This section says several listed people and activities are not covered by the chapter, but exempt people generally may not use the titles “speech pathologist” or “audiologist” unless a stated exception applies.
1. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to apply to: a. Licensed physicians and surgeons, licensed osteopathic physicians and surgeons, and licensed physician assistants, registered nurses acting under the supervision of a physician or osteopathic physician, persons conducting hearing tests under the direct supervision of a licensed physician and surgeon or licensed osteopathic physician and surgeon, or students of medicine or surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery pursuing a course of study in a medical school or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery approved by the board of medicine while performing functions incidental to their course of study. b. Hearing aid fitting, the dispensing or sale of hearing aids, and the providing of hearing aid service and maintenance by a hearing aid specialist or holder of a temporary permit as defined and licensed under chapter 154A. c. Students enrolled in an accredited college or university pursuing a course of study leading to a degree in speech pathology or audiology while receiving clinical training as a part of the course of study and acting under the supervision of a licensed speech pathologist or audiologist provided they use the title “trainee” or similar title clearly indicating training status. d. Nonprofessional aides who perform their services under the supervision of a speech pathologist or audiologist as appropriate and who meet such qualifications as may be established by the board for aides if they use the title “aide”, “assistant”, “technician”, or other similar title clearly indicating their status. e. Audiometric tests administered pursuant to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 or chapter 88, and in accordance with regulations issued thereunder, by employees of a person engaged in business, including the state of Iowa, its various departments, agencies, and political subdivisions, solely to employees of such employer, while acting within the scope of their employment. f. Persons certified by the department of education as speech clinicians or hearing clinicians and employed by a school district or area education agency while acting within the scope of their employment. 2. A person exempted from the provisions of this chapter by this section shall not use the title “speech pathologist” or “audiologist” or any title or device indicating or representing in any manner that the person is a speech pathologist or is an audiologist; provided, a hearing aid specialist licensed under chapter 154A may use the title “certified hearing aid audiologist” when granted by the national hearing aid society; and provided, persons who meet the requirements of section 154F.3, subsection 1, who are certified by the department of education as speech clinicians may use the title “speech pathologist” and persons who meet the requirements of section 154F.3, subsection 2, who are certified by the department of education as hearing clinicians may use the title “audiologist”, while acting within the scope of their employment. 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §72; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §61; 2015 Acts, ch 57, §14, 15; 2023 Acts, ch 73, §18