Program: Polysomnographic (Sleep) Technologist (Credentialed Professional Option) - Community College of Baltimore County

Program Description

Sleep Technologists work overnight and collect data using polysomnograms that measure bioelectrical sleep activity. They acquire and analyze signals from electroencephalograms (EEG), electrocardiograms (EKG), electromyograms (EMS) and respiratory flow and effort sensors. This accelerated program option is for allied health care workers or Sleep Technicians who already have their RPSGT certification and need coursework for the Board of Physicians State Licensure.

Program Outcomes

CCBC Credential: Students will be awarded a Continuing Education Workforce Training Certificate and have access to a Continuing Education academic record (transcript).

Students will be prepared to take the national certification exam through the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists.

Certifying Organization: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP);

www.caahep.org; 727-210-2350; FAX: 727-210-2354; 25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, Florida, 33763

Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologist exam cost is $450; the initial registry test is included in the course series cost.

Program Delivery

This program is offered in a blended (combined online and classroom/laboratory/clinical) format.

Financial Aid and Payment Options

College Promise
Maryland Promise
Continuing Education Opportunity Grant
Maryland Workforce Development Sequence Scholarship
Partial Payment Option (through Nelnet Business Solutions)
Tuition Waiver for those who qualify
Employer/Sponsor Paid Tuition
Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)
Local Office of Workforce Development
Pell Grants and Loans

Program Length

12-15 months

Courses start in July at CCBC Hunt Valley (evenings and weekends), in September/October at CCBC Essex (evenings and weekends), and in February at CCBC Randallstown (evenings and weekends).

Program Requirements

Information/Orientation Sessions:

Mandatory: Students are required to attend an orientation after provisional acceptance into this course series.

Requirements:

Student must submit documentation to confirm BRPT Certification, and of prior coursework as necessary.

High School Diploma or GED; computer literate; and Internet access.

Students must have the following paperwork turned in to the coordinator PRIOR to clinicals:

Negative PPD (six months) or negative chest x-ray less than one year old
Positive titer or proof of vaccination/immunity for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella
Current Flu vaccination
Hepatitis B vaccination or declination form
Tetanus shot (within 10 years)
Copy of health insurance card
Copy of high school diploma or GED
Clinical eligibility is partly dependent on a criminal background check and random urine drug testing. Cost of testing is the responsibility of the student. Go to http://precheck.com/ for more information.

Prior Learning Assessment

This program has potential options for waiving select courses based on previous coursework or articulated coursework from an approved curriculum. A maximum of 340 program hours may be earned from prior learning. Note: waiving courses may affect Pell eligibility.

Application Process

To apply, go to ccbcmd.edu/apply and complete the CCBC Non-Credit Workforce Training Certificate application. Then, email CEHealth@ccbcmd.edu for information about upcoming course options and the application process.

Provisional Entry - The Sleep Technologist program requires the following application and acceptance process:

1. New Students: Call CCBC Registration at 443-840-2222 or 443-840-4700 to apply for a CCBC Student Identification (ID) number. Application cost is $10.00. After receiving your ID number, proceed to Step 2 below.
2. Go to https://shwa.ccbcmd.edu/ to retrieve your user name and create a password.
3. Go to https://ccbcmd-bb.blackboard.com/ to access the online application.
4. Enter your User Name and Password.
5. Click the “Course” tab at the top of the page. You will see the application course for your area of study on your list: Sleep Technology Series Application - AHC 379
6. Click on the application course and read the instructions on the first page.
7. You must submit the following items by the cutoff date – ‘Assignments’ in Blackboard - to meet all of the requirements for the application:

Application (2 pages)

Must be submitted as a .doc, .docx or .rtf

Scanned copy of one or more of the following:

High School Diploma or other proof of completion
GED
College Transcript
Other requirements for specific areas of study as detailed in Blackboard

8. Check the Blackboard “Gradebook’ for admissions decision approximately 10 days after the submission deadline.
9. Plan to attend the mandatory orientation for your series as detailed on Blackboard.

Application timeframes:

Course series starting in July: March 1 – May 1
Course series starting in September/October: June 1 – August 1
Course series starting in February: October 1 – December 1

Program Course Sequence

Course Number	Course Title	Course Hours	Costs T=Tuition/F=Fees	Textbook Information (approximate cost; subject to change)
*Module I:*
AHL 133	Introduction to Polysomnography	40	$299 T-90/F-$209	Handouts
*Module I Totals:*		40	$299 T-90/F-$209	$0
*Module II:*
AHL 099	Polysomnographic Technology Training (includes 5 practicum classes)	56	$1089 T-$327/F-$762	1) Essentials of Polysomnography Bundle; ISBN 9781284059595; $180; and 2) Fundamentals of Sleep Technology; ISBN 978145133208; $165
AHL 102	Sleep Clinical Internship – NPSG	100	$549 T-$165/F-$384	Online materials
*Module II Totals:*		156	$1638 T-$492/F-$1146	$345.00
*Module III:*
AHL 702	Neuromuscular Anatomy and Pathophysiology	32	$610 T-$183/F-$427	Online materials
AHL 703	Cardiorespiratory Anatomy and Pathophysiology	32	$610 T-$183/F-$427	Online materials
AHL 100	Positive Airway Pressure Techniques	40	$469 T-$141/F-328	Handouts online
AHL 103	Clinical Internship - Day/Scoring	100	$549 T-$165/F-$384	Online materials
*Module III Totals:*		204	$2238 T-$672/F-$1566	$0
*Module IV:*
AHL 098	Sleep Staging & Scoring Guidelines	40	$479 T-$144/F-$335	Online materials
AHL713	Polysomnographic Clinicals	80	$866 T-$260/F-$606	None
AHL 104	Sleep Clinical Internship – Titration	100	$549 T-165/F-$384	None
AHL 134	BRPT Board Exam Preparation for CAAHEP	40	$439 T-$132/F-$307	None
*Module IV Totals:*		260	$2333 T-$701/F-$1632	$0
*Course Series Totals:*		660	$6508 T-$2955/F-$3553	$345.00

Additional Information

Online Option:
The Polysomnographic Technologist Credentialed Professional option is also available in an online format, with AHL179 replacing AHL133, and AHL182 replacing AHL099.

Additional Expenses:
Course Series: Students are responsible for the cost of all medical testing, background check, drug screening, and scrubs/uniforms. These expenses total approximately $800.

Post-Course Series: Licensure is obtained through the Maryland Board of Physicians at a cost of $200. This cost includes registration of your certification and license as an Allied Health Care provider through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Sleep Technologists must be certified and licensed to work in the State of Maryland.

Skills for Success:
See the Technical Standards at the end of this document.

Career Opportunities:
There is currently a large shortage of sleep technologists in the state of Maryland due to certification and licensure regulations. Regulations currently state you must participate in a CAAHEP accredited program to receive certification in MD.

Student Placement Outcomes:
The Polysomnography program achieved 100% positive placement for students that have their licensure.

Career Coach

Research your career interests, explore live job postings, take a career assessment, discover which companies in the Baltimore region are hiring, and more. View a brief tutorial video on how to use Career Coach at: https://youtu.be/C7KpznbPYfA . Explore career and training opportunities at: https://ccbcmd.emsicc.com/.

Contact Information

Technical Standards

Technical Standards for CCBC’s Sleep (Polysomnographic) Technologist Training Series
The primary goal of The Community College of Baltimore County’s Polysomnographic Technologist Series is to adequately prepare students for an entry-level position in the sleep medicine field. Sleep Technicians are critical staff in preparing for and conducting the actual sleep studies. They also play a vital role in the reading and scoring of studies before they are reported to physicians.

The duties of a sleep tech require the ability to stay focused on a variety of patients/equipment during ten to twelve hour night shifts. They need to exercise safe practices while exposed to unpleasant sights, odors, materials, and communicable diseases. Their duties also require them to be detail oriented and to have strong human relation skills. A high level of manual dexterity, psychomotor skills, and integrity are vital.

Following is a partial listing of the types of skills usually required for adequate job performance:

Physical Requirements:
A. Sufficient strength and mobility to:

Lift and position patients as needed.
Move swiftly within close quarters
Lift up to 50 pounds without assistance
Move quickly among tasks in different areas of the sleep center
Sit for long periods of time
Stand for periods of one hour or more

B. Fine motor coordination sufficient to perform precise and delicate tasks such as:

Set up equipment such as EKG and EEG machines requiring excellent manual dexterity in both hands
Perform a variety of tasks requiring strong eye-hand coordination
Record medical information into an electronic record system

C. Adequate vision to:

Read physician or lab orders
Read small numbers on thermometers, sphygmomanometers, or other equipment
Read printouts (electronic or paper) of sleep equipment
Recognize patterns on EEG/EKG and other machines/equipment
Read small print as found on medication labels
Read instruction sheets and computer screens

D. Sufficient hearing to:

Hear and understand verbal instructions under noisy conditions from masked personnel
Sufficiently record breaths, heart rate or other sounds in noisy conditions
Hear equipment sounds that indicate need for attention (beeps, buzzers)
Respond to audible alerts from patients

Interpersonal Skills and Professionalism:
A. Have the ability to:

Work in a professional manner as a member of a medical team in stressful situations
Remain calm and perform as trained during emergency and life and death situations
Interact in a professional manner with many personalities and attitudes and with people from many different backgrounds
Respect and protect patient rights and confidentiality without regard to personal beliefs and judgments
Maintain proper certifications required to perform the duties of the profession
Work shifts as assigned, which may include on-call, holidays, and weekends
Respond professionally to patients, colleagues and physicians in all circumstances
Demonstrate a strong work ethic (reliable, dependable, strong attendance)
Demonstrate ability to be detail oriented and work with little direct supervision

B. Sufficient communication skills to:

Give and receive accurate written and verbal instructions
Carry out all written and verbal instructions
Follow proper channels of communication
Communicate in a calm and professional manner
Accurately interpret the patient’s needs
Communicate clearly and effectively to any team member
Provide patient/public education

Intellectual Ability and Emotional Stability To:

Exercise independent judgment to properly care for patients
Accurately utilize all resource material available to perform tasks assigned
Accurately identify, calculate dosage, and transfer medications
Work calmly and efficiently in stressful situations
Maintain calm during emergency situations
Perform duties while exposed to communicable diseases and unpleasant sights, odors, and materials
Accept feedback from others
Complete program requirements
Competently operate computers and medical equipment used in sleep medicine

Environment Requirements:
Sleep Technician work involves risks and/or discomforts that require special safety precautions including, but not limited to:

Wearing gowns, caps, masks, gloves, and eye protection
Providing proof of recent immunizations against infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella
Receiving Hepatitis B vaccine and annual testing for exposure to tuberculosis
Submitting to periodic drug screening
Being exposed to bio-hazardous materials (blood) on rare occasions