EEG Technician Training Course

Lesson 1 • EEG Signal Characteristics

Defines amplitude, frequency, morphology, and distribution as the four core descriptors of EEG signals. Students learn to recognize and describe waveforms using standardized terminology.

Lesson 2 • Normal EEG Patterns Across the Lifespan

Surveys age-specific normal EEG features from neonates through elderly adults. Establishes the baseline knowledge needed to distinguish normal variants from pathological findings.

Lesson 3 • Brain Anatomy for EEG Technicians

Covers cerebral lobes, cortical regions, and subcortical structures relevant to EEG interpretation. Provides the anatomical map technicians reference when placing electrodes and identifying signal sources.

Lesson 1 • Equipment Maintenance and Safety Checks

Establishes protocols for daily equipment inspection, calibration verification, and electrical safety testing. Routine maintenance prevents recording failures and protects patients from electrical hazards.

Lesson 2 • Digital EEG Software and Settings

Covers software-based montage editing, sensitivity adjustment, and digital filter application during recording. Students learn to optimize display settings for accurate signal visualization.

Lesson 3 • Electrodes: Types, Materials, and Selection

Compares cup, disk, needle, and subdermal electrode types and their clinical applications. Correct electrode selection directly affects signal quality and patient safety.

Lesson 1 • Infection Control and Hygiene Practices

Establishes standard precautions, electrode disinfection protocols, and skin preparation hygiene. Consistent infection control protects both patients and technicians from cross-contamination.

Lesson 2 • Patient Education and Informed Consent

Teaches technicians to explain the procedure, address patient concerns, and obtain informed consent. Clear communication reduces patient anxiety and improves recording cooperation.

Lesson 3 • Electrical Safety in EEG Recording

Covers grounding, isolation, and leakage current standards that protect patients from electrical injury. Technicians must apply these principles every time equipment is connected to a patient.

Lesson 1 • Electrode Application Techniques

Covers collodion, paste, and cap-based electrode application methods and their appropriate clinical uses. Proper technique minimizes impedance and maximizes signal quality.

Lesson 2 • Special Electrode Placements

Addresses non-standard electrode sites including sphenoidal, nasopharyngeal, and T1/T2 positions. These placements capture activity from regions not adequately covered by standard arrays.

Lesson 3 • Scalp Measurement and Landmark Identification

Develops hands-on skills for identifying cranial landmarks and marking scalp positions accurately. Precise measurement is the foundation of reproducible electrode placement.

Lesson 1 • Recording Parameter Optimization

Addresses sensitivity, time base, and filter settings and their effect on waveform appearance. Correct parameter selection prevents misidentification of artifacts or pathological features.

Lesson 2 • Referential Montage Principles

Explains common reference electrode choices and how reference selection affects signal appearance. Students learn to identify reference contamination and select appropriate references.

Lesson 3 • Bipolar Montage Construction

Covers longitudinal, transverse, and circumferential bipolar chain configurations and their clinical uses. Bipolar montages localize focal activity by identifying phase reversals.

Lesson 1 • Artifact Documentation and Annotation

Establishes standards for annotating artifact events with time stamps and descriptions during recording. Accurate documentation allows interpreting physicians to exclude artifact from analysis.

Lesson 2 • Physiological Artifacts

Identifies artifacts originating from the patient's body, including eye movements, muscle, cardiac, and respiratory sources. Recognizing physiological artifacts prevents misinterpretation as pathological EEG.

Lesson 3 • Technical and Environmental Artifacts

Covers electrode pop, 60 Hz interference, movement, and equipment-related artifacts. Technical artifacts arise from equipment or environment and are correctable by the technician.

Lesson 1 • Sleep Recording Techniques

Addresses natural sleep, sleep-deprived, and sedated recording protocols and their clinical indications. Sleep recording captures interictal discharges and sleep-specific EEG features not seen in wakefulness.

Lesson 2 • Photic Stimulation Protocol

Teaches flash frequency selection, patient positioning, and identification of photoparoxysmal responses. Photic stimulation activates photosensitive epilepsy and other light-sensitive conditions.

Lesson 3 • Neonatal and Pediatric EEG Protocols

Covers modified electrode arrays, age-appropriate activation procedures, and behavioral state documentation for young patients. Neonatal studies require specialized technique due to unique physiological and anatomical factors.

Lesson 4 • Ambulatory and Long-Term EEG Monitoring

Introduces ambulatory EEG setup, patient diary use, and electrode security for extended recordings. Long-term monitoring captures infrequent events that routine studies miss.

Lesson 1 • Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring

Introduces EEG roles during neurosurgery, including burst suppression monitoring and anesthesia depth assessment. Intraoperative EEG requires rapid interpretation and direct communication with the surgical team.

Lesson 2 • Epilepsy Monitoring Unit Operations

Covers continuous video-EEG setup, seizure detection response, and safety protocols in an epilepsy monitoring unit. Technicians in this setting must respond rapidly to clinical events while maintaining recording integrity.

Lesson 3 • ICU and Bedside EEG Recording

Addresses the unique challenges of recording in intensive care, including artifact from life-support equipment. ICU EEG detects nonconvulsive seizures and guides management in critically ill patients.