Essentials of Modern Hearing Aids: Selection, Fitting, and Verification - Hardcover

Todd A. Ricketts; Ruth Bentler; H. Gustav Mueller

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1597568538 ISBN 13: 9781597568531

Publisher: Plural Publishing, Inc., 2017

Synopsis

Essentials of Modern Hearing Aids: Selection, Fitting, and Verification is a comprehensive textbook for graduate-level amplification courses in audiology programs. This is truly an "A to Z" textbook written with university faculty and their graduate students in mind. Topics include audiological pre-fitting testing, needs assessment and treatment planning, hearing aid selection, verification, orientation and counseling, post-fitting follow-up, and real-world validation.

The world-renowned authors have included numerous pre-fitting and post-fitting tests that can be conducted along with step-by-step protocols for their administration and scoring. They also review the selection of hearing aid styles and fitting arrangements, explain the process of obtaining an ear impression, and making critical decisions regarding earmolds and hearing aid plumbing. Essentials of Modern Hearing Aids provides guidance for selecting prescriptive fitting approaches and detailed protocols for the use of behavioral measures and real-ear speech mapping to both verify the fitting and assess special hearing aid features. Follow-up care and auditory training options also are reviewed, along with signal processing and technology.

Key Features:

• Included throughout the text are short paragraphs identified as "Technical Tips," "Key Concepts," "Things to Remember," "Points to Ponder," and "Soapbox" for quick reference.
• Interesting tidbits of information not quite relevant enough to include in the chapters, but yet too good to toss aside, are featured in the back of the text as "Endnotes."
• The text covers both foundation and direct clinical application.
• The veteran authors have over 100 years of combined experience in day-to-day patient care and clinical research.

Written in an accessible and easy-to-read style, this text includes not only reference information, but also tools supported by research and clinical experience. The information is presented in a way that is both accessible to clinical students with little experience in the field and with enough depth for even the serious hearing aid researcher. The text is also appropriate as a handy companion for busy clinicians a friendly resource where they can quickly find critical information needed for the next patient.

About this title

About the Author:

Todd A. Ricketts, PhD is a professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the director of graduate studies in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, and the director of the Dan Maddox Hearing Aid Research Laboratory. He is a fellow of the American Speech and Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology. Dr. Ricketts' research focuses on various aspects of hearing, hearing aids, and cochlear implants, and he has published more than 100 articles and book chapters on the topics.

Ruth Bentler, PhD is professor and chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorder at the University of Iowa. A native Iowan, Dr. Bentler did not stray far from her roots, as her 40-year professional career has been at the University of Iowa, where she also obtained her professional degrees. She is a fellow of the American Speech and Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology. As the director of the Hearing Aid Laboratory for Basic and Applied Research, Dr. Bentler has been involved in numerous research endeavors involving the effectiveness of modern hearing aid features. She teaches graduate courses related to hearing aids and adult auditory rehabilitation, and has published more than 100 articles and book chapters on the topic.

H. Gustav Mueller, PhD, is a Professor of Audiology at Vanderbilt University and holds faculty positions with the University of Northern Colorado and Rush University. He is the senior audiology consultant for the Sivantos Hearing Group and contributing editor for AudiologyOnline. Dr. Mueller is a founder of the American Academy of Audiology and a fellow of the American Speech and Hearing Association. He has published extensively in the areas of diagnostic audiology and hearing aid applications and has coauthored several books, including the Audiologists' Desk Reference (Volumes I and II), Fitting and Dispensing Hearing Aids (first edition), and Modern Hearing Aids (Volumes I and II).

Review:

"A text for the ages is how one can describe Essentials of Modern Hearing Aids . For one, the book is sure to stand a certain test of time. But more so, it is described as such, because the book is written for the different ages of man (or woman) (i.e. student, beginning clinician/practitioner, mid-level professional, or lifelong learner and educated teacher of students). Additionally, the content covers both the adult and paediatric populations regarding various aspects of amplification and, might I add, quite thoroughly. For a book that asserts in its title to cover the essentials, at a length of some 800-plus pages there is no telling how comprehensive the unabridged edition might have been.

In all seriousness though, the layout and flow of the textbook are progressive yet traditional. To me, its length means that hearing aids and, more importantly, their provision are not the simplest of matters when higher forms of quality delivery and patient care are carried out. The textbook begins with the foundation of evidence-based practice and then the chapters march through a series of conventional steps and processes in the provision of hearing aids. The steps and processes are written with up-to-date descriptions and recent supporting references from peer-review research. All of which creates a modern approach to hearing aids. . . .

I will close this review with a comment on available supplements to this textbook which sets it apart from other textbooks on hearing aids. The textbook includes access to a companion website with files to aid the lecturer in the creation of teaching material such as prepared slides of tables and figures. Availability on the companion website means more students in varied training programmes can receive the same high-quality educational material. Such material can lead to not only better-educated professionals but also more practicing professionals with a flexible repertoire of clinical abilities. Deservedly so, this textbook is worthy of the world as its stage. Its educational information and practical wisdom will guide you through the many ages of becoming and being an audiologist." --Earl Johnson,  US Department of Veterans Affairs, East Tennessee State University, Mountain Home, TN, USA in the International Journal of Audiology (Feb 2019)

About this edition

• Publisher: Plural Publishing, Inc.
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1597568538
• ISBN 13: 9781597568531
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 1000