Technician Special Procedures

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Job Summary

To carry out all technical duties for the sleep disorder laboratory under the supervision of the supervisor or medical director to provide comprehensive evaluation of sleep disorders. this may involve polysomnography (including in-lab and home sleep study), diagnostic and therapeutic services or patient care, coordination of home care services and education. Can perform duties defined for a polysomnographyic technician and may provide oversight to other staff. Also, effectively troubleshoot difficult problems and demonstrate the ability to use critical thinking skills for problem solving.

Performs comprehensive sleep testing (in-lab and home sleep testing) and analysis (for up to 3 in-lab patients at a time) and associated interventions (including welcoming the patient, orient patient to sleep lab/study, placing leads on patients, monitoring/performing study, unhooking the patient after study, cleaning and maintaining equipment, dispensing/collecting/cleaning portable monitoring (PM) sleep study equipment and completing appropriate forms). The technician MUST provide training to those co-workers of lesser experience and/or skill. The technician may be asked to supervise other staff and perform lab manager type duties (in absence of lab manager). Associate may also be required to work at multiple locations.

Essential Functions

• Prepare and calibrate equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustment if necessary. This includes applying electrodes, and sensors according to accepted published standard, including performing appropriate physiologic calibrations (when age and cognitive function appropriate) to ensure proper signals and make adjustments if necessary.
  * Demonstrate ability to place measuring/recording devices properly 100% of time.
• Score sleep study records according to the standard scoring rules.
  * Maintain inter-scorer reliability over 85%.
• Score and analyze sleep studies (polysomnogram, PAP titrations, MSLT, MWT, PM, PVT, actigraphy etc.) and generate sleep study summary/draft/reports.
  * At least 4 records (PSG or PAP titrations) are accurately prepared for physician review by the day shift technician and at least 1 record (PSG or PAP titrations) is accurately prepared by the evening technician.
• Review history, physical exam information, medications, procedure requests, and study protocol.
  * Appropriate studies are performed for patients, artifacts on recording are appropriately identified, EKG abnormalities are appropriately identified.
• Explain the procedure and orient the patient to the Sleep Lab.
  * Patients are comfortable with their surroundings and comfortable with the technician performing the study.
• Prepare and calibrate equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustments, if necessary.
  * Equipment is working according to factory specifications.
• Apply electrodes and sensors according to Laboratory Policy.
  * Leads are placed appropriately with minimal to no artifacts and appropriate data is collected.
• Perform appropriate physiologic calibrations to ensure proper signals and make adjustments, if necessary.
  * Minimal to no artifacts are recorded on the study and appropriate data is collected.
• Perform routine positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fitting prior to studies and/or as needed.
  * Patients are comfortable with CPAP mask (e.g. during CPAP titration and do not request to abort the study).
• Follow procedural protocols to ensure collection of appropriate data.
  * Leads are placed appropriately with minimal artifacts and appropriate data is collected. Patients undergoing CPAP titration are optimally titrated.
• Monitor the data quality to ensure signals are artifact-free and make adjustments, if necessary.
  * Minimal to n artifacts are recorded on the study and appropriate data is collected.
• Document 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.
  * Sleep records are scored quickly and accurately.
• Implement appropriate interventions (including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as continuous and bi-level positive airway pressure, oxygen administration, etc.)
  * Patients undergoing CPAP/BPAP/ASV titration (or other treatment modality as it becomes available) are made comfortable and are optimally titrated.
• Perform PSGs (in-lab and PM), PAP titrations, MSL.Ts, MWTs, Actigraphy, PVT and other sleep diagnostic studies
  as they become available.
  * PSGs (in lab and PM), PAP titrations, MSLTs, MWTs, Actigraphy, PVT and other sleep studies are performed according to AASM standards and/or lab standards if AASM standards are not available.
• Complete the data collections process (e.g. repeat the physiological and instrument calibrations and instruct the patient on completing questionnaires, etc.) as well as billing forms
  * Proper forms for each patient are completed. Physiological calibrations are completed on all patient's sleep records. All patients billing forms are competed.
• Com ply with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and standards regarding safety and infection control issues.
  * Safety and Infection control guidelines are adhered to; no injury to patients or exposure to infection risk.
• Perform routine equipment and laboratory care, maintenance and inventory evaluation. Appropriate troubleshooting is done for sub-optimally working
  equipment.
  * All equipment is clean and functioning properly, laboratory is fully stocked with necessary inventory, and laboratory is clean. Lab supervisor and/or Head technician appropriately notified in a timely manner of supplies needed.
• Perform quality control protocol daily. Report unacceptable findings to the physician and PSG technicians.
  * All procedures, sleep data recording and scoring are accurate.
• Arc hive sleep data and reports on storage media. Document inpatient chart.
  * All patient data is saved on CD-ROM and appropriately archived as per lab protocol.
• Maintain CPR or BCLS certification
  * Valid CPR/BCLS certification maintained by all technicians.
• Maintain at least 10 CME or CME equivalent credits per year, averaged over 3 years.
  * 30 CME or CME equivalent credits after 3 years maintained by all technicians.
• Respond to study participant's procedural-related inquiries by providing appropriate information.
  * Patients undergoing PSGs (in-lab and PM), PAP titrations, MSLTs, MWTs, Actigraphy, PVT or other sleep study are educated about the procedure and made comfortable.
• Provide for vacation and sick day coverage for other technicians.
  * Patients are not canceled when technicians call in sick or are on vacation.
• Maintain valid sleep technician certification.
  * All technicians must maintain a valid national sleep technician certification and a NYS license in order to work in a AASM accredited sleep lab in NYS.
• Provide training and guidance to the technical staff.
  * Lab operations run smoothly and less experienced technicians are well prepared for advancement/ certification.
• Identify patient cases of interest for possible presentation.
  * Weekly discussion of cases is more productive for teaching purposes of technical staff and residents.
• Regular inventory and reparation of list of supplies.
  * Supplies are ordered in a timely manner in the absence of lab manager.
• Calculate weekly studies total for Sleep Lab.
  * Patients who need their sleep studies rescheduled are identified and appropriate staff notified.

This is a night shift position 7:30pm- 9am - 3 12.5 hours shifts weekly, it includes weekends.

Qualifications

• Preferred
• Fundamental knowledge of operation of a polysomnography machine in conjunction with EEG, EOG, EKG, motion sensors, respiration
• monitors and other physiological activities, and continuous/bi-level positive airway therapy equipment.
• Fundamental computer skills in conjunction with polysomnography.
• Evening and night shift employees work alone with patients.
• Fundamental knowledge of operation of home-sleep study devices.
• Natus GRASS polysomnogram equipment/software, or other PSG equipment/software if current software is changed.
• CPAP/BPAP/ASV (e.g. Respironics Omnilab or other PAP units if added in the future) units or other treatment modalities as they become
• Desktop/laptop PC
• Pulse oximeter
• NY State License or work permit of polysomnographer
• OHS Fit Test Required
• OHS Annual Assessment Required
• Registered Radiologic Technologist Required
• Board Certification of Polysomnographer (RPSGT) or obtain within 1 year of hire. Required
• Maintain CPR/BCLS certification Required
• NY State License or work permit of polysomnographer Required