Many of us have heard by now that sleep – quantity and quality – can be at the root of a myriad of health issues such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. It’s no wonder business at sleep labs are exploding. As usual, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College is answering the call to help fulfill workforce needs. JSRCC now offers a fully accredited Sleep Technology for Polysomnography Certificate program online. Students can complete the program in just two semesters (27 credits) and be well-prepared to take the national exam for certification. Course work is offered online and clinical work is coordinated with sleep laboratories in each student's local area. When they’re done, they’re likely to be offered a job pretty quickly, says Program Head Michelle Sartelle.
“Techs are needed in private labs and almost every major hospital,” said Sartelle. “If you’re a good problem solver, have good customer service skills, are comfortable with computers, and you like working the night shift, you could be a great sleep tech.”
Sleep techs monitor brain waves, heart rate, breath, oxygen, leg movement and eye movement, among other things, to determine treatment for a variety of sleep disorders. Patients are often hooked up to several monitors, so it’s also the sleep tech’s job to make them calm and comfortable.
JSRCC’s Sleep Technology for Polysomnography Certificate program is the only program in Virginia and one of 36 in the country. The program is one of many allied health programs offered through the College. For more information about the program or current clinical sites in Virginia, contact Michelle Sartelle at msartelle@reynolds.edu or (804) 523-5375.
