Polysomnography (AAS)

Those interested in becoming polysomnographers in selected areas around New York State can take advantage of a new hybrid degree option.

For students in Dutchess, Cayuga, Rochester and Long Island areas, coursework will include Zoom or online lectures and hands-on lab work with affiliated sleep centers in the above respective areas as well as five intensive weekend sessions offered on campus in Troy.

We are accepting students for Fall 2024. To find out more about the program and to discover where the program currently has affiliated sleep centers, contact Department Chairperson Patricia Hyland (518) 629-7454 or p.hyland@hvcc.edu.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and Committee on Accreditation of Polysomnographic Technologist Education (CoA PSG).

The program prepares you to successfully complete the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists credentialing exam.

Program Mission Statement
Consistent with the mission of Hudson Valley Community College, the Polysomnography Program is committed to providing didactic and clinical education which prepares graduates for positions as polysomnographic technologist. Graduates will possess the appropriate behaviors, skill and knowledge to delivery high quality polysomnographic practice in applicable health care environment.

Program Goal
To prepare graduates to become competent credentialed polysomnography practitioners in the cognitive (knowledge), Psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

Program Intended Outcomes

• Graduates will demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply and evaluate clinical information related to their role as Registered Polysomnographic Technologists.
• Graduates will demonstrate technical proficiency in all skills necessary in their role as Registered Polysomnographic Technologists.
• Graduates will demonstrate personal behavior consistent with professional and employer expectations in their role as Registered Polysomnographic Technologists.
• Graduates will be employed as Registered Polysomnographic Technologists within six months of graduation.

*Positive Placement means that the graduate is employed full or part-time in a related field; and/or continuing his/her education; and/or serving in the military.

Polysomnography Technician (Student Job Description)

Polysomnography students must demonstrate numerous competencies representing all three learning domains; cognitive, psychomotor and affective. Students learn, practice, and verify these competencies in a number of settings, including the classroom, laboratory, and clinic.

To achieve the required competencies in the classroom setting, Polysomnography students must perceive, assimilate, and integrate information from a variety of sources. These sources include oral instruction, printed material, visual media, and live demonstrations. Students must participate in classroom discussions, give oral reports, and pass written and computer-based examinations of various formats. Completion of these tasks requires cognitive skills, such as reading, writing and problem-solving. To be physically capable of the classroom work, students must, with assistance, be able to hear, see, speak, sit and touch.

Polysomnography laboratories provide students with the opportunity to view demonstrations, evaluate and practice with medical devices, and perform simulated clinical procedures. In addition to the cognitive skills required in the classroom, students must demonstrate psychomotor skills in manipulating patients and equipment, as well as general professional behaviors like team-building and interpersonal communications. To satisfy laboratory requirements, students must perform all procedures without critical error. This requires high levels of cognitive, perceptual, and psychomotor function. In addition to physical capabilities for classroom work, the laboratories require students, with assistance, to assemble equipment, stand while using both hands to perform procedures, perform fine motor skills, and perform procedures requiring considerable strength. Examples of the latter procedures include turning and moving patients and possibly cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Clinical education in Polysomnography involves application of skills acquired in the classroom and laboratory settings to actual patients in the clinical setting. In addition to the cognitive skills required in those settings, students must demonstrate skills in patient assessment, clinical reasoning, problem solving, synthesizing care plans, and troubleshooting equipment. Professional behaviors required for clinical training include constructive responses to situations involving emergencies, stress, frustrating situations, and complex interactions with other members of the health care team. Students must also demonstrate respect for others, empathy, responsibility, efficiency, integrity, and initiative. In addition to the physical capabilities required during the classroom and laboratory sessions, clinical training includes meeting the mental and physical demands of twelve-hour shifts on both day and night rotations.