How does one become a Polysomnograph Tech?

[SanDigital]

Does anybody here know how one becomes a polysomnograph tech? (Are there any techs on these boards?)


A while back, there was a chihuahua related incident which resulted in two broken arms, one of which healed wrong and needed major surgery. As a consequence, I have not been able to work since the beginning of June.

I must admit, it has been nice. Although my work pays well, I haven't missed it for a second. In fact, I kinda dread going back and sitting behind a computer all day, working on new ways to earn money for the CEO.

So, I'm thinking it might be a good time for a career change as my wife and I are relatively financially secure, I'm relatively young (33), and don't have any kids yet. The idea of becoming a polysomnograph tech sounds appealing for 3 main reasons...

1) The hours sound great. I have always hated sleeping at night. Even after getting my CPAP, my natural impulse is to not get sleepy until sunrise.

2) I do have some similar previous experience. I was in academia for 3 years studying how the brain processes language. I did this using EEG studies. I don't miss academia, but I do miss hooking people up, maintaining the equipment, running the lab, etc.

3) Ever since being diagnosed with OSA, I have spent all my leisure reading time about sleep studies, disorders, etc. It combines my education in brain studies with my personal history of lifelong sleep disorder.


So, does anybody know how I'd go about such a career change? Or if there are any techs here on the board, I'd like to hear about your experience (if you like it, recommend it, etc.)

[PaulGuy]

When I had my sleep study I asked my tech out of curiosity. It seems at my hospital they were respiratory techs originally. When the sleep center was added they applied for the job. It's a good question though. I don't know if a medical background is required.

[cflame1]

It probably varies by the sleep center. Just as there are some good and some bad centers, they probably all have their own unique criteria for hiring.

[Slinky]

My sleep lab manager started out at one of our local hospitals as a Respiratory Therapist. Somewhere, somehow, she has earned accreditation as an RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist??) and RPSGT (Registered Polysomnography Technician?). She and 3 pulmonologists worked together as a team at that hospital's sleep lab for quite a few years, at least 10 that I know of. The 4 of them recently opened their own sleep lab which is where I had my sleep study/titration.

To my knowledge, the tech who prepares you for the night's PSG and who monitors you thru the night is NOT the one who scores your results the next day. When I met my sleep lab manager years ago she was scoring the previous night's results on the "day shift" for the doctors.

I would think a google search on RPSGT might get you further information on schooling, training and qualifications. I think the scoring part would be very interesting to learn! I always found the neurological data more interesting than the pulmonlogy data. Good luck!

[DreamStalker]

My sleep lab tech was a mechanical engineering grad student studying to be an automotive engineer

I guess all you need is the ability to work grave yard shift?

[SleepingBeauty]

I have no idea how you become one, I just wanted to comment that your having OSA would make you a very compassionate and informative source for your patients.

My sleep lab experience was pretty bad, but the technician did tell me he had apnea himself and gave me a few tips on equipment as I was leaving the next morning. That was more information than I got from my neurologist or GP. I never did meet the sleep doc.

Good luck to you!

[Handgunner45]

Try here to start.
http://www.aastweb.org/

[RosemaryB]

If you go to this page, you will find a link to accredited programs search for allied health professions. PSG tech is one of the programs listed (as is RT). You could look at the programs that interest you.

http://www.caahep.org/

Here's a page from the U.S. DOL Occupational Outlook handbook for RT's.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos084.htm

See links at the bottom of this page for other websites for credentialling, etc.

I did see one accredited distance learning program for PSG techs. Here's the page for the Bachelor of Science completion program in Cardiopulmonary Science. Sleep Tech is listed on the side. The Sleep Technology (Polysomnography) is a non-degree program for certification. But you might be able to apply the credits/experience you now have to the degree. That might be a good credential.

I'd go for an accredited program since it may make it easier to get a job in the future. Accreditation and licensing generally becomes more, rather than less difficult to get in any field.

http://www.etsu.edu/CPAH/DAHS/BS_Comple ... monary.asp

More specific links: http://www.caahep.org/Committees_on_Acc ... spx?ID=PSG
http://www.brpt.org/

[Guest]

In fact, I kinda dread going back and sitting behind a computer all day, working on new ways to earn money for the CEO.

I think, from what I saw at my sleep study, you're just going to be trading shifts because the tech sits at a computer all night.......watching the closed-circuit TV and the computer monitor and making notes throughout the night.
The tech I had was a very nice lady.....a nurse, I believe, who was helping out till they could find a more permanent person.....she also had a "day job".
She did show me some of the video and stats from my night's "events.....looked interesting (from a technology standpoint), but seemed like stuff to which a person would have to give their undivided attention.

Den

[Vasily]

Sandigital,


There have been many above who have given great info to get you started, I will try to add what little I can.

It's true many sleep techs were once RT's, there are a few rasons for this, though probably not the only ones.

1. SOME states limit the ability in a hospital setting of applying noninvasive positive pressure ventilation ie. CPAP/BIPAP, to Respiratory Therapist. So therefore alot of sleep labs are required to hire RT's.

2. Alot of the Sleep Dr's currently are also Pulmonologists, who work closely with the RT's on a regular basis, so they hire people they trust and are familiar with already.

3. MONEY, an RT can make almost double what they are making as an RT in some settings.

4. RT's, along with a few other health professions only have to work 6 months in a sleep lab and they are then able to challenge the RPSGT exam.

While you CAN get hired by some sleep labs without any prior experience and without prior experience in the healthcare field. You have to work in a sleep lab for 18 months to be able to challenge the RPSGT exam. When I was a sleep lab manger, I had 2 techs who went this route because they were only nursing assistants. They both failed twice before they passed the exam, the scoring section is what got them.
Scoring studies takes time to learn, back in my prime I could score a study in about 30-45 minutes if it was clean, about 1 1/2 2 hours for a dirty one. It would take me about 3-4 now hehe, been out of the game a few years.

My advice, find a school that has a clinical affiliation with a sleep lab so you can get some clinical time in before you graduate. If you are serious about doing this, drop me a line and can give you a few book recommendations.


Vasily RRT, RPSGT

[JeffH]

My sleep lab tech was a mechanical engineering grad student studying to be an automotive engineer

I guess all you need is the ability to work grave yard shift?

My GP got his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. I wonder how he made that jump to being a Doctor?

[SanDigital]

Wow...I've never gotten so many responses so quickly on a message board before...thank you very much folks!

In the end, it looks like there is no simple answer to this question, probably because the field is so new. Sleep doctors don't come from any specific specialty, so it would follow that their techs didn't follow the same path either.

Thanks also for those who posted links for me. I tried to do a few searches, but nothing came up right away and it has been difficult using the computer with my left arm out of commission and my right arm still healing.

[Guest]

http://www.BRPT.org
that will tell you what you need to know as far as training requirements prior to sitting for the boards