AIHA University Live Online PDC: Advocate for Hearing: Key Opportunities to Advance Hearing Loss Prevention
Earn 3.5 Contact Hours
Member $295 | Nonmember $395 | Student $295
Noise is complex, both as a health hazard and as an interference to communication, which can make delivering hearing conservation programs a challenge. This PDC is focused on three concepts: advocating for hearing, attenuation of hearing protectors, and audibility needs. The PDC is designed to help advance hearing loss prevention featuring key best practices, such as incorporating hearing protector fit testing to understand hearing protector fit and attenuation, assessing audibility needs for hearing protector selection and use, and adopting a Total Hearing Health approach. Instructors will review hearing protector fitting techniques, research findings that support best practices and present practical solutions to hearing conservation challenges. Registrants will be provided with a PDF version of the AIHA Noise Manual, 6th edition.
Learning Objectives
After this online PDC, participants will be able to:
- Describe two hearing loss prevention best practices reviewed in this PDC.
- List three benefits of hearing protector fit testing.
- Compare the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) to the Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR).
- Define audibility and describe how improving signal-to-noise ratio applies to communicating in noise.
Schedule (Eastern Time)
- 12:00 PM – Course Starts
- TBD – 15-minute Break
- 3:45 PM – Course Concludes
Presenters
Beverley A. Borst, MA, BScN, RN, COHN(C)
Bev Borst is a senior technical specialist with 3M Hearing Solutions, Personal Safety Division. By profession, Bev is a registered nurse and certified occupational health nurse. She has been with 3M Canada for 28 years, prior to which she worked as a registered nurse for 14 years in Ontario healthcare facilities. Her expertise spans hearing conservation, hearing protection devices and fit testing of hearing protectors. As well as being 3M Canada’s leading authority on hearing loss prevention, she has global responsibility supporting the 3M hearing portfolio for earplugs and earmuffs. Bev has conducted multiple seminars on hearing conservation across Canada and the US. Currently, Bev serves as a technical member of CSA Z94.2 Hearing Protection Devices Standard, Z1007 Hearing Loss Prevention Program Management Standard and CSA Vice-Chair for the Occupational Hearing Conservation Technical Committee.
Laurie Wells, Au.D., ABAC, CPS/A
Laurie Wells is a board-certified audiologist and Division Scientist, Application Engineering and Regulatory Affairs Specialist with 3M Personal Safety Division. She works with hearing protection and hearing loss prevention standards and regulatory issues globally. Prior to 3M, Dr. Wells worked for a consulting firm, Associates In Acoustics, Inc. as Manager of Audiology. The experience of directly interacting with workers at their jobsites as well as consulting with corporate level health and safety professionals has allowed her to integrate real-world issues with policy making to help shape effective preventive practices. Dr. Wells served twelve years on the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC), representing the American Academy of Audiology. She held the offices of Vice-Chair of Education, CAOHC Council Chair, and Past Chair. She also served several years on the board of the National Hearing Conservation Association, including holding the offices of Secretary, Program Chair, President, and Past President. Currently, she is co-coordinator of the NORA Cross Sector for Hearing Loss Prevention and is on the Safe-in-Sound award review panel committee.
**This live event will be administered in our LMS through zoom meeting. Please view our FAQ for additional information.**
