Certified Sleep Disorder Specialist

Position Summary

The Certified Sleep Disorder Specialist under the guidance of the Department Director/Manager, and Medical Director utilizes knowledge and skill at the advanced level to provide direct age specific and culturally appropriate patient care through provision of comprehensive polysomnographic testing, associated PAP interventions with sufficient ventilation and oxygenation, scoring, data analysis and outcomes assessments. Assists as a clinical resource, participates in patient and staff education, provides oversight and training of other clinical staff and assists clinical manager with quality assurance and outcomes data management.

Minimum Requirements

Education

• Associate degree
• Graduate of specialized training in an approved Respiratory Therapy 2-year program
• Meets minimum requirements to qualify to take and pass the NBRC RRT examinations

Experience

• N/A

License/Registration/Certifications

• Must be Certified by the National Board for Respiratory Care with CRT credential
• Must have current South Carolina Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) License
• Must have and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification as a minimum
• Must opt into the National Board of Respiratory Care's searchable registry for the duration of employment with SRHS
• Must become a Registered Respiratory Therapist recognized by the NBRC within 5 months of hire
• Must obtain Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPGST) through Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (BRPT) or Sleep Disorder Specialist (SDS) through National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) within 8 months of employment with SRHS

Preferred Requirements

Preferred Education

• Bachelors in Respiratory Therapy
• Certification in Clinical Sleep Health

Preferred Experience

• 1-2 years of experience in sleep medicine
• 1-2 years of experience in durable medical equipment

Preferred License/Registration/Certifications

• Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPGST) through Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (BRPT) or Sleep Disorder Specialist (SDS) through National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC)
• Pediatric Sleep Certification
• Sleep Inter Scoring Reliability (ISR) Certification

Core Job Responsibilities

• Performs thorough chart review verifying physician orders, previous testing including but not limited to home testing, blood gas and nocturnal oxygen.
• Performs and documents detailed age specific respiratory assessment including heart rate, breath sounds, respiratory rate, and notifies the physician as appropriate for any identified abnormalities.
• Facilitate sleep studies according to department protocol
• Administer Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy and oxygen using appropriate modalities for optimal patient outcomes
• Perform End-Tidal CO2 monitoring
• Perform quality study-tracing to ensure signals are artifact-free. Identify, correct, and document artifacts.
• Recommend therapy modifications to ensure appropriateness of care using medical director approved oxygen protocols.
• Perform appropriate physiological calibrations to ensure proper signals and make required adjustments, document baseline values, clinical events, and changes throughout the study.
• Identify and mark sleep stages in real-time.
• Score and create polysomnography reports.
• Provide patient education
• Documents all assessments and procedures in EMR.
• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Other Duties as Assigned