Sleep Technology Trainee

Job Overview

Organization: Medical University of South Carolina

Employment Type: Hourly

Weekly Commitment: 40 hours

Position Summary:

The Sleep Technology Trainee is responsible for acquiring foundational skills in executing essential sleep evaluation procedures and related interventions. This role operates under the close guidance of experienced sleep technicians or technologists.

Key Responsibilities:

Preparation and Setup for Sleep Studies

• Cultivate abilities in gathering, assessing, and synthesizing patient data to address individual patient requirements (including physical and psychological limitations, current emotional and physiological conditions, and relevant medical/social history).
• Acquire skills in establishing final testing parameters in collaboration with the referring physician or clinical director, adhering to laboratory protocols.
• Review critical patient history and confirm medical orders.
• Adhere to established protocols for the sleep center during the study.
• Upon patient arrival, verify identity, collect necessary documentation, and secure consent for the evaluation.
• Clarify the procedure and orient the patient for either in-center or home sleep apnea testing.
• Provide age-appropriate education to patients.
• Learn to select and calibrate the appropriate equipment for testing, ensuring proper functionality and making adjustments as needed.
• Develop skills in applying electrodes and sensors according to recognized standards.
• Gain experience in fitting and desensitizing patients for routine positive airway pressure (PAP) interfaces.

Conducting Sleep Studies

• Follow procedural guidelines for various tests (such as Multiple Sleep Latency Test, Maintenance of Wakefulness Test, and others) to guarantee the collection of accurate data.
• Perform necessary physiological calibrations to ensure signal integrity and make adjustments as required.
• Implement 'lights out' protocols to document baseline metrics (such as body position, oxygen saturation, heart rate, etc.).
• Conduct data acquisition while monitoring the quality of study traces to ensure signals are free from artifacts, identifying and correcting any issues.
• Document routine observations, including sleep stages and significant clinical events, to assist in scoring and interpreting polysomnographic results.
• Implement necessary interventions for patient safety and therapeutic needs.
• Follow 'lights on' procedures to verify data integrity and complete the data collection process.
• Develop skills in scoring sleep/wake stages according to established guidelines.
• Learn to score clinical events (such as respiratory and cardiac events) following American Academy of Sleep Medicine standards.
• Generate accurate reports by compiling sleep/wake and clinical event data.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills to provide age-specific care for diverse patient populations.
• Learn to prepare portable monitoring equipment and download data.
• Educate patients regarding home sleep apnea testing.
• Understand and apply cleaning and disinfection protocols.
• Monitor patient safety and adhere to safety protocols.
• Comply with AASM scoring parameters.
• Identify artifacts and equipment failures, generating accurate reports.

Service Management and Essential Skills

• Adhere to relevant laws, regulations, and standards concerning safety and infection control.
• Perform routine maintenance and care for equipment.
• Maintain current CPR or BLS certification.
• Demonstrate appropriate computer skills for the role.
• Exhibit effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Show appropriate social and customer service skills.
• Exhibit critical thinking abilities and work independently to analyze complex situations.
• Collaborate effectively within a team environment.
• Follow HIPAA and privacy policies diligently.
• Demonstrate the ability to follow instructions accurately.
• Respond to patient inquiries regarding procedures by providing relevant education.
• Adhere to sleep center policies and participate in quality assurance initiatives.
• Inspect and maintain sleep study-related equipment.
• Uphold professional standards of conduct.

Minimum Qualifications:

A high school diploma or GED, along with six months of direct patient care experience or one year of postsecondary education, or current enrollment in an accredited program focused on sleep technology.

Required Certifications:

Work Environment:

The characteristics of the work environment described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The employee may be exposed to chemical vapors from cleaning solutions and infectious agents, including blood-borne pathogens.

Physical Requirements:

The role requires the ability to perform various physical tasks, including standing, sitting, walking, and climbing stairs. The employee must be capable of working indoors and occasionally outdoors in extreme temperatures. Additionally, the role involves lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs. unassisted and maintaining good vision and hearing acuity.

Additional Information:

Candidates should have a high school diploma or GED and be currently enrolled in an accredited educational program leading to certification as a polysomnographic sleep technologist. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required.

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The organization participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.