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

Program Description

This course series prepares students to sit for the board certification exam to become a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist or RPSGT. 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), respiratory flow and effort sensors.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this Continuing Education Workforce Certificate, students will be able to:

prepare to successfully complete the Registered Polysomnographic Technologist Exam given by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists for the RPSGT Certification,
pemonstrate effective skills to work in a Sleep Laboratory for a 10-12 hour shift and perform a full Night-time sleep study of a patient,
pemonstrate proficiency in reading EEG activity through all of the sleep cycles and recognizing EEG landmarks in a sleeping patient,
demonstrate the ability to titrate a PAP machine during an overnight study,
recognize and document the landmarks that determine sleep issues and sleep obstructions,
troubleshoot sleep equipment malfunctions, and
create sleep reports and analyze the data with the report.

CCBC Pathway

Health Professions Pathway. Pathways are designed to help you meet your academic and career goals by aligning related courses and programs. Pathway students participate in a variety of activities that help explore career opportunities in their field of study. You can meet with a CCBC advisor who help align — or realign — your educational plan with the Pathway that best supports you and your goals.

Program Credentials

Successful Completion:

CCBC Credential:
Students will earn a CCBC 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 cost for the first registry test is included in the course series cost.

Disclosures

CCBC cannot confirm whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in states other than Maryland. If you plan to apply for licensure in a state other than Maryland, contact that state’s licensing board to determine whether the CCBC course or program meets requirements for licensure in that state. If you need assistance finding contact information for your state, click here .

Financial Aid and Payment Options

We offer financial aid by packaging public and private funding options to those who qualify, in select Continuing Education courses and programs. Additional opportunities for financial support include partial payment options through Nelnet Business Solutions and tuition waivers for those who qualify. Resources outside of CCBC may also be available through employer/sponsor paid tuition, the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), and your local office of workforce development.

Program Length

12-15 months

Cohorts start in the spring, summer, and fall. All classes are either online, or in-person evenings and weekends. A cohort starts on July 1st that is exclusively online and is geared toward students who live out of state.

Program Requirements

Information and Orientation Sessions

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

Requirements:

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 (less than ten years)
Copy of health insurance card
Copy of high school diploma or GED
Clinical eligibility is in part dependent upon a criminal background check and random urine drug testing. Cost of testing is the responsibility of the student.

Application Process

To apply, go to www.ccbcmd.edu/apply and complete the CCBC Non-Credit Workforce Training Certificate application. Then, send an email to 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://javawebapp.ccbcmd.edu/AccountRecovery to retrieve your user name and create a password.

3. Go to http://ccbcmd.brightspace.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 Brightspace- 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 Brightspace
Sign the Technical Standards document for the Program

8. Check the Brightspace “Gradebook’ for admissions decision approximately 10 days after the submission deadline.

9. Plan to attend the mandatory orientation for your series as detailed on Brightspace.

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

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 437 program hours may be earned from prior learning. Note: waiver of program hours may effect Pell eligibility.

Program Course Sequence

CPR and First Aid classes REQUIRE 100% attendance. Students arriving late to class will not be admitted. Late arrival to, or early exit from, class will also result in a failing grade and no refund. Students will then be required to retake the class at their expense.

Module I

Course Number	Course Title	Course Hours	Textbook Information (approximate cost; subject to change)	Costs T=Tuition/F=Fees
AHL166	Essential Skills for the Health Care Professional	20	Handouts and Online	$179 T-$54/F-$125
AHE124	Medical Terminology for Health Occupations	30	Programmed Learning Approach to Medical Terminology, Third Edition Price is approximately $87.95	$329 T-$99/F-$230
AHL191	Introduction to Polysomnography	40	Handouts	$299 T-$90/F-$209
AHL101	Sleep Patient Intake Skills	20	Handouts	$329 T-$99/F-$230
AHE 106	Clinical Observation	40	None	$369 T-$111/F-$258
AHE180	Basic Math for Health Care Workers	10	Handouts online	$145 T-$44/F-$101
*Module I Totals:*		160	$87.95*	$1,650 T-$497/F-$1,153

Module 2

Course Number	Course Title	Course Hours	Textbook Information (approximate cost; subject to change)	Costs T=Tuition/F=Fees
AHE672	Anatomy and Physiology Online	30	The Human Body in Health and Disease; 6^th (or latest) edition; Patton and Thibodeau; Elsevier (soft cover); ISBN 9780023101243; $70.35	$329 T-$99/F-$230
AHL152	Pharmacology	20	Handouts online	$275 T-$83/F-$192
AHL181	Basic EKG Training	20	Handouts online	$425 T-$128/F-$297
AHL182	Polysomnographic Technology Training (includes 5 practicum classes)	56	Essentials of Polysomnography Bundle; ISBN 9781284059595; $180; and Fundamentals of Sleep Technology; ISBN 978145133208; $165	$1,089 T-$327/F-$762
AHL102	Sleep Clinical Internship – NPSG	100	Online materials	$549 T-$165/F-$384
*Module II Totals:*		226	$416	$2,667 T-$802/F-$1,865

Module III

Course Number	Course Title	Course Hours	Textbook Information (approximate cost; subject to change)	Costs T=Tuition/F=Fees
AHL702	Neuromuscular Systems and Polysomnography	32	Online materials	$610 T-$183/F-$427
AHL703	Cardiopulmonary Systems and Polysomnography	32	Online materials	$610 T-$183/F-$427
AHL100	Positive Airway Pressure Techniques	40	Handouts online	$469 T-$141/F-$328
AHL103	Clinical Internship - Day/Scoring	100	Online materials	$549 T-$165/F-$384
*Module III Totals:*		204	$0	$2,238 T-$672/F-$1,566

Module IV

Course Number	Course Title	Course Hours	Textbook Information (approximate cost; subject to change)	Costs T=Tuition/F=Fees
AHL098	Sleep Staging & Scoring Guidelines	40	Online materials	$479 T-$144/F-$335
AHL713	Polysomnographic Clinicals	80	None	$866 T-$260/F-$606
AHL104	Sleep Clinical Internship – Titration	100	None	$549 T-165/F-$384
AHL 134	Polysomnographic Technology BRPT Board Exam Preparation	40	None	$439 T-$132/F-$307
*Module IV Totals:*		260	$0	$2,333 T-$701/F-$1,632
*Course Series Totals:*		857	$504	$8,888 T-$2,672 F-$6,216

Additional Information

Course Substitutions:
Medical Terminology AHE 534 can be substituted with OFAD/MDAS141, or ALHL115, or AHL717 or AHE124
Anatomy and Physiology AHE 519 can be substituted with AHE672, or AHL715, or BIOL109, or BIOL220 and BIOL221.
Basic Math WOS 064 can be substituted with AHL716 or MATH083.

Cohorts start in the spring, summer, and fall. All classes are either online, evenings, and weekends. A cohort starts on July 1st that is exclusively online and is geared toward students who live out of state.

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.

BRPT National Exam Certification: CCBC will pay for the student’s first attempt at the Certification Test at a cost of $450.

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.

Students who complete the program and receive their certification can receive credits toward an Associate of Applied Science in Allied Health through the School of Health Professions.

Student Completion and Placement Outcomes:

2020—17 Students Completed the Program

2021—11 Students completed the Program

2022—19 Students Completed the Program

The Polysomnographic Technology Program achieved 100% positive placement for students that have passed the board BRPT exam and obtained 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/.

Program Contact Information

For more information email CEHealth@ccbcmd.edu

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