Primary Purpose
Under the direction of the Ambulatory Manager and Medical Director, provides comprehensive diagnostic and
treatment procedures within the realm of the Sleep Lab. This may involve polysomnography, diagnostic and
therapeutic services, patient care, and education.
Major Responsibilities
- Understands and satisfies the needs of the neonatal, infant, toddler, pre-school, school-age, adolescent, and/or adult
patients and families in regard to their growth and development process. Evaluate and identify needs before and
during testing and initiate appropriate action. - Safely initiates, performs, and maintains competency in the following areas: Diagnostics such as Polysomnograms,
Cardio-pulmonary tracings, and esophageal pressure and pH monitoring, initiation and titration of continuous and bi-
level pressure support, monitors, documentation/billing, artifact recognition and correction and patient/family
education. - Prepare and calibrate equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustments if
necessary. - Perform appropriate physiologic calibrations to ensure proper signals and make adjustments if necessary.
- Perform positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fitting.
- Explain pre-testing, testing, and post-testing procedures to the patient and family.
- Downloads, analyzes, and records pertinent data. Documents routine observations including sleep stages and clinical
events, changes in procedure, and significant events in order to facilitate scoring and interpretation of
polysomnographic results. Conveys findings to physicians. - Scores polysomnograms in concordance with lab standards in preparation for interpretation by sleep physician.
Communicates results to physicians as necessary. - Cleans (where applicable) and assembles sleep lab equipment according to protocol. Ensures departmental equipment
is maintained according to manufacturers’ and other regulatory agency specifications and utilizes resources
appropriately. - Identifies and analyzes problems related to patient condition and sleep lab testing, and implements solutions where
appropriate. Perform routine and complex equipment care and maintenance. Recommends and/or implements
appropriate modifications in equipment or procedure based on observation. Consult with a physician as necessary. - Communicates effectively and demonstrates superior knowledge of sleep lab procedures so as to act as a resource to
physicians, and the interdisciplinary health care team. Collaborates with physicians/sleep lab coordinator in regard to
testing needs of patient, test results and turnaround time. - Assists with maintaining inventory and supplies within the sleep lab. Collaborates with the management team to
maintain expenses within budget. - Assists in updating the sleep center database for the patients undergoing sleep studies, inclusive of test results, and demographic, social, and clinical information.
- Assists in developing teaching tools and incorporates teaching into daily care while maintaining team concept.
- Takes on the role of relief charge technologist at night making decision as needed and communicating with team, families, and patients.
- Conducts team huddles at the start of the shift with all techs communicating specific instructions for patients.
- Participates in quality assurance program as per department needs including inter scorer reliability of sleep studies.
- Keeps current regarding Polysomnographic trends and developments. Membership in professional associations is encouraged.
- Participates in staff meetings, committees, and other projects per department needs.
- Acts as a team member by identifying personal, departmental and hospital goals. Communicates and collaborates in a positive, effective manner towards the successful attainment of these goals by offering input, ideas and solutions utilizing the CHW Quality improvement (PDSA) model. Is aware of departmental QI initiatives and participates as appropriate.
- Maintains departmental responsibilities by attending educational offerings, departmental and hospital interdisciplinary meetings and accurately billing for sleep lab modalities.
- Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.
Minimum Job Requirements
Licensure, Registration and/or Certification
- Current CPR certification – Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers through American Heart or American Red
Cross. - Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) issued by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologist
(BRPT) or
Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) certification issued by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), or
Registered Respiratory Therapist – Sleep Disorders Specialty (RRT-SDS) certification issued by the National Board of
Respiratory Care (NBRC).
Education
- Advanced training beyond High School that includes the completion of an accredited or approved program.
Experience
- Typically requires 2 years of experience in a polysomnographic technician role.
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities
- Exhibits guiding behaviors that reflect Children’s values and support our mission and vision.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
- Provides services in a setting where there is potential for exposure to blood and other high risk body fluids,
chemotherapy agents, communicable disease and hazardous materials, chemicals, and waste. - Able to work flexible hours to meet patient and department needs.
- Ability to sit and carefully monitor patients and polysomnograms for several continuous hours.
- Ability to maintain vigilance in a quiet, sometimes dimly lit environment.
- Ability to push or pull equipment up to 170 lbs.
- Ability to lift equipment/supplies up to 25 lbs.
- Ability to lift and move neonatal through adult patient populations.
- Ability to assemble complex equipment and perform fine motor skills.
- Frequently bends, lifts, twists, reaches and squats.
- Occasionally push/pulls and does overhead work.
Preferred Job Requirements
Licensure, Registration and/or Certification
- Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) registration issued by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologist
(BRPT) or
Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) certification issued by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), or
Registered Respiratory Therapist – Sleep Disorders Specialty (RRT-SDS) certification issued by the National Board of
Respiratory Care (NBRC). - Current CPR certification – Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers through American Heart or American Red
Cross.
Education
- Advanced training beyond high school that includes completion of an accredited or approved program.
Experience
- Typically requires 2 years of experience in a polysomnographic technician role.
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities
-
- Basic computer skills.
- Analytical skills necessary to resolve complex clinical problems relating to the integration of anatomy and physiology to
sleep/wake pathology and patient safety and welfare. - Possess adequate time management skills.
- Interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to interact with interdisciplinary health team members and
consumers.
DISCLAIMER
All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by an employee occupying this job or
position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their leaders.
This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an at will employment relationship.