Polysomnographic Technologist – Sleep Lab Tech

Polysomnographic Technologist – Sleep Lab Tech

Requirements

• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 30 days
• Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) registration issued by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) needs to be obtained within 2 years
• Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) certification issued by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM) needs to be obtained within 2 years
• Registered Respiratory Therapist-Sleep Disorders Specialty (RRT-SDS) certification issued by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) needs to be obtained within 2 years
• Advanced training beyond High School that includes the completion of an accredited or approved program
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and problem solving skills
• Basic computer skills

Responsibilities

• Prepares and calibrates equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and signals
• Selects and applies special monitoring electrodes, bands, thermistors, and other monitoring probes to appropriate areas of the patient’s body
• Prepares positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fittings
• Follows sleep procedures to establish and document baseline values such as body position, movements, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates
• Assists with scoring sleep/wake stages and with the generation of accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.
• Implements appropriate interventions including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as continuous (CPAP) and bi-level (BIPAP) positive airway pressure and oxygen administration
• Assist with procedures and therapeutic interventions such as auto servo ventilation (SV) titrations, average volume assured pressure support (AVAPS), multiple sleep latency testing (MSLT), maintenance of wakefulness testing (MWT)
• Performs polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to recognize and eliminate all artifacts observed during the test
• Follows wake procedures to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process e.g. repeat the physiological and instrument calibrations and instructs the patient on completing questionnaires
• Sets up video and audio monitoring apparatus
• Keeps the equipment in clean operating condition, detecting instrument malfunctions, making minor adjustments, and reporting the need for major repairs
• Monitors equipment supply levels and maintains appropriate equipment at hand
• Schedules and discusses the test process with patients, ensures their knowledge of the process, and answers their questions
• Educates physicians and patients on sleep medicines
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served

Preferred Qualifications

No preferred qualifications provided.