(1) The department, with the recommendation of the board, shall approve an application submitted by an audiologist or speech-language pathologist for supervision of an audiology or speech-language pathology assistant when:

Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 38-520

  • Audiologist: means an individual who practices audiology and who presents himself or herself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words audiologist, hearing clinician, or hearing therapist or any similar title or description of services. See Nebraska Statutes 38-503
  • Board: means the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. See Nebraska Statutes 38-504
  • Practice of audiology: means the application of evidence-based practice in clinical decisionmaking for the prevention, assessment, habilitation, rehabilitation, and maintenance of persons with hearing, auditory function, and vestibular function impairments and related impairments, including (1) cerumen removal from the cartilaginous outer one-third portion of the external auditory canal when the presence of cerumen may affect the accuracy of hearing evaluations or impressions of the ear canal for amplification devices and (2) evaluation, selection, fitting, and dispensing of hearing instruments, external processors of implantable hearing instruments, and assistive technology devices as part of a comprehensive audiological rehabilitation program. See Nebraska Statutes 38-507
  • Speech-language pathologist: means an individual who presents himself or herself to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words speech-language pathologist, speech therapist, speech correctionist, speech clinician, language pathologist, language therapist, language clinician, logopedist, communicologist, aphasiologist, aphasia therapist, voice pathologist, voice therapist, voice clinician, phoniatrist, or any similar title, term, or description of services. See Nebraska Statutes 38-509

(a) The audiology or speech-language pathology assistant meets the requirements for registration pursuant to section 38-519 ;

(b) The audiologist or speech-language pathologist has a valid Nebraska license or a privilege to practice audiology or speech-language pathology under the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact; and

(c) The audiologist or speech-language pathologist practices in Nebraska.

(2) Any audiologist or speech-language pathologist seeking approval for supervision of an audiology or speech-language pathology assistant shall submit an application which is signed by the audiology or speech-language pathology assistant and the audiologist or speech-language pathologist with whom he or she is associated. Such application shall (a) identify the settings within which the audiology or speech-language pathology assistant is authorized to practice, (b) describe the agreed-upon functions that the audiology or speech-language pathology assistant may perform as provided in section 38-523, and (c) describe the provision for supervision by an alternate audiologist or speech-language pathologist when necessary.

(3) If the supervision of an audiology or speech-language pathology assistant is terminated by the audiologist, speech-language pathologist, or audiology or speech-language pathology assistant, the audiologist or speech-language pathologist shall notify the department of such termination. An audiologist or speech-language pathologist who thereafter assumes the responsibility for such supervision shall obtain a certificate of approval to supervise an audiology or speech-language pathology assistant from the department prior to the use of the audiology or speech-language pathology assistant in the practice of audiology or speech-language pathology.