Overview

Electroneurodiagnostic [END] technologists use specialized equipment to monitor how well a patient’s nervous system is functioning, so doctors can identify and treat neurological problems.

END technologists receive extensive training in neurophysiology, so they can identify normal and abnormal electrical activity in the central, nervous, autonomic and peripheral nervous systems. By recording electrical patterns throughout these systems, END technologists provide valuable data that a physician will use to diagnose and treat conditions such as headaches, dizziness, seizure disorders, strokes and degenerative brain disease.

The tests performed by END technologists can also help doctors uncover hidden causes of mental disorders, and determine whether a patient is “brain dead.”

END technologists perform a number of procedures, including:

• electroencephalograms (EEGs), used to assess brain activity
• intraoperative neuromonitoring, which tracks brain and nerve function during surgery
• long-term monitoring, used to diagnose seizures and other disorders
• polysomnograms, used to diagnose sleep disorders
• evoked potential studies, in which the technologist measures neurological responses to external stimuli to trace electrical pathways
• nerve conduction studies, which measure the time it takes to send an electrical signal along a nerve to a specific muscle

The EEG is the most common test performed by END technologists. Technologists also are responsible for maintaining and calibrating equipment, and ensuring the safety of patients and staff.

Neurologists depend on END technologists to provide accurate data and analysis. The END technologist must, therefore, have the knowledge, judgment and critical thinking skills to ensure that the results reported are accurate and complete.

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Working Conditions

Electroneurodiagnostic technologists work with patients of all ages. They work in hospitals, clinics, physician’s offices, epilepsy monitoring units, sleep disorder centers, and research institutions. Most of their procedures are performed in labs stocked with the equipment required to conduct neurodiagnostic studies.

END monitoring procedures can last from an hour or two, to prolonged continuous monitoring. During that time, the END technologist will ensure that the patient is comfortable, answer questions about the procedure, and help to relieve any anxiety, while constantly observing the data being recorded by the END equipment.

Patients undergoing certain surgical procedures require intraoperative neuromonitoring. In this case, the END technologist will monitor the patient’s EEG or evoked potentials throughout the procedure, providing the surgeon with ongoing information about the patient’s nerve function and/or brain activity.

Salary Range

The career potential for END technologists is excellent. The median starting salary is $38,000, with senior technologists earning $47,000 or more.