of hearing by means of an audiometer, or by any other
device designed specifically for these purposes. The practice also includes
the making of impressions for earmolds.
    (13) "Practice of speech-language pathology" means the application of
principles, methods and procedures of measurement, evaluation, testing,
counseling, rehabilitation, screening, consultation and instruction that
relate to the development and disorders of human communication including, but
not limited to, speech (articulation, fluency, voice, accent reduction) and
language, swallowing, cognitive communication disorders, augmentative and
alternative communication systems and related hearing disorders.
    (14) "Provisional permit" means a permit issued to an applicant who is
registered to obtain required experience to become licensed.
    (15) "Speech-language pathologist" means a natural person who meets the
requirements of this chapter, is duly licensed in accordance with this
chapter, and who engages in the practice of speech-language pathology.
    (16) "Speech-language pathologist aide" means a natural person who meets
the requirements of this chapter, is duly licensed in accordance with this
chapter, and who works under the direction and supervision of a
speech-language pathologist. A speech-language pathologist aide shall not act
or provide services independently of a supervising speech-language pathologist
licensed in Idaho.
    (17) "Speech-language pathologist assistant" means a natural person who
meets the requirements of this chapter, is duly licensed in accordance with
this chapter, and works under the direction and supervision of a
speech-language pathologist. A speech-language pathologist assistant shall not
act or provide services independently of a supervising speech-language
pathologist licensed in Idaho.