AAS degree | 14-month program | CAAHEP accredited | Palm Harbor, FL
Polysomnography is the scientific evaluation of sleep and represents the premier standard in sleep study diagnostics and treatment assessment. A Polysomnographic Technologist (PSG Tech or Sleep Tech) works with a team to diagnose and treat patients with sleep disorders by performing overnight polysomnograms on those with suspected sleep disorders. The Polysomnographic Technologist program at CFI, prepares graduates for careers in the growing field of sleep disorders.
Program Description
The program is designed to provide students with the theory and clinical practice to prepare them as competent entry-level Polysomnographic Technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The curriculum includes cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology, normal and abnormal sleep patterns, and diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
PSG Technologists perform the following duties:
Clinical and externship experiences are conducted at hospitals and sleep-disorders centers so students gain experience performing sleep studies in a clinical setting.
Polysomnographic Technologist students are required to complete *60.5 credit hours (approximately 60 weeks or 1350 clock hours). Graduates of the Polysomnographic Technologist program receive an Associates of Applied Science (AAS) degree and CPR certification from the American Heart Association. Full-time students can complete the program in 14 months and take evening classes.
*The listing of credits is not meant to imply that credits can be transferred into college or other private career school programs. Transfer credits are at the sole discretion of the receiving school.
Certification & CAAHEP Accreditation
The Polysmnographic Technologist program at Central Florida Institute in Palm Harbor is accredited by the Commission Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of Committee on Accreditation of Education for Polysomnographic Technologists (COA PSG).
By focusing on the skills and experience needed to pass the national exam students can successfully start an exciting career as a registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT).
*This program prepares students for certification testing, although there is no guarantee of passing the certification test and passing the test is not a graduation requirement.
Employment & Earnings
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not collect employment or earnings data on polysomnographic technologists. However, the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) estimates that there are more than 7,000 registered technologists internationally. And the Association of Polysomnographic Technologists (APT), in a 2003 survey, found that polysomnographic technologists had biweekly earnings averaging $1,719, with registered technologists earning slightly more than their non-credentialed counterparts.
Prerequisites
To qualify for course specific classes students must complete the prerequisite courses listed in the school catalog. For more information, chat live with us, call us at 1-888-831-8303, or schedule a tour today.
You will need to have good study habits to develop the knowledge you need for a successful career in Polysomnographic technology and should also be prepared to take night classes since most sleep studies are done at night.
CFI Graduate Stories
"I wanted to take the time to tell you what a joy it is to be a student here at C.F.I. The program is preparing me for what I know will be a rewarding career in the medical field. The instructors and staff are all top notch." -P. Reed CFI graduate.
"Central Florida Institute has changed my life. I have always had a passion to be in medical field, but just wasn't sure how to get there until I walked in doors of CFI." - H. Anderson. CFI graduate
Additional Program Information
Polysomnography continues to reveal new information. Many clues to sleep related disorders, which were once over looked are now being used to better understand and define sleep patterns, sleep-related breathing pathologies, EEG arousals, and movement disorders. The range of sleep disorders is varied, but includes such common disorders as:
- Seizures
- Insomnias (inability to sleep)
- Sleep apneas (airway gets closed off during sleep)
- Narcolepsy (sudden attacks of sleep or loss of muscle tone)
- Parasomnias (abnormal behaviors or movements during sleep, such as sleep walking and nightmares)
Polysomnography is a study to determine if a person has a sleep disorder that is harmful to their health. It requires an overnight stay in a sleep laboratory. While patients sleep, they are monitored with various equipment including:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) - The electroencephalograph records brain wave activity from different parts of the brain and charts them on a graph. The EEG helps establish what stage of sleep the patient is in and may also detect seizures.
- Continuous Electro-Oculography (EOG) - This records eye movement and is used to determine when the patient is going through a stage of sleep called rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Both EEG and EOG help determine how much time it takes for a person to fall asleep, total sleep time, the time spent in each sleep stage, and the number of arousals from sleep.
- Thermistor or Thermocouple – This heat sensitive device measures the air flow through the patient's nose and mouth. This can help detect periods of when breathing is stopped (apnea) or inadequate breathing (hypnopea).
- Pulse Oximetry – This measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. It is used to determine the degree of oxygen starvation during episodes of apnea or hypnopea.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) - The electrical activity of the patient's heart is also measured on an ECG. This helps to detect abnormal heart rhythms (cardiac arrythmias), which may occur during periods of sleep apnea. Blood pressure is also measured, as sometimes sleep apnea can dangerously elevate blood pressure.
- Electromyogram (EMG) - The movement of limbs may be monitored during sleep. This can be helpful in detecting such sleep disorders as periodic limb movements and restless leg syndrome.
