Polysomnography Fundamentals - Ten Day Course
A-STEP Introductory Course
Course Dates

March 12 - 21, 2010 (Kalispell, MT) 2995.00 Register
May 7 - 16, 2010 (Sandusky, OH) 2995.00 Register
June 11 - 20, 2010 (Kalispell, MT) 2995.00 Register
August 6 - 15, 2010 (Sandusky, OH) 2995.00 Register
September 10 - 19, 2010 (Kalispell, MT) 2995.00 Register
November 5 - 14, 2010 (Sandusky, OH) 2995.00 Register
December 3 - 12, 2010 (Kalispell, MT) 2995.00 Register

Larry Head Institute has teamed up with Accredited Sleep Disorder Centers across the country to offer the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s (AASM) Accredited Sleep Technologist Education Program (A-STEP). We are currently offering A-STEP Polysomnography Fundamentals atThe Sleep Medicine Center in Kalispell, Montana and at the Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, Ohio. 

A-STEP is an 80 hours program and is designed for the beginner or experienced staff technologist seeking to meet eligibility requirements for the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT).

Topics include The Role of the Technologist, Patient Confidentiality/ HIPPA, Infection Control/Patient Safety, Sleep Definitions and Function, Introduction to Circadian Rhythms, Overview of Sleep Disorders, Sleep History Taking, Electrical Activity of the Brain,Amplifier Instrumentation, Measuring and Marking and Electrode Application, Normal Sleep in Adults/Introduction to AASM Scoring Manual, The Cardiovascular System and Sleep, Basic ECG, Anatomy & Physiology of the Upper Airway, Respiratory Sleep Physiology, Monitoring Airflow, Respiratory Effort, Oxygen Saturation & Carbon Dioxide, Performing the PSG, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndromes, Obstructive & Central Sleep Apnea, Scoring Respiratory Events, Overview of PAP Therapy, CPAP & BIPAP Titration, Alternant Treatments for Sleep Apnea, RLS & PLMD, PSG Report,Parasomnias, Seizure and Sleep, PSG Features of Seizures & Parasomnias, Narcolepsy, MSLT & MWT, Insomnia, Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders, Artifact Recognition & Troubleshooting, Emergencies in the Sleep Laboratory, and Pediatric PSG & Sleep Disorders, Practicums

ROLE OF THE TECHNOLOGIST  Students will learn what it means to be sleep technologist, how to establish patient rapport, professionalism and dress code in the sleep center, employment criteria. You will also gain an understanding of the registration board, the AASM, and the AAST.

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY/HIPPA  You will learn why confidentiality is important and the safe guards to ensure patient confidentiality.

INFECTION CONTROL/PATIENT SAFETY  Topics covered include Universal Precautions, electrical safety, and cleaning and sterilization techniques.

SLEEP DEFINITIONS AND FUNCTION  Students will learn the definition of sleep and its effect on the musculoskeletal, respiratory, and metabolic systems.

INTRODUCTION TO CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS  Sleep hygiene will be covered as well as the issues related to sleepiness and fatigue.

OVERVIEW OF SLEEP DISORDERS  Sleep terminology will be addressed.

SLEEP HISTORY TAKING  Students will learn the components of a good sleep history.

ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF THE BRAIN  Major brain structures related to sleep will be learned. The parts of a neuron and sources of EEG activity will also be addressed.

AMPLIFIER INSTRUMENTATION  Students will learn basic electrical principles, differential amplification, filter usage, amplitude calculations, and polarity  principles.

MEASURING AND MARKING AND ELECTRODE APPLICATION  Electrode placement, montage types, and the EEG as a part of the PSG will be covered.

NORMAL SLEEP IN ADULTS/INTRODUCTION TO AASM SCORING MANUAL  Sleep Stages (Wake, Movement Time, Stages N1, N2, N3 and Stage REM.

THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND SLEEP  The anatomy of the heart, blood flow and blood pressure and their effects on sleep will be addressed.

BASIC ECG  Generation of the ECG, electrode placement and cardiac arrhythmias will be learned.

ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY OF THE UPPER AIRWAY  Anatomy of the nose, tongue, palate, uvula and control of the upper airway is covered in this section.

RESPIRATORY SLEEP PHYSIOLOGY  Gas exchange, ventilatory control (REM & NREM differences), and supplemental oxygen is addressed.

MONITORING AIRFLOW  The topics of thermal sensors, pressure transducers, capnography, and snoring will be covered.

RESPIRATORY EFFORT  Students will learn to apply and use RIP, piezoelectric sensors, esophageal pressure and respiratory EMG monitors.

OXYGEN SATURATION & CARBON DIOXIDE  Students will learn how to use the pulse oximeter and carbon dioxide devices.

PERFORMING THE PSG  Course attendees will learn how to prepare the patient for testing, how to setup and understand montages, and how to calibrate the instrument.

OBSTRUCTIVE & CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA SYNDROMES  Technologist must understand the definition, epidemiology, and PSG features of Obstructive and Central Apnea.

SCORING RESPIRATORY EVENT  You will learn to score Obstructive, Central and Mixed Apneas along with Hypopneas.  Other scoring rules covered include RERA, Snoring, Oxygen Saturation, and the criteria for scoring apnea.

OVERVIEW OF PAP THERAPY  The mechanics of PAP therapy, mask design, and efficacy and compliance will be addressed.

CPAP & BIPAP TITRATION  Protocols, indications, and split-night studies will be learned.

ALTERNATE TREATMENTS FOR SLEEP APNEA  Therapies such as surgical, oral appliances, pharmacologic therapies and others will be addressed.

RLS & PLMD, PSG REPORT  Students will learn the clinical features, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of Restless Leg Syndrome, Periodic Limb Movement Disorder and their effects on the PSG. Course attendees will learn where to place recording electrodes, appropriate montages to use, how to calibrate the instrument to record accurate data, and how differentiate PLMS from artifacts. Also the student will learn PLM and arousal scoring criteria.

PARASOMNIAS  Students will gain an understanding of the various movement disorders seen in sleep. The definition of parasomnias and types will be covered.

SEIZURE AND SLEEP  Attendees will learn about seizures both ictal and interictal and the clinical and PSG characteristics.

PSG FEATURES OF SEIZURES & PARASOMNIAS  Also addressed will be the PSG features of seizures, REM and NREM parasomnias, and monitoring techniques.

NARCOLEPSY  Students will learn the clinical and PSG features of narcolepsy.

MSLT & MWT  Course attendees will learn to assess patients using the MSLT and MWT. Covered will be indications for nap opportunities, protocols and montages, preparing the patient and interpretation of the studies.

INSOMNIA  Classification, etiology, epidemiology and the role of the PSG in the evaluation of insomnia will be covered.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM SLEEP DISORDERS   The student will learn about the human biological clock, how it functions and disorders.

ARTIFACT RECOGNITION & TROUBLESHOOTING  Course attendees will learn to differentiate between real data and artifacts.

EMERGENCIES IN THE SLEEP LABORATORY   Attendees will learn how to handle urgent and emergent situations that may arise in the Sleep Center.

PEDIATRIC PSG & SLEEP DISORDERS   Students will learn all aspects of Pediatric PSG and Pediatric Sleep Disorders.

PRACTICUMS  Students will have workshop opportunities to practice taking a patient history, head measurement and electrode application, sleep staging, reading ECGs, airflow and effort sensor hookup, performing a PSG, scoring respiratory events, PAP mask fitting, scoring arousals, EEG hookup, performing and scoring the MSLT and MWT, pediatric patient setup and scoring.