Position Summary: A sleep trainee develops competency in and performs basic sleep testing procedures and associated interventions. The sleep trainee works under the direct supervision of a sleep technician or a sleep technologist. This position also works with the sleep lab director/manager and providers to ensure the processes for home and outreach clinics run efficiently. Completes registration process, collects patient identification and demographics, answer phones, schedules appointments and maintains fax queue. This position is responsible for managing the information system and provides clerical and receptionist support including but not limited to: answering phone, scheduling appointments, and maintain and filling charts.

Responsibilities:

SLEEP STUDY PREPARATION AND SET-UP

Review the patient’s history and verify the medical order. Follow sleep center protocols related to the sleep study. When patients arrives, verify identification, collect documents and obtain consent for the study. 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 publishing standards.

PROCEDURES

Follow procedural protocols [such as Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), parasomnia studies, PAP and oxygen titration, etc.] to ensure collection of appropriate data. Perform appropriate physiological calibrations to ensure proper signals and make required adjustments. Follow “lights out” procedures to establish and document baseline values (such as body position, oxyhemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates, etc.) Perform data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free. Identify, correct and document artifact. 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. Assist with 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. repeats the physiological and instrument calibrations and instructs the patient on completing questionnaires, and check for completeness, etc.). Demonstrate proficiency in recognizing sleep vs. wake and identify clinical events while monitoring sleep study patients. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and provide age specific care and treatment, assessment, and education of neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to perform portable monitoring equipment preparation and data download. Perform patient education and instruction appropriate for out of center sleep testing. Demonstrate adherence to cleaning and disinfection procedures for portable monitoring devices. Demonstrate ability to identify artifact, inadequate signals and study failures in portable monitoring.

SERVICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Comply with applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and standards regarding safety and infection control issues. Assist with routine equipment care and maintenance and inventory evaluation. Maintain current CPR or BLS certification. Demonstrate computer skills appropriate for the position. Demonstrate effective written and spoken communication skills. Demonstrate appropriate social skills. Demonstrate customer service skills. Demonstrate critical thinking skills and ability to follow directions. Demonstrate teamwork skills. Follow HIPAA policies to maintain the privacy and security of patient information. Adhere to sleep center policies related to quality assurance.

Other Duties

Provide direction of scheduling emergent patients with providers. Maintain rooms for evaluation. Collaborates with materials management to ensure appropriate supplies are available and stocked in th. Collects patient identification and demographics, HIPAA forms, insurance information. Documents indicated signs/symptoms and consent for treatment. Completes and maintains registration process. Schedules appointments, tests and procedures. Maintains current knowledge of ICD-10 and CPT codes. Sends patient communication regarding appointments/tests/procedures. Receives/distributes mail, answers phones, and screens and directs caller’s. Prepares, maintains and files/scans records.   Process Insurance approval for patients. Assists patients and staff as needed when job aids or resources are required to enable safe and efficient operation by transporting patients to and from studies and patient transfers using proper transfer techniques. Cleans and returns all equipment to proper storage area; and removes any non-functioning equipment and reports appropriately.

Qualifications: 

Required:

High school diploma or GED Six months of direct patient care experience Current enrollment in an accredited educational program leading to an associate degree with an emphasis in sleep technology can be substituted for experience. Additional certification may be required for certain patient care settings or populations. Specific information and the time-frame in which such certification must be attained will be provided by the department director/manager/supervisor at time of hire/transfer into department.

Preferred:

Successful completion of a nurse assistant training program. Knowledge of general nursing assistant functions. Current nursing assistant certification in the State of Kansas. Three years of clerical experience Basic computer knowledge Knowledge of basic information system operations Knowledge of general office functions and familiarity with organization, functions, policies, regulations and procedures of the medical center as they relate to rehabilitation services.

Patient Interaction: Frequent

Infection Control: Initial and Ongoing training in dealing with infection control. Trainings could include but are not limited to, blood borne pathogens, bodily fluids and bio hazardous materials as it applies to your daily work environment.

HIPAA: This position will have access to the following Protected Health Information in order to carry out the duties related to their position at Hays Medical Center based on the following criteria:
Primary – required (routine) to do the job;
Secondary – required for the job, but mostly be exception; and
None – no approved access

Description of Information
Primary:
Patient Demographic Information (information used to identify a person): Name, Date of Birth, Address, Race, Marital Status, Religion

Clinical Information (information that describes a patient’s health status): Diagnosis, Reports/Medical Notes, Test Results, Problem List, Procedures, History and Physical

Secondary:
Coding Information (clinical information that is in (alpha) numeric format): ICD-10 Codes, Rev Codes, CPT Codes

Financial Information/Insurance (information related to insurance, billing and payment): Billing Information, Payer Name, Payer ID, Account Balances, Plan Elements Covered, Payment Information, Payment Rates