What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sleep Technologist - UPMC West Shore position at UPMC?
UPMC West Shore Sleep Lab is hiring a night shift Sleep Technologist to support its diverse patient population! No previous sleep lab experience is required, but the selected candidate must agree to completion of training and obtaining a sleep tech license within 18 months of hire. The selected candidate must also be willing to float to UPMC Community Osteopathic to cover occasional shifts.
Purpose:
A sleep technologist works under the direct supervision of the lead technologist in partnership with the senior technologists and the medical director or designee to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders including in center and out of center sleep testing, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, comprehensive patient care and direct patient education. A registered sleep technologist can perform all basic functions of the lab. A non-registered sleep technologist must complete on the job training, ASTEP online modules and be credentialed within 18 months of hire.
Responsibilities:
- Sleep Study Preparation: Collect, analyze and integrate patient information in order to identify and meet the patient-specific needs (physical/mental limitations, current emotional/physiological status regarding the testing procedure, pertinent medical/social history).
- Determine final testing parameters/procedures in conjunction with the ordering physician or clinical director and laboratory protocols.
- Review the patient's history and verify the medical order.
- Follow sleep center protocols related to the sleep study.
- When patient arrives, verify identification, collect documents and obtain consent for the study.
- Sleep Study Set-Up: Explain the procedure and orient the patient for either in center or out of center sleep testing.
- Select appropriate equipment and calibrate for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustments, if necessary.
- Apply electrodes and sensors according to accepted sleep center protocols.
- Sleep Study Procedures: Perform routine sleep procedures according to protocol i.e. diagnostics tests, MSLT, home sleep testing and positive airway pressure (PAP) titrations to include interface fitting and desensitization.
- Perform appropriate physiological calibrations to ensure proper signals and make required adjustments.
- Follow 'lights out' procedures to establish and document baseline values.
- Perform data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free.
- 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.)
- Score sleep/wake stages by applying professionally accepted guidelines during scheduled shift.
- Score clinical events (such as respiratory events, cardiac events, limb movements, arousals, etc.) utilizing AASM standards.
- Generate accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data.
- Demonstrate adherence to cleaning and disinfection procedures
- Service Management and Essential Skills: Comply with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and standards regarding safety and infection control issues.
- Follow HIPAA policies to maintain the privacy and security of patient information.
- Perform routine equipment care, maintenance and inventory count and order supplies as needed.
- Demonstrate effective communication via written, verbal and computer skills appropriate for the position.
- Must have customer service skills and critical thinking to respond to sleep patients' procedural-related inquiries by providing appropriate information and education.
- Must demonstrate scoring competency each month by passing grade on the AASM ISR
- Must attend scheduled staff meetings and complete any requested educational training in scheduled time frame.
- Performs in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
