World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. In this case study we hear from Jennifer Baxendale, who works at the Royal Oldham Hospital as Adult Audiology Team Leader. The Royal Oldham Hospital is part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which is a member of the Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network and the newly formed Greater Manchester Physiological Sciences Network
Name
Jennifer Baxendale
Job title
Adult Audiology Team Leader
What is your area of expertise?
Complex hearing/listening problems, tinnitus and vestibular rehabilitation.
How did you develop skills in this area?
I joined the world of Audiology after completing a degree in Psychology. I was given the opportunity to train as both an Audiologist by the North West School of Audiology and a Hearing Therapist at Bristol University.
Over the last 22 years I have specialised in Auditory Rehabilitation attending courses, conferences and in-house training, developing a strong in-depth knowledge which has greatly benefited our patients.
Why did you choose a career in your specialist area?
I kind of fell into Audiology, I always knew I wanted to help people but was uncertain which career to choose. Following my degree I was sat on a train, after a long day temping in Manchester, reading the free M.E.N newspaper which they gave out, when I spotted the advert ‘train to be a Hearing Therapist’. It leapt off the page! I was lucky to be offered the post and have not looked back since. It’s a career I thoroughly enjoy, thoroughly get and if I was starting out today, I would choose this!
In a nutshell it is a mixture of counselling/coaching and physics!
What does a typical day involve?
I am usually in clinic before 8am so I start the day with lots of ‘good mornings’ and a brew! Quick check of my emails and an hour's admin before clinic starts at 9am. These tend to be more of the complex patients so its using my counselling skills of asking questions and listening to get to the route of the issues the patient is having. Then it is either practical solution of fitting a hearing aid or goal setting so the patient can start moving forward. Lunchtime comes around quickly and I tend to head upstairs to the communal kitchen to catch up with my colleagues before the afternoon clinic starts. Then it can be onto meetings, clinics or admin to finish the day. I am one of the later finishers at 6pm. I enjoy the hour between 5-6pm where I can get my head down and complete any outstanding tasks.
What’s been your biggest inspiration?
Very early on in my career I attended a conference where two of the biggest influencers in UK Tinnitus debated on their different approaches. I sat there and absorbed it all! From that moment I knew I wanted to be in the world of Tinnitus.
How have you grown in your profession?
It's easy to say knowledge and understanding that has grown over the last 20+ years but it is true. Working very closely with patients, gaining their trust and helping people move forward has not only helped them but enabled me to grow as a person.
What has been your biggest achievement so far?
My biggest achievement is without a doubt being a single parent for over 10 years whilst being able to have a career.
What advice would you give to someone looking for a career in your specialist area?
The advice I would give someone looking for a career in Audiology with a specialism in rehabilitation is it is extremely rewarding. It's not a quick fix. It can be draining at times when you see how distressed a patient is but the moment you turn them round, when they come back into clinic to say thank you and give you a really big hug, you know it was worth it. There is no better feeling.
If you like both practical solutions and the use of counselling styles then this could be for you.