Once a year I try to do two things. I review and update our policy and procedure manual to meet the new needs of our facility and I do technician evaluations so if there is any new education that needs to be done I can plan for the education during our monthly meetings. Policies and procedures are essential for any good sleep lab. These are the ...

Our inaugural Florida Society of Sleep Technologists meeting was a success. It was truly a learning experience for me and I am appreciative of the patience the attendants had with us as we worked out the kinks. But the best thing that happened during the conference actually occurred due to a ''disaster'' we could not have anticipated. One of our ...

Medical procedures make us feel out of control. In the sleep lab this is truly evident. Most patients are given minimal information about sleep disorders and about what to expect during a sleep study. This will make them feel they have very little control. Now add on top of that a machine that is supposed to help them to ...

The ABSM has recently released the new test information. They have also released the information for RPSGTs to be grandfathered into the new credential. There are some interesting differences with this test and the BRPT's exam and not all of them are negative. In fact, I am surprised at some of the requirements added to be eligible. The ...

I had an experience getting some prescriptions filled: The technician was working with me to get a discount card to work that I could not use at another pharmacy. It turned out that the other pharmacy just did not know to make a phone call required to activate the card. It cost them a customer. The extra 10 minutes this person ...

Have you been you left alone with adult patients who require a caregiver or have special needs? I often have patients who have some disability that requires them to have constant care. Some are from nursing homes or are receiving care at home. They are scheduled to have a sleep study and when it is time to get started the caretaker is gone. This ...

When patient and tech meet for the first time, it can be an uncomfortable situation for both parties. I always take this as a personal challenge. My main goal above all else it to make the patient feel comfortable. If you can develop  a relationship and trust in a short amount of time, everything else seems to fall into place. Of course this ...

The other day I had to work part of a night shift with two of my technicians. We had a patient that may have needed a little extra care, and I felt that another person might help to run the study better. When I got home, I posted on Facebook how impressed I was with the technicians I worked with. They really understand that they're on the ...

Many sleep technicians don't know how insurance works. They don't understand what insurances cover and which insurances need authorizations before giving equipment or performing tests. To them, this is an issue just for the billing office and the scheduling desk. I have found that the more I understand about our field and the way we are paid, the ...

The best time of the year for teaching sleep is Sleep Tech Appreciation Week, Oct. 4-10. My goal is to inform doctors and the community that walking around tired all the time is not normal.The AAST has a page dedicated to Sleep Tech Appreciation Week. On it you will see how others have celebrated, activities such as a crossword and word search, a ...