A sleep technologist is a medical professional who keeps track of patients while they sleep. These professionals, also known as polysomnographic technicians or sleep technicians, can work in doctors’ offices or hospitals, but they are most commonly found in specialized outpatient sleep clinics. In order to diagnose sleep disorders, these technicians monitor a variety of patient sleep activities and tests. They can get certified through formal training programs or on-the-job training.
The primary goal of sleep testing is to diagnose sleep disorders such as sleep apnea in patients. Sleep disorders frequently result in insufficient rest and can have a significant impact on a person’s daily life. Some disorders can contribute to or cause long-term, serious, and potentially fatal health problems. As a result, the work of a sleep technologist is critical to providing high-quality care.
A sleep technologist will explain the testing process to the patient and set her up in the test environment in a specialized sleep clinic, or within a sleep-testing unit of a hospital or doctor’s office. This usually entails placing electrodes at various points on her body in order to monitor her heart rate, brain activity, oxygen consumption, and other similar functions. It also entails making the patient as comfortable as possible in order for her to sleep as naturally as possible.
The sleep technologist will keep track of all devices connected to the electrodes during the test. She’ll also keep track of body movements and snoring incidents. She will be able to identify and record sleep stages and symptoms of sleep disorders with training and experience. Although experienced technicians can interpret test results and diagnose disorders, these tasks are frequently delegated to a doctor or other advanced practitioner.
Polysomnography certificate programs are available at some technical colleges and private training programs. While not all facilities require formal training, those who do may be preferred. On the other hand, some facilities prefer to hire sleep technologists who can be trained on the job according to their procedures.
Sleep technologists usually work overnight shifts. This is because patients are more likely to fall asleep at night, and testing at this time yields the most accurate results. It’s also not uncommon for a technician to work a ten-hour shift because it’s often the most efficient schedule for the facility.