HEALTH PROFESSIONS COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA

THE PROFESSIONAL BOARD FOR CLINICAL TECHNOLOGY

GUIDELINES FOR THE TRAINING OF EEG TECHNICIANS

The term EEG technician is used to describe the foundational level of operation in this field. An EEG technician is defined as a person who is capable of carrying out routine and ambulatory EEG recording in all patient ages, without direct supervision but not as an independent private practitioner. Routine procedures include photic stimulation, hyperventilation and daytime sleep - both spontaneous and sedated sleep where sedation is administered by a medical practitioner qualified for administration of sedation.
Carrying out recording of routine apnoea specific sleep investigations without direct supervision but not as an independent private practitioner as in Polysomnography, both attended overnight and equipment hook-up and patient orientation for home-based or unattended studies. With no reporting duties.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO TRAINING

The minimum requirement is a Senior Certificate or recognised equivalent qualification. Successful completion of examinations at this level in two of the following subjects: biology and/or physical science and/or mathematics is desirable but not essential, but at least one subject of either physical science or mathematics.

Further information is contained in the "GUIDELINES FOR THE TRAINING OF ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC TECHNICIANS"document.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE PROFESSIONAL BOARD FOR RADIOGRAPHY AND CLINICAL TECHNOLOGY

All communication should be addressed to:

The Registrar

Professional Board for Radiography and Clinical Technology

P O Box 205

PRETORIA

0001

Telephone:  012 - 328-6680

Fax:              012 - 328-5120

Scope of Practice of EEG Technicians:

No R245                      11 February 1994 HEALTH PROFESSIONS COUNCIL OF                        SOUTH AFRICAN REGULATIONS DEFINING THE SCOPE OF THE PROFESSION OF ELECTROENCE-PHALOGRAPHIC TECHNICIAN The Minister of National Health and Welfare has, in terms of section 33(1) of the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act 56 of 1974), on the recommen-dation of the South African Medical and Dental Council, made the regulations set out in the Schedule hereto.                             SCHEDULE 1.         In these regulations "the Act" means the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act No 56 of 1974), and any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall bear such meaning and unless the context otherwise indicates - "clinical technologist" means a clinical technologist registered in the category neurophysiology. 2.         The following acts, known as standard electroencephalographic recordings, are hereby specified for the purposes of the Act to be acts that pertain specially to the profession of electroencephalographic technician: (1)        The recording of a summary of the patient's clinical history. (2)        The attaching of electrodes to the scalp of the patient according to standards acceptable to the profession. (3)        The recording of an electroencephalo-gram for a period prescribed by a medical practitioner or clinical technologist using appropriate paper speeds, amplification, time constants and filters. (4)        The utilisation of hyperventilation, photic stimulation and sleep as routine activating procedures in the recording of the electroencephalogram, if prescribed by a medical practitioner or clinical technologist.

No R245                       11 Februarie 1994 RAAD VIR GESONDHEIDSDIENSBEROEPE                         VAN SUID-AFRIKA REGULASIES WAT DIE OMVANG VAN DIE BEROEP ELEKTROëNKEFALOGRAFIE TEGNIKUS OMSKRYF Die Minister van Nasionale Gesondheid en Welsyn het kragtens artikel 33(1) van die Wet op Geneeshere, Tandartse en Aanvullende Gesondheidsdiensberoepe 1974 (Wet 56 van 1974), op aanbeveling van die Suid-Afrikaanse Geneeskundige en Tandheelkundige Raad, die regulasies in die Bylae uiteengesit, uitgevaardig.                                 BYLAE 1.         In hierdie regulasies beteken "die Wet" die Wet op Geneeshere, Tandartse en Aanvullende Gesondheidsdiensberoepe, 1974 (Wet No 56 van 1974), en het 'n uitdrukking waaraan 'n betekenis in die Wet geheg is daardie betekenis, en, tensy uit die samehang anders blyk, beteken - "kliniese tegnoloog" 'n kliniese tegnoloog wat in die kategorie neurofisiologie geregistreer is. 2.         Die volgende handelinge wat bekend staan as standaard elektroënkefalografieop-names, word hierby bepaal as handelinge wat vir die toepassing van die Wet geag word handelinge te wees wat by die beroep van elektroënkefalografietegnikus tuishoort: (1)        Die dokumentering van 'n opsomming van die pasiënt se kliniese geskiedenis. (2)        Die plasing van elektrodes op die skedel van die pasiënt volgens standaarde wat in die beroep aanvaarbaar is. (3)        Die neem van 'n elektroënkefalogram vir 'n tydperk wat 'n geneesheer of kliniese tegnoloog voorskryf deur die gebruik van toepaslike papierspoed, versterking, tydkonstantes en filters. (4)        Die gebruikmaking van hiperventilasie, fotiese stimulasie en slaap as roetineaktiverings-prosedures by die neem van die elektroënkefalo-gram, indien voorgeskryf deur 'n geneesheer of kliniese tegnoloog.

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THE PROFESSIONAL BOARD FOR CLINICAL TECHNOLOGY

GUIDELINES FOR ACCREDITATION OF EEG TRAINING UNITS

Units interested in training EEG Technicians must apply in writing to the Professional Board via the Education and Training Division. An application for accreditation must include the names and registration numbers of training staff including years of independent practice experience, an indication of the available equipment and infrastructure, patient numbers, five EEG and sleep recordings recorded during the preceding six months as well as an undertaking that training will comply with the guidelines set out in the training document.

An EEG unit must use standard EEG equipment and perform EEGs and sleep apnoea studies to currently accepted international standards, such as those advocated in the Minimum Technical Requirements for Performing Clinical Electroencephalography of the ACNS and IFCN, and the Manual for Scoring of Sleep of the American Association for Sleep Medicine, provided that the following criteria are met:

PERSONNEL STRUCTURE OF THE UNIT:

A trainee technician must work under the direct supervision of:
A Graduate Clinical Technologist/Clinical Technologist registered with the Professional Board in the category Neurophysiology and employed on a full -time basis by the Unit:
a) the relevant Clinical Technologist’s three years’ experience be inclusive of at least two years spent in an academic training facility.
b) that the two-year period includes training mentorship by a Clinical Technologist with experience in Neurophysiology training.

PATIENT POPULATION AND NUMBERS

The unit should serve both adult and pediatric populations and patient numbers should be such that the trainee is able to personally record no less than 400 EEGs during the one year training period.  The 400 EEGs recorded should include the personal recording by the trainee of at least 10 ICU cases and 50 “sleep” recordings using stick-on cup electrodes.  These may be recorded in the unit or under direct supervision, in another unit accredited by the Professional Board as a training unit for EEG Technicians or Clinical Technologists in Neurophysiology.

No more than two students should be permitted per registered clinical technologist as set out in 1 and 2 above.

TRAINING SYLLABUS AND EXAMINATION

The Training Unit must follow the National approved syllabus contained in this document.

Theoretical instruction must take place by means of informal lectures or formal training courses.

At the end of the 12 month training period the trainee EEG technician shall apply in writing to the Professional Board for permission to do a final examination.  This application must be accompanied by a report from the supervising Technologist confirming that the applicant complies with the training requirements.

The final examination must include a theoretical and a practical examination with an examiner and moderator appointed by the Professional Board. The moderator has to moderate the examination papers prior to the examination to ensure that the entire contents of the syllabus is covered.

Once the individual answer sheets have been moderated final marks expressed as a percentage for both the theoretical and the practical examinations must be submitted to the Professional Board for approval to register the applicant as an EEG technician.  A pass mark of 70% is required for both the theoretical and practical examinations.

Further information is contained in the "GUIDELINES FOR THE TRAINING OF ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC TECHNICIANS"document  or can be be supplied by the Professional Board on receipt of written requests.