                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

UNLAWFUL TO PRACTICE AS A POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGIST WITHOUT A LICENSE (§
54.1-2957.15)

A. It shall be unlawful for any person not holding a current and valid license
from the Board of Medicine to practice as a polysomnographic technologist or to
assume the title &#8220;licensed polysomnographic technologist,&#8221;
&#8220;polysomnographic technologist,&#8221; or &#8220;licensed sleep
tech.&#8221;

B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a health care provider
licensed pursuant to this title from engaging in the full scope of practice for
which he is licensed, including, but not limited to, respiratory care
professionals.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a student enrolled in
an educational program in polysomnographic technology or a person engaged in a
traineeship from the practice of polysomnographic technology, provided that such
student or trainee is under the direct supervision of a licensed
polysomnographic technologist or a licensed doctor of medicine or osteopathic
medicine. Any such student or trainee shall be identified to patients as a
student or trainee in polysomnographic technology. However, any such student or
trainee shall be required to have a license to practice after 18 months from the
start of the educational program or traineeship or six months from the
conclusion of such program or traineeship, whichever is earlier.

D. For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
			&#8220;Polysomnographic technology&#8221; means the process of analyzing,
scoring, attended monitoring, and recording of physiologic data during sleep and
wakefulness to assist in the clinical assessment and diagnosis of sleep/wake
disorders and other disorders, syndromes, and dysfunctions that either are sleep
related, manifest during sleep, or disrupt normal sleep/wake cycles and
activities.
			&#8220;Practice of polysomnographic technology&#8221; means the professional
services practiced in any setting under the direction and supervision of a
licensed physician involving the monitoring, testing, and treatment of
individuals suffering from any sleep disorder. Other procedures include but are
not limited to:
			a. Application of electrodes and apparatus necessary to monitor and evaluate
sleep disturbances, including application of devices that allow a physician to
diagnose and treat sleep disorders, which disorders include but shall not be
limited to insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, movement disorders,
disorders of excessive somnolence, and parasomnias;
			b. Under the direction of a physician, institution and evaluation of the
effectiveness of therapeutic modalities and procedures including the therapeutic
use of oxygen and positive airway pressure (PAP) devices, such as continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bi-level positive airway pressure of
non-ventilated patients;
			c. Initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, maintenance of
patient&#8217;s airway (which does not include endotracheal intubation);
			d. Transcription and implementation of physician orders pertaining to the
practice of polysomnographic technology;
			e. Initiation of treatment changes and testing techniques required for the
implementation of polysomnographic protocols under the direction and supervision
of a licensed physician; and
			f. Education of patients and their families on the procedures and treatments
used during polysomnographic technology or any equipment or procedure used for
the treatment of any sleep disorder.

HISTORY: 2010, c. 838; 2018, c. 98.