This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and may require modification to meet federal and state regulations. This document is intended to serve as a template and be modified to meet individual employer needs. 

Position Summary

A sleep technician performs comprehensive sleep testing and analysis, and associated interventions under the general supervision of a sleep technologist and/or the medical director or designee. A sleep technician can provide supervision of a sleep trainee.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and may require modification to meet federal and state regulations. This document is intended to serve as a template and be modified to meet individual employer needs.

Domains of Practice

Sleep Study Preparation and Set-up

• Review the patient’s history and verify the medical order.
• Follow sleep center protocols related to the sleep study.
• When patient arrives, verifies identification, collects documents, and obtains consent for the study.
• Explain the procedure and orient the patient for either in center or Home Sleep Apnea Testing (HSAT).
• Provide age-appropriate patient education.
• 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.

Procedures

• Follow procedural protocols (such as Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), parasomnia studies, PAP and oxygen titration, etc.) to ensure collection of appropriate data.
• Perform appropriate physiological calibrations to ensure proper signals and make required adjustments.
• Follow “lights out” procedures to establish and document baseline values (such as body position, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory, and heart rates, etc.).
• Perform data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free. Identify, correct, and document artifact.
• 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.
• Implement appropriate interventions (including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as positive airway pressure, oxygen administration, etc.).
• Follow “lights on” procedures to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process (e.g. repeat the physiological and instrument calibrations and instruct the patient on completing questionnaires, checking for completeness, etc.).
• Assist with scoring sleep/wake stages by applying professionally accepted guidelines.
• Assist with scoring clinical events (such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.) utilizing AASM standards.
• Assist with the generation of accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data.
• Demonstrate 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, as required.
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to perform HSAT equipment preparation and data download.
• Perform patient education and instruction appropriate for HSAT procedures.
• Demonstrate adherence to cleaning and disinfection procedures for HSAT devices.
• Assist with scoring HSAT recordings according to AASM scoring parameters; identify artifact, inadequate signals, and study failures, and generate an accurate report.

Service Management and Essential Skills

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards regarding safety and infection control issues.
• Perform routine equipment care and maintenance, and inventory evaluation.
• Maintain current CPR or BLS certification.
• Demonstrate computer skills appropriate for the position.
• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrate appropriate social skills.
• Demonstrate customer service skills.
• Demonstrate critical thinking and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrate teamwork skills.
• Follow HIPAA policies to maintain the privacy and security of patient information.
• Demonstrate ability to follow direction.
• Respond to sleep patients’ procedural-related inquiries by providing appropriate information.
• Assist with patient education utilizing sleep center specific protocols.
• Adhere to sleep center policies related to quality assurance.

Education and/or Experience

Successful completion of a sleep technology program, associated with a state licensed and/or a nationally accredited educational facility.

OR

A minimum of six months of experience as a sleep trainee with documented proficiency in all required competencies.

OR

Holds a Certified Polysomnographic Technician (CPSGT) credential or equivalent.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In the performance of this job, the employee may be exposed to chemical vapors such as cleaning and disinfecting solutions. There may also be skin contact with these substances. The employee may also be exposed to infectious agents including blood borne pathogens.