Polysomnographic Technologist

Inspire Health Medical Group•Fresno, CA

4d•$24 - $33

About The Position

A sleep technologist works under the general supervision of the medical director or designee to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders. This includes in-center and out-of-center sleep testing, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, comprehensive patient care, and direct patient education. The technologist is credentialed in sleep technology, can perform the duties of a sleep technician, and can oversee other sleep center staff. The role involves preparing for and performing sleep studies, monitoring and documenting data quality and patient events, applying therapeutic interventions when appropriate, scoring sleep and clinical events according to accepted standards, generating reports, and preparing and downloading portable monitoring equipment. The technologist also follows equipment cleaning and disinfection procedures and applicable safety, infection-control, and patient privacy requirements. The position is in a well-lighted office environment and involves frequent interaction with a varied and diverse patient population. The employee may be exposed to chemical vapors or skin contact from cleaning and disinfecting solutions, as well as infectious agents including bloodborne pathogens. The work requires equipment operation and patient assistance, including frequent lifting and helping patients in and out of wheelchairs. The employee sits approximately 80 percent of the day and walks or stands for the remainder.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Successful completion of an accredited educational program leading to a certificate or associate degree with an emphasis in sleep technology; alternatively, successful completion of a sleep technology program associated with a state-licensed and/or nationally accredited educational facility, or equivalent experience and documented proficiency in all competencies required of a sleep technician.
Certification by a nationally recognized certification board and a current Registered Sleep Technologist (RST), Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT), or Sleep Disorders Specialist (SDS) credential.
Current CPR certification.
Minimum one year of work-related experience.
Knowledge of testing procedures, protocols, and care of patients with sleep/wake disorders.
Knowledge of equipment used in testing patients with sleep and wake disorders.
Ability to comply with applicable laws, guidelines, and standards regarding safety and infection control.
Ability to follow HIPAA policies to maintain the privacy and security of patient information.
Excellent customer service skills.
Ability to work hands-on with patients.
Good verbal and written communication skills.
Basic computer skills.
Ability to apply written instructions and standardized work practices.
Manual and finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate sleep study equipment; equipment training is provided.
Ability to assist patients in and out of wheelchairs and meet the stated lifting requirements.
Vision abilities including close, distance, and color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Responsibilities

Collect, analyze, and integrate patient information to identify and meet patient-specific needs, including physical or mental limitations, current status regarding testing, and pertinent medical and social history.
Review patient history and verify medical orders.
Follow sleep center protocols, perform operational checks before starting studies, and ensure the accuracy and safety of instruments used during recording.
Verify patient identification, collect documents and consent, explain procedures, and orient patients for in-center or out-of-center testing.
Perform routine positive airway pressure (PAP) interface fitting and desensitization.
Follow protocols for procedures such as MSLT, MWT, parasomnia studies, PAP, and oxygen titration to collect appropriate data.
Perform physiological calibrations, ensure proper signals, and make required adjustments.
Follow lights-out procedures and establish and document baseline values, including body position, oxyhemoglobin saturation, and respiratory and heart rates.
Acquire data while monitoring tracing quality; identify, correct, and document artifacts.
Document routine observations, sleep stages, clinical events, procedural changes, and other significant events to support scoring and interpretation of results.
Implement appropriate interventions for patient safety and therapy, including PAP and oxygen administration.
Follow lights-on procedures, verify data integrity, complete data collection, repeat calibrations, and instruct patients on and check completion of questionnaires.
Score sleep and wake stages using professionally accepted guidelines and score clinical events using AASM standards.
Generate accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data.
Prepare portable monitoring equipment and download its data.
Follow cleaning and disinfection procedures for portable monitoring devices.
Apply AASM scoring parameters for HSAT; identify artifacts, inadequate signals, and study failures; and generate accurate reports.
Comply with applicable safety and health practices, infection-control procedures, and departmental policies.