Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography)

Department of Veterans Affairs•Aurora, CO

72d•Onsite

About The Position

Activities in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Section impact direct patient care in both the in-patient and outpatient setting for the Eastern Colorado Healthcare System (ECHCS). The primary responsibility of the MIT (Polysomnography) at this level is to receive requests and/or instructions for procedures and conducts diagnostic studies as ordered by the VA Providers. The MIT (Polysomnography) will be expected to provide education the patient on proper technique to ensure optimal test results. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Requirements

Must have knowledge of normal vs. abnormal test data and be able to distinguish between artifact and an actual event.
Must have knowledge of respiratory therapy and necessary equipment related to oxygen delivery systems, pulse oximetry, and non- invasive ventilation.
Must maintain a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and complete all annual competencies.
Must have knowledge of anatomy and physiology, including an in-depth understanding of the circulatory and pulmonary systems, and the major organs associated with these systems.
Must have expertise in the operation of all sleep study related equipment and follow-up intervention and be able to select and manipulate the equipment and therapy to meet the patient's needs.

Responsibilities

Performs Polysomnography studies of limited complexity and related interventions to include but not be limited to: Full polysomnogram, unattended sleep studies, Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (MSLT), Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT).). Must have knowledge of normal vs. abnormal test data and be able to distinguish between artifact and an actual event.
Must have knowledge of respiratory therapy and necessary equipment related to oxygen delivery systems, pulse oximetry, and non- invasive ventilation.
Preps patients and calibrates complete sleep recording equipment.
Reviews the consult for appropriateness, enters all information into the sleep equipment software program and saves data when testing is completed.
Reviews the patient's medical record, orders and physician's notes.
After the study, the technician writes a brief note describing the procedure and outcome in the electronic medical record.
Reviews results of all sleep related diagnostic testing to determine if the test is valid.
Responsible for accurately scoring each polysomnogram according to the R and K criteria and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine scoring standards.
Distinguishes and annotates any change in recording parameters or conditions on the test tracings as they occur.
Recognizes sleep apnea, sleep movements, hypopneas, and rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder and makes adjustments in recording parameters to optimize performance of sleep studies.
Follows standard precautions to prevent spread of disease.
Will actively participate in DME and or Sleep Lab meetings.
As needed will participate in scheduled CPAP/BiPAP educational clinics.
Assist with walk-in clinics as related to CPAP mask fittings and equipment set-up and troubleshooting.
Provide support to the Chest Clinic and Sleep Clinic and be a resource to patients and providers as related to sleep disorders and sleep studies and related DME equipment.
May be required to Set-up equipment for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) titration studies and oxygen titrations.
Completes all annual competencies.
Will communicate effectively in person, via telephone and electronic venue.
Must maintain a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and complete all annual competencies.
Will display a cooperative, positive attitude and will effectively work together with patients and peers to implement the organization's mission and goals. Will assist in other areas of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Section as directed by the Supervisor/Manager/Chief to ensure the goals of the Section are met.
Will be flexible in job performance to meet the demands of an ever-changing patient population.
Will be expected to assist in other areas of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Section as related to their education, training and licensure.
Must have knowledge of anatomy and physiology, including an in-depth understanding of the circulatory and pulmonary systems, and the major organs associated with these systems.
Must have expertise in the operation of all sleep study related equipment and follow-up intervention and be able to select and manipulate the equipment and therapy to meet the patient's needs.
May be expected to occasionally travel to other locations such as the Community Based Out-patient Clinics (CBOC's) to assist with patient coverage as needed.