Electroneurodiagnostic Technician Career
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What an Electroneurodiagnostic Technician does:
An Electroneurodiagnostic Technician (END) is a skilled Allied Health professional who specializes in non-invasive, technical procedures which assess the electrical patterns of the brain.
These patterens are then used in order to determine abnormalities of the central nervous system such as: various types of seizures, brain tumors and congenital abnormalities.
Electroneurodiagnostic technicians, sometimes referred to as electroencephalograph (EEG) technicians, operate specialized equipment to record the electrical activity of the brain, peripheral nervous system, and spinal cord.
The main duties of an Electroneurodiagnostic Technician include:
- Taking a patients medical history
- Preparing the patient for the test
- Fitting electrodes to the patients head
- Identifying interferences on the recorded graph i.e. patient movement
- Reporting findings to the Neurologist
- Monitoring the patient closely throughout the procedure
- Testing and maintaining diagnostic equipment
- Operating EEG, EP, and PSG equipment
Qualifications & Education:
Due to the technical nature of the work of Electroneurodiagnostic Technicians, students interested in applying to programs must come from a formal math and science background. It is also preferred that applicants to Electroencephalograph programs have some clinical work experience.
Electroneurodiagnostic Technician certification programs train students in the following:
EEG Training: Students are trained to record the brain´s electrical activity. This information is then used to diagnose conditions i.e. Strokes, Multiple Sclerosis and Learning Disabilities in Children, etc.
Intraoperative Monitoring Training: Students are taught how to monitor the function of the brain and nervous system during brain or spinal cord surgery.
Evoked Potential Training. Students learn how to test the central nervous system. They are then shown how to detect Visual and Sensory disorders.
Polysomnography Training: Also known as Sleep Studies, students learn how to apply this procedure that combines EEG with heart rate, eye movement and blood oxygen levels. This is then used to diagnose sleep disorders i.e. Narcolepsy, Sleep Apnea and Insomnia.
Nerve Conduction Velocities Training: Students learn how to diagnose muscle and nerve problems. This is done through external stimulation of a nerve. The student learns how to record the amount of time it takes the nerve impulse to reach the muscle.
Salary & Job Prospects:
Electroneurodiagnostic Technicians typically earn salaries from $30,000 to $60,000. Salaries are dependent on experience, position held and qualifications. END Technicians can be employed by hospitals, health centers and specialty clinics. Specialists in this highly technical field are in demand as the job openings are greater than the number of professionals qualified to fill them. Career advancement opportunities are also excellent.
Below is a list of some of the various types of allied health careers / professions: