Neurology (Sleep) Technician

Job Description

Job Description

Join Decypher and make a direct impact on the health and readiness of America’s service members, veterans, and their families. Since 2008 Decypher has offered healthcare industry professionals careers where their expertise is valued, and their work makes a meaningful impact. Decypher partners with the Defense Health Agency to deliver professional services, technology, and management solutions. Our mission is to provide and support quality care for our veterans, service members and their families, across the United States.

Job Summary: This position is on-site at the AASM Accredited Wilford Hall Sleep Disorders Center at JBSA Lackland in San Antonio, Texas, which operates 24-hours per day, seven (7) days a week. Duty hours are typically 10-hour shifts, dependent on the needs of the lab. Work schedule will not exceed 80 hours per two-week period. Employees in this position normally work night shift; however, periodic day shift may be required to fulfill training requirements, patient needs, and the needs of the lab. Scheduling includes rotating shifts and weekends.

Pay Rate: Up to $37 per hour plus benefits (or additional cash in lieu of benefits)

Required Qualifications:

• Education: The ideal candidate will be a Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) OR will obtain within 2 years of hiring:
  • Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) through the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT), OR
  • Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) through the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), OR
  • Registered Respiratory Therapist-Sleep Disorders Specialist (RRT-SDS) OR Certified Respiratory Therapist-Sleep Disorders Specialist (CRT-SDS) through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

All technologists and technicians conducting sleep testing who are not
registered by the ABSM, BRPT, or NBRC:

• Must be enrolled in or have completed the A-STEP Online Self Study Modules. Non-registered technologists and technicians must complete A-STEP Online Self Study Modules within two (2) years of enrollment. OR
• Must be enrolled in or have completed training in polysomnography in a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or a Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) program with the polysomnography option within two (2) years of enrollment.
• If the employee is not a registered technologist at the time of hiring, he/she will obtain registration by the ABSM, BRPT, or NBRC within two (2) years of hiring.
• The employee will maintain registration (RPSGT, RST, RRT-SDS, or CRT-SDS) throughout employment after obtaining it (if not registered upon hiring).
• Certifications:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Experience: Shall have a minimum of one (1) year of experience within the last three (3) years conducting sleep studies in a patient care setting and a minimum of one
  (1) year of experience scoring sleep studies.

U.S. Citizenship is required

Key Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and provide age specific care in the treatment, assessment and education of, pediatric (six (6) months and above), adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
• Program montages on sleep acquisition systems; troubleshoot acquisition and scoring
  program issues.
• Address environmental, equipment and engineering issues that affect patient care
  delivery; determine appropriate course of action including test cancellations and initiating
  system changes.
• Conduct and score all types of sleep studies including, but not limited to, overnight
  polysomnography (multiple montages), MSLT, MWT, CPAP, Bi-level, ASV,
  iVAPS/AVAPs titration, off-label therapies, novel therapies, supplemental O2 titration,
  pH monitoring, and portable sleep studies.
• Perform end-tidal and transcutaneous CO2 monitoring and some ventilator management.
• Performs test and accurately transcribes and prepares data for physician interpretations.
• Prepare and calibrate equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and
  make adjustments if necessary.
• Apply electrodes and sensors according to accepted standards. Perform appropriate
  physiologic calibrations to ensure proper signals and make adjustments if necessary.
• Perform positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fitting.
• Must conduct and score actigraphy sleep studies.
• Can adjust settings on all types of devices for the treatment of sleep-related breathing
  disorders to include (but not limited to): auto-titrating positive airway pressure (APAP),
  CPAP, BiPAP, AVAPS/iVAPS, and adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV), off-label
  therapies, and novel therapies.
• Obtains usage and adherence data and can make assessments regarding this data on all
  types of devices used for the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders.
• Assesses patient’s usage/adherence to treatment for sleep-related breathing and makes
  adjustments to enhance patient comfort, usage and treatment-related outcomes.
• Provides patient education and counseling on full range of diagnostic sleep testing, use of
  devices for sleep-related breathing disorders, sleep diagnoses and appropriate sleep
  practices.
• Perform monthly Inter-Scorer Reliability scoring and complete 10 CECs/year to maintain
  American Academy of Sleep Medicine accreditation standards.

Physical requirements: good manual dexterity and fine motor skills; ability to lift and move equipment, patients, and supplies; ability to read equipment displays, charts and patient records; ability to hear monitor alarms, communicate with patients and staff; ability to move between stations, equipment and documentation areas; stamina to work in varied conditions and ability to maintain focus during long monitoring sessions.

Compensation & Benefits: Up to $37.00 per hour + benefits (or additional cash in lieu of benefits)

Decypher is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce (M/F/D/V)