Upcoming CAOHC Certification and Recertification Courses

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 319-640-4254 OR SEND AN EMAIL (ON THE ABOUT US PAGE)

Location:  Unity Point Health-St. Luke's Hospital's Chemical Dependency Services Bldg.

810 First Avenue NE  Cedar Rapids, IA  52404

Location: Unity Point Health-St. Luke's Hospital's Chemical Dependency Services Bldg.

810 First  Avenue NE  Cedar Rapids, IA  52404

Certification Course:  This two and one half day workshop is appropriate for individuals who are seeking education in all areas of Occupational Hearing Conservation.   The course includes both lecture and hands on learning, designed to prepare students to take the standardized exam for certification as an Audiometric Technician by CAOHC (Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation)) at the end of the course.   

Topics covered in the course include :

An overview of Hearing Conservation Programs,  Anatomy, Physiology and Diseases of the Ear, Physics of Sound, Noise Measurement, Control and Effects of Noise on Hearing, Federal and State Regulations, The Audiometer and Test Environment, Audiometric Testing and Techniques with strategies for difficult to test individuals, Audiogram Review and Employee Follow Up, Recordkeeping, Employee Motivation and Training, Personal Hearing Protection Devices, Medical Referral Criteria, and the Unique Role of the Occupational Hearing Conservationist.   Hands on learning includes guided practice with audiometers, otoscopy and hearing protection device fitting techniques.

Registration Fee: $600.00

• Registration fees include program materials, CAOHC certification fees, the latest edition of the CAOHC manual, continental breakfast each day, lunch on the two full days, snacks and beverages, and CEU's for nursing.  (Participants must attend the entire course to receive eligibility for CEU's)

Recertification Course:  This one-day workshop is appropriate for individuals who have CAOHC certification.  Recertification is required by CAOHC within 5 years of the initial certification date.  If your certification will expire prior to the course, you may be eligible for an extension.  You may contact CAOHC to determine if you are eligible for an extension by visiting the CAOHC website.   The course includes both lecture and hands on learning, designed to provide a review as well as prepare students to take the standardized exam for recertification as an Audiometric Technician by CAOHC at the end of the course.

Topics covered in the course include:

Audiometric Testing and Techniques, with strategies for difficult to test individuals, Federal and State Regulations, Audiogram Review and Employee Follow Up, Recordkeeping, Employee Motivation and Training, Personal Hearing Protection Devices, and a review of the Unique Role of the Occupational Hearing Conservationist.   Hands on learning includes guided refresher/practice with audiometers, otoscopy and hearing protection device fitting techniques.  

Registration Fee: $375.00

Registration fees include program materials, CAOHC recertification fees, continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages, and CEU fees for nursing.  (Participants must attend the entire course to receive eligibility for CEU's)

COURSE DIRECTOR:  Christine Pernetti has been a licensed audiologist since 1985.  Her past experience  includes clinical audiology and hearing aid dispensing.  Since 2000, she has focused her professional career on Occupational Audiology.  She was the Occupational Audiologist at Unity Point St. Luke's Hospital's Work Well Clinic for 17 years, managing the Hearing Conservation Program.  In this role, she served as the Professional Supervisor and Reviewer for hundreds of companies with OSHA and MSHA Hearing Conservation Programs throughout Iowa, overseeing the mobile hearing testing programs for both St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids and Allen Hospital in Waterloo.  In addition to these responsibilities, she also provided training, sound surveys, custom hearing protection, consultation in OSHA regulations and Work Comp claims for hearing loss and tinnitus.  She has a unique understanding of the role of the audiometric technician, having spent many years doing mobile hearing testing.  In 2018 she became the CEO of Iowa Hearing Conservation, Inc., where she provides the same comprehensive range of Occupational Audiology Services to companies throughout the state of Iowa, as well as other areas of the midwest.  

ADDITIONAL FACULTY:  Marlys Nelson, RN, COHN-S, COHC,.  Marlys has worked for Onsite Hearing Services at Unity Point-Allen Hospital as an Occupational Health nurse for decades, and has been a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist since 1988.