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Toledo Campus: Polysomnographic Technology Certificate
Polysomnographic Technology
Data-analysis and patient care are the foundation of the ever-growing sleep studies field
This credit certificate program is designed in a three semester format beginning in January of each year (spans Spring, Summer, and Fall terms), which allows the student to complete the required 28.5 credit hours in one year. Currently, classes are set up in a Tuesday/Thursday format to allow students to schedule work and outside interests more easily. Courses include both lecture and lab, providing students with both the knowledge and hands-on experiences required to be successful in the field of polysomnography. Students are also required to complete a clinical practicum in both the second and third semesters, beginning at 7pm and going into the night, sometimes until morning (when people generally sleep).
This program was designed to specifically prepare students for immediate employment in the field and to sit for the Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) examination as administered by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT). As a polysomnographic technologist, you will enjoy being part of a team in a career that offers both flexibility and growth.
This program is approved by the Higher Learning Commission and Ohio Board of Regents.
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Click here to Learn more and sign upProgram Overview
Polysomnographic Technology is a healthcare field that utilizes diagnostic tests, known as sleep studies (polysomnography), to diagnose and treat sleep disorders. Sleep studies are used to gather extensive data concerning an individual’s physiologic activity while sleeping. Sleep technologists are healthcare practitioners who perform and help interpret these studies. They provide data and make recommendations to physicians, specifically trained in sleep medicine, so that patients can receive appropriate therapy to treat discovered sleep disorders.
The program is designed to train polysomnographic technologists to work as part of a healthcare team under the general supervision of a licensed physician to assist in the education, evaluation, treatment and follow up of sleep disorders in patients of all ages. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to sit for a national examination offered by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) to become credentialed as a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist.
Sample program of study for Polysomnographic Technology Certificate.
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 103 | Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| HIT 105 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| PSG 101 | Fundamentals of Sleep | 3 |
| PSG 102 | Essentials of Polysomnographic Technology | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSG 110 | Polysomnography Analysis | 3 |
| PSG 111 | Respiratory Monitoring | 3 |
| PSG 113 | Polysomnographic Practicum I | 1 |
| Total Hours | 7 | |
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSG 123 | Advanced Topics in Polysomnographic Technology | 3 |
| PSG 124 | Polysomnographic Technology Capstone Seminar | 2 |
| PSG 125 | Polysomnographic Practicum II | 2 |
| Total Hours | 7 | |
Curriculum effective Fall 2021. For students enrolled prior to Fall 2021, please reference the Mercy College catalog.
At the end of the certificate program students will be able to:
- Demonstrate entry-level cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) competencies required in polysomnography.
- Display responsible, ethical, and professional patient care.
- Use effective communication skills.
- Demonstrate the ability to solve problems and think critically.
Program Outcomes
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Career Outlook
Employment Growth
Sources both inside and outside the field of polysomnography indicate that this is a rapidly growing occupational field, due to the increasing awareness, diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. Potential area employers indicate that several positions may be open over the next three year period.
Salary Range
According to the American Association of Sleep Technologists 2010 Salary & Benefits Survey, annual salaries for a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) range from $35,000 to $52,000. Prior to gaining the RPSGT credential, people can work in the field as technicians for slightly less.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will my role be in healthcare?
You will be trained to collect medical histories, perform patient hook up, monitor physiologic readings and make appropriate adjustments, and score sleep studies to help to ensure the accurate diagnosis and treatment of a variety of sleep disorders. You may also be called upon to educate patients about the use of various types of equipment to treat their sleep disorder.
What environment will I be working in?
As a Polysomnographic Technologist, you will work in sleep disorder centers, preparing patients for sleep studies, monitoring patients during studies and recording results. Some senior technologists may spend all or part of their time scoring sleep recordings, performing daytime tests or managing a center, but most technologists work nights. Typical shifts are three to four 10 to 12 hour shifts per week.
What are the credentialing requirements?
Completion of the Polysomnographic Technology Certificate program prepares the student for the Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) exam, as well as the newly minted Registered Sleep Technologist (RST) exam. This exam was created as competing credential to the RPSGT. Currently, the new credential is not as widely recognized as the RPSGT credential; however, exam fees and credential maintenance fees are much lower.
See the BRPT website for more information on the RPSGT and/or the ABSM website for more information on the RST exam. Both credentials recognize the Mercy College of Ohio PSG Technology Program as a viable pathway to their exam.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must be a high school graduate with a grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0, or a general equivalency (GED) recipient with a score of 500 (score of 50 prior to 2002). If an applicant’s GPA or GED score is below the minimum, he/she may be eligible for admission under transfer student guidelines.
A transfer student must be a high school graduate or a GED recipient and have earned a minimum of 15 credit hours of college coursework from a regionally accredited college, with a GPA of at least 2.0. For applicants who have attended more than one regionally accredited college, GPA’s from all colleges must combine to equal at least a 2.0.
An applicant must possess current and valid certification for American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers prior to PSG 113, with certification maintained through the completion of practicum courses.