Polysomnography (Sleep) Technician

Problems with sleep can lead to many different physical and mental health disorders. The polysomnography (sleep) technician is an entry-level position that assists polysomnography technologists and sleep specialist physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sleep disorders. When a physician orders a sleep study for a patient, polysomnography personnel use a polysomnography to collect various data during the patient’s sleep. This data is then interpreted to help in the physician’s diagnosis of the underlying problem and designing of the proper treatment. Sleep technicians work in sleep centers, laboratories, or academic settings as well as other settings as directed by the sleep specialist.

This course discusses the role of the sleep technician, the procedures required for quality patient care, the legal and ethical requirements related to polysomnography, and the foundational information about normal and abnormal sleep and related sleep disorders and ultimately mental and physical health consequences. It explains how to set up sleep study equipment, prepare a patient for the procedure, identify and respond to findings in the study, and document and report findings.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Use medical terminology in communicating with health care professionals.
• Communicate effectively in both verbal and written communication methods.
• Explain the ethical and legal requirements of the polysomnography field including medical ethics, patient confidentiality, and medical record security.
• Explain basic patient care procedures for patients in residential care.
• Explain basic emergency procedures for healthcare environments.
• Perform basic math calculations.
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of computers in the healthcare industry.
• Explain how to perform a patient interview to obtain patient history, medication list, and other required information prior to a sleep test.
• Perform basic vital sign assessment.
• Describe sleep stages.
• Describe the respiratory events of sleep.
• Explain desaturations as it relates to sleep.
• Discuss the movements commonly seen in sleep.
• Describe the cardiac events that can occur in sleep.
• Describe arousal and arousal disorders.
• Explain the use of equipment and supplies used in sleep studies.
• Explain how to prepare the patient for the sleep study.
• Explain how to test, verify impedance, and calibrate sleep study equipment.
• Explain common sleep study procedures and protocols.
• Identify, respond to, and document findings related to the sleep study.
• Perform calculations using common formulas required for sleep studies.
• Explain how to document observations in the technician summary of a sleep study.
• Describe common therapeutic treatments and interventions related to sleep.

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the opportunity to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) Certified Polysomnographic Technician (CPSGT) Certificate

As a requirement for pursuing Pathway 1 of the BRPT-CPSGT certification exam – students are required to meet the following requirements:

• A High School Diploma/GED Equivalent
• An active CPR and/or BLS card
• A minimum of 416 hours of clinical or work experience in a sleep center that includes direct patient scoring and/or recording prior to sitting for the certification.
• Successful completion of a BRPT approved Sleep Technology Approved Resource (STAR) - designated Self-Study education program – which is included in the cost of your tuition.

Disclaimer: This Sleep Technician program is not an associate degree and/or Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) - approved program, which requires a 1 to 2-year associate degree credit program.

Job and Externship Placement Services

Regardless if you elect to pursue national certification or not, if you enroll and successfully complete this program, assuming you pass a background check and drug screen, you will have guaranteed access to our Ready to Work (RTW) Job and Externship Placement services. All students who successfully complete this program (and pass a background check and drug screen) will have access to the RTW Externship or Job placement services at no additional cost.