Sleep Technician

**Description**

Sleep Technician

Holy Name is New Jersey's last remaining independent, Catholic health system, comprising a comprehensive 361-bed acute care medical center, a cancer center, medical fitness center, residential hospice, nursing school, and physician network. The system has a national reputation for providing culturally sensitive care to a diverse population, drawing patients from across the New York City region to its specialty centers and renowned doctors. Holy Name's mission to provide technologically advanced, compassionate and personalized care extends across a continuum that encompasses education, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and wellness maintenance. The system is known as a high-quality, low-cost provider of extraordinary clinical care given by compassionate, highly trained physicians and staff.

**A Brief Overview**
The Polysomnographic Technologist works under the general supervision of the Medical Director (MD, DO, or PHD) or designee to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders. This may involve polysomnography, diagnostic and therapeutic services or patient care and education. The Polysomnographic Technologist can perform the duties defined for a Polysomnographic Technician and may provide supervision of other staff.

**What you will do**
- Gather and Analyze patient Information
- Collects, analyzes and integrates patient information in order to identify and meet the patient-specific needs (Physical/ mental limitation, current emotional/physiological status regarding the testing procedure, pertinent medical/social history), and to determine final testing parameters/procedures in conjunction with the ordering physician or clinical director and center protocols.
- Completes and verifies documentation.
- Explains pre-testing, testing, and post-testing procedures to the patient.
- Testing Preparation Procedures
- Follows procedural protocols [such as PSG, PAP, Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), Home Sleep Testing (HST), Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), parasomnia studies, oxygen titration etc.] to ensure collection of appropriate data.
- Follows “lights out” procedures to establish and document baseline values (such as body position, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates, etc.)
- Performs Polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free and make adjustment, if necessary.
- 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.
- Implements appropriate interventions (including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as continuous and bi-level position airway pressure, oxygen administration, etc.)
- Follows “lights on” procedures to verify the integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process (repeats the physiological and instrument calibrations and instructs the patient on completing questionnaires, etc.)
- Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and provide age specific care in the treatment, assessment, and education of neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients.
- Oversees and performs difficult and unusual procedures and therapeutic interventions.
- Polysomnographic Record Scoring
- Scores clinical events (such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals etc.) according to center specific protocols.
- Generates accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data.
- Service Management and Professional Issues
- Complies with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and standards regarding safety and infection control issues.
- Performs routine and complex equipment care and maintenance.
- Evaluates sleep study related equipment and inventory.
- Maintains current AHA CPR or BCLS Certification.
- Demonstrates effective written and spoken communication skills.
- Demonstrates appropriate social skills.
- Responds to study participant’s procedural-related inquiries by providing appropriate information.
- Complies with the BRPT Standards of Conduct.

**Education Qualifications**
- Trade/Vocational School Successful completion of an accredited educational program leading to an Associate’s degree with an emphasis in polysomnography. Required

**Experience Qualifications**
- less than 1 year Successful completion of Polysomnography Program of no less than one year duration associated with a NJ State Licensed and/or a nationally accredited educational facility Required or
- less than 1 year equivalent experience and documented proficiency at all competencies required of a Polysomnographic Technician. Required

**Licenses and Certifications**
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) American Heart Association Upon Hire Required or
- BCLS - Basic Life Support American Heart Association Upon Hire