Pediatric sleep health professionals share their insights on how certification aids professional development and growth.
The BRPT first began offering the pediatric sleep certificate exam in 2020—and already more than 200 sleep health professionals have earned this certificate to demonstrate their pediatric-specific expertise.
Any active RPSGT and/or CCSH credential holder can apply to take this timed, open-book exam from the comfort of their own computer. Successful candidates who pass the exam earn a digital badge, which provides earners with a visual and shareable way to highlight their knowledge and competency in this specialty.
For a long time, sleep specialists working in pediatrics have been eager to have an assessment-based certificate that could demonstrate their specialized knowledge in this area, particularly to potential employers with pediatric sleep programs. The BRPT’s Pediatric Sleep Committee recognized this need, and initiated a project to develop the pediatric sleep exam, in collaboration with a team of experienced subject matter experts.
A manager in pediatric sleep, BRPT Pediatric Sleep Committee Chair Michael McLeland, PhD, MEd, RPSGT, championed the exam from the beginning. Because of the unique knowledge base that’s essential to be effective in this area of sleep medicine, Dr. McLeland felt this exam would be invaluable for sleep technologists working in pediatrics—it would help to validate that these technologists are well-versed in pediatric manifestations of sleep disorders, associated conditions, pediatric scoring rules, and pediatric treatment protocols.
Conversations from the Field
What motivates sleep health professionals to earn this certificate and how can it bolster their careers? The BRPT asked a few technologists directly, and their stories enthusiastically demonstrate their commitment to professional development and growth.
“Earning this certificate was the next natural step in my career—I’ve been working with pediatric patients and knew it was something I needed to obtain,” says Jeri Cobb, RPSGT, RST, CCSH, a clinical sleep educator and pediatric sleep health services manager at Prattville Baptist Hospital in Prattville, Ala. “Anyone working with our pediatric population should be required to hold this certificate. Even after years of working in the sleep field, I’m still learning. This certificate helped me get through the door of a pediatric sleep clinic.”
In fact, Cobb encouraged Monique L. Williams, RPSGT, RST, CCSHwho has been in sleep medicine for over 30 yearsto sit for the pediatric sleep certificate exam. Williams worked during the days for many years but realized how much she loves night-shift work after working nights for the last two years. “At our facility, we often see children and adults on the same night, so it’s important for a technologist in this role to have experience and knowledge of working with patients of all ages,” Williams explains. “When I took the exam, I realized how difficult it was, and yet how important it is, to hold this certificate if you are working with children.”
Rashida Matthews, BA, RPSGT, has been an RPSGT for 24 years, and she has specialized in pediatric sleep medicine for the past six years. “I wanted to achieve professional recognition and credibility within the field of pediatric sleep medicine, as certifications are often seen as a mark of quality and expertise,” says Matthews, who is currently the interim manager of Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Medicine at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
When Matthews first earned the certification, she worked at night as a charge technologist at a renowned pediatric hospital sleep centernow she’s a supervisor at that same location. “I wanted to provide better care for pediatric patients by understanding the unique aspects of sleep disorders in children, leading to improved patient outcomes, fulfilling continuing education requirements, and staying up to date with the latest developments in pediatric sleep medicine,” Matthews says.
Johanna Ebersole, RPSGT, RST, CCSH, managed a specialty complex pediatric sleep center for a number of years. “Our lab ran pediatric studies that required special knowledge and abilities as a technologist,” she says. The studies conducted were very complex, starting with basic pediatric polysomnography and moving to much more difficult tasks, such as oxygen and ventilation titration, as well as trach studies. They also saw many patients with Down syndrome, craniofacial abnormalities, autism, achondroplasia, and cerebral palsy, she says.
“When I heard about the pediatric specialty exam, it only seemed fitting to sit for it,” Ebersole says. “I’ll take the opportunity any chance I have to further my education and understanding with these delicate patients.” Ebersole currently works at UPMC Memorial Sleep Center in York, Pa., in a lab that handles both adults and children. “I’ll always continue to expand my knowledge in the pediatric population as I’m the ‘go-to person’ on my team when it comes to pediatric questions,” she says.
Enhancing Knowledge
Cheng-Yu Tsai, PhD, RPSGT, RRT, a joint assistant professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and School of Respiratory Therapy at Taipei Medical University in Taipei, Taiwan, earned his RPSGT credential in 2019. His desire to earn the pediatric sleep certificate was driven by the fact that pediatric sleep medicine is still underdeveloped in Taiwan, where the focus remains predominantly on adult sleep medicine.
“I wanted to update and expand my medical knowledge in pediatric sleep medicine, with the hope of contributing to related clinical research and promoting the specialization of pediatric sleep medicine in Taiwan,” Dr. Tsai says. “In preparing for this certificate, I recapped and learned a great deal about pediatric sleep, which differs significantly from adult sleep medicine. As a result, I now have greater confidence in promoting pediatric PSG during scoring meetings with Taiwanese sleep technicians.”
Dr. Tsai is also a consultant at the Chest Medicine and Sleep Center at the Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital. “With this certification, I feel more confident and professional. It has also helped me foster a more regular practice of attending various sleep conferences and reading pediatric sleep literature, enhancing my credibility among peers and physicians and earning me respect from patients and their families.”
Brandon Ramirez, BA, RPSGT, CCSH, took the specialty exam for pediatric sleep to enhance his clinical knowledge in treating children. “While I have extensive experience with adult patients, I wanted to learn more about the unique aspects of infant and pediatric sleep,” he says.
Ramirez finds he has been able to better address patient concerns and ease their minds about the testing process. “This knowledge helps me as a sleep technologist to empathize with young patients and improves my ability to assess their responses to testing,” he says. “I’ve encouraged all my current and previous employers to consider reimbursing for this exam to prepare technologists for the difference in clinical testing in children.”
Melissa Sanchez, BS, RPSGT, has worked in the pediatric sleep field for nearly six years and says she is always looking to further her knowledge and expertise, especially concerning pediatrics. She’s a sleep technologist at Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware, which also has a few outpatient sleep labs. “Earning this certificate has been beneficial as it’s allowed me to study pediatric sleep disorders more closely after being out of school for a long time,” Sanchez says. “Passing the exam with a multitude and variety of questions relating to pediatric sleep issues has given me a sense of accomplishment.”
Cristy Plain, RPSGT, CCSH, is the vice president of Operations for Dedicated Sleep, where she manages the clinical team and software for the business, including adding modules and keeping documentation options updated. “This means I need to stay up on the data and needs of clients, including the pediatric population,” Plain says. “The certificates I hold help the clients feel more comfortable with my knowledge and desire to help them. Anytime I can add credentials, I will. You can never be too prepared for future opportunities.”
Certified Success
While both pediatric and adult sleep disorders encompass a range of conditions, there are distinct differences in the types of pediatric sleep disorders, the causes and triggers, the presentation and symptoms, and the treatment approaches.
As we heard from sleep health professionals working with pediatric patients and their families, understanding these differences is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of sleep disorders in both pediatric and adult populations. It is also clear how passionate these professionals feel about their patients and the vital work they do.
Given the reflections and insights shared by these newly certified pediatric sleep professionals, it seems safe to say that the BRPT pediatric sleep certificate exam has provided another assessment-based way to recognize this specialized expertise. And at the same time, it has also created a new avenue for professional growth and development in the hugely impactful specialty of helping our smallest patients.
Amber Allen, BA, AAS, RPSGT, RST, CCSH, has been in the sleep field since 2008 and currently serves as the Program Director of the CAAHEP-accredited Polysomnographic Technology Program at Collin College in McKinney, TX where she was instrumental in developing and building the program from the ground up.
