. GENERAL SUMMARY:
Reporting to the Sleep Center Manager and in conjunction with the Sleep Center leadership physicians performs and accurately scores adult and pediatric diagnostic and therapeutic sleep testing procedures including diagnostic sleep studies, oral appliance studies, home sleep tests, overnight oximetry, split night and full night therapeutic titration of CPAP, BiLevel, auto servo ventilation positive airway pressure and oral appliance and oxygen therapy. Performs mask and positive airway pressure equipment fittings and accurate and thorough patient/family education for testing procedures being performed. Effectively acts as Charge Technologist on assigned shifts; uses sound clinical judgment and follows policy and procedure and physician order and instruction to coordinate the clinical staff and patient care provided by the team under the direction of the manager. Participates in all quality assurance and improvement measures and processes. Accurately scores physiological data and generates data and technician summary reports for each patient case to the physician.
II. REPRESENTATIVE FUNCTIONS:
Effectively and safely performs and scores adult and pediatric diagnostic in-lab and home sleep studies; monitors the sleep study, oral appliance study, HSAT, MSLT, MWT, overnight oximetry, and EEG test while recognizing, recording and appropriately responding to physiological events per policy and procedure. Effectively and safely performs and scores adult and pediatric therapeutic procedures in the area of sleep medicine; recognizes, documents and responds appropriately to the patient’s medical problems and physiological events, especially cardiac arrhythmias, respiratory events, low oxygen level, seizures, parasomnia episodes, arousals and adverse events. Appropriately documents and responds to leak and ensures optimal mask interface and fit throughout the study. Identifies indications, contraindications, and adverse effects of nasal CPAP, bi-level and auto servo ventilation positive airway pressure and oxygen administration and oral appliance therapy; applies and titrates therapy following policy and protocols and AASM clinical standards.
Reviews patient medical record and medical history including physician order, physician chart sign off, physician instructions and visit notes, and patient questionnaires prior to beginning any testing procedures. Sets up and calibrates monitoring equipment and performs machine calibrations pre and post study per AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events and policy and procedure. Performs initial patient assessment upon patient arrival and then measures, applies and records appropriate Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), Electromyogram (EMG), Electrooculogram (EOG) electrodes, thermistor airflow, pressure transduced airflow, CO2 monitoring, respiratory effort, oximetry sensors and signals following the 10-20 system and most current AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events, AASM clinical standards of practice, AAST Clinical Competencies and department policies and procedures. Performs physiological calibrations pre and post study. Ensures acceptable impedance levels and accurate signals at the beginning of and during the duration of each testing procedure. Replaces/repositions each sensor/electrode until accurate and acceptable signals are obtained for each channel recorded. Ensures accurate recording of all required parameters and documentation onto the digital polysomnogram and patient medical record prior to the start of and during each sleep procedure. Performs unhook and post study procedures per policy and procedure. Cleans, disinfects and pasteurizes all clinical equipment, electrodes, sensors carts and work areas per Infection Control and department policy and procedure. .
Provides thorough, clear and clinically accurate patient/family education as clinically appropriate and pertinent to the procedure being performed. Provide mask interface and positive airway pressure education, fitting and acclimation prior to start of each split night and full night positive airway pressure titration per policy and procedure. Accurately documents all education and therapy settings and rationale for applied therapy and settings in the digital sleep study and patient medical record per current policy and procedure.
Accurately scores and tabulates reports for all types of adult and pediatric in-lab and home sleep studies according to current guidelines and AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events; generates sleep report summarizing sleep/wake periods, REM episodes, arousal analysis, EEG phenomena, seizure activity, cardiac events, respiratory events, and limb movements. Correlates respiratory, ECG and neurological events. Demonstrates this by appropriately responding to events during procedures and passing AASM ISR exam monthly.
Cost effectively uses, requests, stocks and rotates equipment and supplies within department and technician cart and ensures all patient food and clinical supplies are within expiration dates.
Provides excellent customer service to internal and external customers, physicians, teammates, patients and their families. Acts as a positive team member and fosters a team atmosphere using a team approach to providing excellent patient care. Performs all duties using excellent clinical judgement, adhering to policy and procedure and AASM clinical standards.
Effectively acts as Charge Technologist on assigned shifts; uses sound clinical judgment and demonstrates excellent clinical skills while following policy and procedure to coordinate the clinical staff on duty and patient care provided by the team on that shift. On this shift the technician to patient ratio is often higher than standard for periods of time for the Charge Technologist. On this shift, charge technologist: acts under the direct supervision and authority of the manager and effectively communicates with the manager or proxy in real time to determine key decisions, acts as a leader, fosters a TEAM atmosphere working together with others to help and assist them, ensures all staff go on meal breaks and ensures patient coverage during breaks, acts as preceptor, trainer and overseer of all patients and technologists on shift, ensures 10 hour and 10/ hour and 12 hour shift techs start and end shift on time and do not accrue overtime unless pre-approved by manager, role during disaster and code situations for response expands, enters patient incident reports on behalf of teammates, actively reaches out to and coordinates morning patient care coverage expected for high acuity patients between 6-8am with the Preauthorization Coordinator/Lead Day Technologist which may include 10/ hour tech or Lead Tech coverage. On this shift charge technologist is responsible to perform: scheduled HSATS, pediatric patients, high acuity patient cases and difficult titrations, early arriving patients, late leaving patients, take over difficult split/titrations that are extended past 5:30am, review patient schedule, prep all rooms/bathrooms/specialized equipment for patient arrival, strips beds, disinfect equipment carts, unfinished scanning, breakfast bar restocking, refrigerator logs, assignment of mask pasteurization duties, assignment of patients to unhook, assignment of cleaning electrodes/sensors.
Adheres to all Northwest Community Hospital standards, policies, and procedures.
Performs other duties as assigned.
III. SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
Demonstrates ability to perform sleep testing procedures effectively on a wide variety of patient types including adult and pediatric and on patients with high clinical acuity or undergoing a high acuity procedure; I clinically competencied for all patient types and procedures.
Demonstrates the ability to take direction, consistently implement direction given, and effectively and professionally give direction to others.
Demonstrates the ability to make excellent clinical decisions.
The analytical and clinical skills necessary to perform and score sleep studies and recognize and respond appropriately, with excellent clinical judgement, to the patient’s medical problems and physiological events during and after procedures.
The communication skills necessary to interact effectively and positively with internal and external customers, physicians, teammates, patients and families and provide accurate and thorough patient/family education and summary of events.
The written skills necessary to generate clinically accurate, grammatically correct summary reports, scored data reports and thorough clinical documentation.
The ability to effectively use a computer for the acquisition, storage, retrieval and manipulation of data and related reports and for participate in quality assurance initiatives and patient event reporting.
The ability to effectively use technology to perform routine duties including the clinical sleep testing system database, software and hardware, ResMed online programs, NCH cell phones, Microsoft Word, NCH approved email, Outlook Calendar and the Epic system.
The ability to safely and effectively move and lift patients with proper use of appropriate equipment and assistance devices so as not to injure patient or self.
IV. KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND LICENSURE/REGISTRATION REQUIRED:
Credentialed as a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist [RPSGT] or Registered Sleep Technologist (RST), OR
Is a STAR/ASTEP/CAAHEP/CPSGT certified sleep technologist with 1 year minimum sleep technologist experience in an accredited sleep center, OR
What you will need:Benefits:
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Career Pathways to Promote Professional Growth and Development
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Various Medical, Dental, and Vision options, including Domestic Partner Coverage
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Tuition Reimbursement
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Free Parking at designated locations
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Wellness Program Savings Plan
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Health Savings Account Options
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Retirement Options with Company Match
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Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay
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Community Involvement Opportunities
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