Description

Perform EEG procedures to established guidelines, assess conditions and abnormalities affecting the EEG, and maintain/manage EEG equipment function under the supervision of senior EEG instructor/technologists, EEG Medical Director, and Program Manager Neurology, learns to prepare patients of all ages/mental status for EEG procedures. Learn to perform these procedures in the EEG Lab, Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, at the patient's bedside, ER, and in the critical care areas.

Responsibilities:

• Learn to perform EEG's utilizing digital EEG equipment. Learn to calibrate, evaluate function, adjust instrument settings to proper technical standards, and troubleshoot EEG equipment.
• Learn to recognize, monitor, and/or eliminate EEG artifact, such as high impedance leads, muscle artifact, eye movements, respiration artifact and EKG, in order to obtain an adequate EEG recording.
• Learn routine video EEG monitoring procedures, and procedures for surgical evaluation of patients with seizures.
• Learn to prepare a proper EEG Tech Worksheet, including a technical description of the EEG, with emphasis on clinical observation, in order to assist the Electroencephalographer with final interpretation. .
• Learn to implement alternative montages and instrument settings in order to better define artifact, normal variants, and EEG abnormalities.
• Learn to properly assess clinical seizures, follow seizure testing methods, and implement protocols for seizure intervention and first aid.
• Learn to obtain an accurate and concise patient history. Note pertinent information such as seizure type, date of last seizure, other neurologic symptoms, and medications taken by patients.
• Take and pass periodic written/oral exams administered by the EEG instructor.
• * Support the departmental goals of quality care, system improvement, and cost containment by contributing to the successful implementation of recommended changes, cost awareness and fiscal responsibility
• Learns to remove electrodes from patient's scalp paying attention to cleanliness and hygiene, and proper technique for cleaning, storage, and sterilization of EEG electrodes.
• Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills and the ability to perform testing on a wide variety and age range of patients.
• Learn to properly record EEG activity on standard montages. Document all pertinent instrument settings and clinical observations.
• Attend annual Hospital and departmental fire/safety and infection control training and maintain current knowledge of safety procedures within the Hospital and department.
• Learn to measure and apply EEG electrodes using the International 10-20 System of Electrode Placement, in an accurate and efficient manner on patients of all ages and mental status, with varying degrees of co-operation. Learn to test the integrity of the applied electrodes via impedance testing.
• Improve and/or support others in improving the health and well-being of all patients through excellence in patient care, teaching and research.
• Learn to perform routine activation procedures such as hyperventilation and photic stimulation, and when these procedures are contraindicated.
• Learn various medical and pharmacologic conditions which influence the EEG. Learn the clinical correlation of abnormal EEG patterns with various disease states.
• Learn about EEG procedures and how to explain the procedure to patient and caregiver in a clear, concise manner. Able to do so on an age/mental status appropriate level.
• Learn to maintain equipment cleanliness, bi-weekly preventive maintenance procedures, and proper reporting of hardware/software problem to senior staff.
• Learn anatomy and physiology of the nervous system as it pertains to EEG testing. Learn medical terminology used in EEG/Neurology.
• Learn to recognize normal EEG patterns and variants, and abnormal patterns for all ages.
• Review all EEG's with senior technologists. Utilize feedback from procedures performed to improve the quality of future EEG's performed.

Qualifications

• Completion of High school diploma or GED required. Associates or Bachelors Degree preferred.
• Six months of patient care/health care or EEG experience preferred.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire
• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal
• UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran

Total Rewards

More than just competitive pay and benefits, UPMC’s Total Rewards package cares for you in all areas of life — because we believe that you’re at your best when receiving the support you need: professional, personal, financial, and more.

Our Values

At UPMC, we’re driven by shared values that guide our work and keep us accountable to one another. Our Values of Quality & Safety, Dignity & Respect, Caring & Listening, Responsibility & Integrity, Excellence & Innovation play a vital role in creating a cohesive, positive experience for our employees, patients, health plan members, and community. Ready to join us? Apply today.