In a clinic or hospital setting, a neurodiagnostic technologist performs neurologic tests on patients. Electromyographies, electroencephalographies, and nerve conduction studies are some of the tests that a technologist may perform. A person in this position may be assigned to collect and record pertinent medical information, explain the testing process and relay results to a patient, as well as address any questions or concerns a patient may have about the test during any of these procedures. A neurodiagnostic technologist is responsible for ensuring that all testing equipment is in good working order in addition to administering tests that monitor brain and nerve activity.
Jobs as a neurodiagnostic technologist are highly specialized and necessitate formal education at the college level. Individuals must be extremely detail-oriented, have the ability to operate and understand complex medical equipment, and be able to accurately interpret data received during testing to be successful in this field. A technologist must also have excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to work well with patients, their families, nurses, doctors, and other medical personnel.
Employer-specific neurodiagnostic technologist responsibilities may differ. All technologists, on the other hand, are trained to run nerve conduction studies, electroencephalography tests, electromyography tests, polysomnography tests, and intraoperative monitoring on testing equipment. A neurodiagnostic technologist must be able to identify any problems with the testing equipment and recalibrate or make minor repairs if necessary, in addition to operating the equipment used to administer these tests. Basic neurodiagnostic technologist responsibilities include customizing patient tests, explaining procedures and results to patients and their families, and reporting results to the appropriate medical staff.
A neurodiagnostic technologist’s testing is critical for detecting abnormalities in the brain and nervous system. As a result, precise results are required, and a technologist must be able to recognize any potential disturbances to those results, such as flaws in the monitoring process or equipment, or levels of patient anxiety about the testing procedure, which could skew the results. Testing can take several hours and even require a patient to stay overnight in some cases. As a result, interacting with patients in such a way as to reduce anxiety about the test, as well as assisting patients in becoming as comfortable as possible during long testing procedures, is part of a neurodiagnostic technologist’s job description.