Clinician-developed modifiable script to support informational counselling during real-ear measurements

The purpose of this study was to have experienced audiologists identify the key ideas to convey to clients about real-ear measurement (REM) verification and create a modifiable script to use for REM informational counselling. A modified concept mapping design was used. Seventeen experienced audiologists participated in one or more research activities: brainstorming individual counselling statements; rating statements on importance and feasibility; and discussing in a focus group how the statements can be used in a counselling script. Brainstorming generated 227 statements. Researchers cleaned, combined, and recirculated the statements to participants for further ideas, resulting in 136 statements for sorting and rating. Sorting yielded eight categories: Other uses of the hearing aid (HA) test system (11 statements); Purpose of REM (24 statements); Description of procedure (14 statements); Personalisation of hearing aids (14 statements); Setting expectations (21 statements); Speech map stimulus levels (17 statements); Client preparation (19 statements); and On-screen orientation (16 statements). After rating and discussion in the focus group, the final script included 57 statements. This study identified the key ideas to convey during REM informational counselling and produced a modifiable script that individuals can use when conducting REM.