Increasing efficacy for nursing staff via mastery training for hearing aid care

• New hearing aid users must acquire knowledge in order to care and maintain their instruments, but knowledge alone may be insufficient. Self-efficacy is needed to implement knowledge. Mastery experiences are an important component of self-efficacy (Smith et. al, 2006);

• Self-efficacy is also important for those who are involved in the care of another. Consider that in elder-care or assisted-living facilities, daily hearing aid care and maintenance often is delegated to staff members who are not trained regarding hearing loss or hearing aid care and maintenance (Alford et. al, 2010);

• Current research reflects the third phase in ongoing research addressing self-efficacy. Earlier work indicated that training programs increased knowledge but not self-efficacy (Alford et. al, 2010);

• To help target appropriate topics for inclusion in the training program, three facility residents were surveyed regarding hearing aid assistance received from nursing staff.