Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists in the Operating Room

American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists, Inc.

6501 E Commerce Ave, Suite 120, Kansas City, MO 64120

Phone 816.931.1120 Fax 816.931.1145 Email info@aset.org www.aset.org

Position Statements

Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists in the Operating Room

Revised, 12-1-98

The goal of monitoring a patient's electroneurodiagnostic data during surgery is to provide the surgeon with information regarding the surgical procedure's effect upon the patient's central and peripheral nervous systems. The expected outcome of monitoring is to preserve or improve the patient's pre-surgical neurological function.

An electroneurodiagnostic (END) technologist, who meets the stated qualifications, performs neurophysiological monitoring in the operating room to assist in assessing the functional integrity of the peripheral and/or central nervous system during vascular, orthopedic, and neurosurgical operative procedures. Procedures recorded by the END technologist include, but are not limited to, electroencephalograms, evoked potentials, compressed spectral array, electrocorticography, and topographic brain mapping.

To read more, click here.

Unattended Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring

American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists, Inc.

Position Statement

Unattended Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring

The ASET Position Statement on Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists in the Operating Room (12-1-1998) details responsibilities, qualifications, and competencies of Neurodiagnostic/Neuromonitoring personnel. These recommended criteria are not met when unattended intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring systems are utilized in the operating room for procedures requiring intraoperative monitoring of neural structures. Additionally, integrated, computer time-locked, detailed documentation of surgical events and monitoring data cannot be performed when neuromonitoring systems are unattended.

To read more, click here.

Scope of Practice for Electroneurodiagnostic Technology

© ASET, October 2005

6501 East Commerce Avenue, Suite 120

Kansas City, MO 64120

816.931.1120 phone; 816.931.1145 fax; www.aset.org

The Electroneurodiagnostic (END) Technologist is a multi-skilled allied health professional who performs diagnostic testing procedures including, but not limited to, electroencephalograms (EEG), evoked potentials (EP), polysomnograms (PSG), nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electronystagmograms (ENG).

The END Technologist works under the supervision of a physician who is responsible for interpretation and clinical correlation of the results. This physician is not usually physically present during the procedures and so the technologist must be able to analyze data during the recording, making certain that the information being obtained is valid and interpretable. A relevant patient history obtained by the technologist guides to some degree how the test will be conducted, therefore, he/she must be knowledgeable in clinical neurology.

To read more, click here.

Minimum Educational Requirements

Minimum Educational Requirements for Performing

Electroneurodiagnostic Procedures

Individuals performing routine Electroneurodiagnostic procedures must have more than one year of END education and a minimum of one year of clinical experience to render testing without the direct supervision of a senior END technologist or physician. Competent

technical recording of END tests requires the technologist to exercise a significant degree of independent judgment. END recordings are customized to meet the needs of the patient, the referring physician and the physician who will interpret the test. The routine END investigation and activating procedures conducted during the recording are based on the patient’s medical history and current complaints, the anticipated waveforms, the abnormalities seen during the recording and the reason for the referral. Both END education and clinical experience are necessary to attain sufficient knowledge base and clinical expertise.

To read more, click here.

Statement of Professional Ethics

Electroneurodiagnostic (END) technologists, as members of an allied health profession, must strive as individuals and as a group to maintain the highest of professional and ethical standards. The following statements are standards to guide END technologists in their professional activities. These standards are not laws but codes that are fundamental to responsible delivery of patient care.

To read more, click here.

Adopted by ASET’s Board of Trustees

August, 1999

Modified August 2003