A polysomnographic technician performs comprehensive sleep testing and analysis and associated interventions for both in center and out of center sleep testing, under the supervision of Sleep Technologist, Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Sleep Technologist and/or the medical director or designee. The sleep technician develops competency in and performs the basic sleep testing and associated interventions. A one-year commitment to a fulltime sleep technologist position upon completion of required certification necessities is required for this position. Failure to remain employed for one year in regard to both, meeting job expectations and BRPT/AASM certification requirements will result in suspension and possible termination. Any early suspension/termination in less than one year from date of certification will result in a violation of the contractual agreement of this position and any reimbursed education modules and exam fees must hereby be repaid to Carilion. Once both the RPSGT certification and VA Board of Medicine licensure are obtained, the Sleep Technician will advance to a Sleep Technologist (sleep tech II) position.

• Gathers and Analyzes Patient Information
• Review history and verify the medical order.
• Follow sleep center protocols related to the sleep study.
• When patient arrives, verify identification, collect documents and obtain consent for the study.
• Explain the procedure and orient the patient for either in center or home sleep apnea testing.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and provide age specific care in the treatment, assessment and education of pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
• Select appropriate equipment and calibrate for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustments, if necessary.
• Apply electrodes and sensors according to accepted published standards.
• Perform routine positive airway pressure (PAP) interface fitting and desensitization.
• Perform appropriate physiologic calibrations to ensure proper signals and make required adjustments.
• Prepare and instruct patient in both in laboratory studies and out of center sleep testing.
• Follow procedural protocols.
• Follow lights out procedures to establish and document baseline values.
• Perform data acquisition, while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact free. Identify, correct and document artifact.
• Documents routine observations, including sleep stages and clinical events, changes in procedure, and other significant events in order to facilitate scoring and interpretation of polysomnographic results.
• Implement appropriate interventions.
• Follow lights on procedure to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process.
• Assist with scoring sleep/wake stages by applying professionally accepted guidelines.
• Assist with scoring clinical events.
• Assist with generating accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to perform portable monitoring equipment preparation and data download.
• Perform patient education and instruction appropriate for home sleep apnea testing.
• Demonstrate adherence to cleaning and disinfection procedures for portable monitoring devices.
• Assist with scoring portable monitoring recordings according to AASM Scoring Manual; identify artifact, inadequate signals and study failures and generate an accurate report.