The Florida Senate

484.0445  Training program.--

(1)  The board shall establish by rule a training program not to exceed 6 months in length, which may include a board-approved home study course. Upon submitting to the department the registration fee, the applicant may register and enter the training program. Upon completion of the training program, the trainee shall take the first available written and practical examinations offered by the department. The department shall administer the written and practical examinations as prescribed by board rule. If the trainee fails either the written or the practical examination, she or he may repeat the training program one time and retake the failed examination, provided she or he takes the next available examination. No person may remain in trainee status or further perform any services authorized for a trainee if she or he fails either the written or the practical examination twice; but, a trainee may continue to function as a trainee until she or he has received the results of the examinations. Any applicant who has failed an examination twice and is no longer functioning as a trainee shall be eligible for reexamination as provided in s. 484.045(2).

(2)  A trainee shall perform the functions of a hearing aid specialist in accordance with board rules only under the direct supervision of a licensed hearing aid specialist. The term "direct supervision" means that the sponsor is responsible for all work being performed by the trainee. The sponsor or a hearing aid specialist designated by the sponsor shall give final approval to work performed by the trainee and shall be physically present at the time the hearing aid is delivered to the client.

(3)  The board may limit pursuant to rule the number of trainees a hearing aid specialist may supervise.

(4)  The board may, by rule, require that a licensed hearing aid specialist acting as a sponsor or as the designee of a sponsor under this section be certified by the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences.

History.--ss. 5, 20, ch. 86-283; s. 2, ch. 87-47; s. 35, ch. 88-392; s. 60, ch. 89-374; s. 1, ch. 90-38; s. 22, ch. 90-341; s. 11, ch. 90-345; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 158, ch. 94-119; s. 452, ch. 97-103; s. 6, ch. 2000-154.