Curriculum

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The Ascension St. Vincent Neurodiagnostic Technology Program curriculum is carefully designed to facilitate student learning as they progress through the program. The first trimester of the program has an emphasis on the fundamentals of healthcare, EEG and neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. The second and third trimesters build on that knowledge with a focus on becoming familiar with EEG patterns in adults, pediatrics and neonates, as well as diseases, syndromes and disorders that affect the brain function. The program curriculum adheres to the professional curriculum from ASET: The Neurodiagnostic Society.

The Neurodiagnostic Technology Program course credits and descriptions by trimester are below.

Lectures

NDT students will attend educational lectures that examine and explain the role and responsibilities of neurodiagnostics personnel in EEG testing in the hospital and other healthcare settings. Students will receive the knowledge and application of infection control processes, standards and regulations, and facility policies and procedures with emphasis on safety, interpersonal communication and teamwork.

Skills Lab

It is extremely important that a neurodiagnostic technologist possess the skills and knowledge necessary to be a trusted member of the team of healthcare professionals who are responsible for keeping patients safe. Therefore, students will be provided with hands‐on experience in a simulated skills lab where they will learn the standards of practice for EEG testing and work to become proficient in the recognition of medical and technical terminology and functions.

Clinical Rotations

NDT students will be required to complete a minimum of 500 hours of hands‐on practicum experience in designated areas under the general supervision and direction of a qualified neurodiagnostic preceptor.

2027 Course Schedule

Click here to see a summary of the Program Curriculum

1st Trimester Courses (16 weeks)

Introduction to Healthcare (NDT111)

            This introductory course provides a comprehensive overview of working in a healthcare setting including infection control and emergency preparedness.  An emphasis is placed on professional competence in patient interactions, patient care, patient safety and privacy standards.  Medical ethics and law relating to the healthcare worker will also be discussed. Parallel: NDT119.  

EEG Fundamentals (NDT112)

            This introductory course provides a foundation of understanding the history, concepts, techniques and instruments used in recording brain activity. Also covered are National Professional Competencies and Professional Standards of Practice.  Basic skills of the International 10-20 system of head measurement, normal and normal variant EEG patterns, artifact recognition and activations will be included. The role of the Neurodiagnostic Technologist will be reviewed as well as patient history taking.  EEG and medical terminology is integrated throughout the course. Prerequisites: NDT111; Parallel: NDT119.  

Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology (NDT113)

            This course will examine basic neuroanatomy and function of the brain, spinal cord and human nervous system.  Review of the vascular system as well as basic cellular anatomy and physiology related to EEG will be discussed. This provides a foundation for better understanding of neurological abnormalities. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112; Parallel: NDT119.

Skills Lab (NDT119)

            Skills Lab is the hands-on groundwork required for Clinical Practicum I and Clinical Practicum II.  In the Skills Lab, students will be practicing and mastering the steps of the International 10-20 system of head measurement taught in the classroom. Skills Lab combines learned knowledge with hands-on practice beginning with a Styrofoam head, then mannequin head and progressing to live individuals.  They will also be introduced to the EEG equipment and the functionality of the EEG software, as well as expectations for student behavior when working in the clinical setting. Skills Lab practice builds students’ confidence and reinforces material they have learned in the program thus far and prepares them to begin testing on patients. Parallel: NDT111, 112, 113.

2nd Trimester Courses (16 weeks)

Instrumentation & Electrical Concepts (NDT121)

            This course will focus on concepts and fundamentals of electrical safety, grounding, and how it relates to human physiology.  Digital measurement and modifications to the EEG recording will be addressed with particular attention to impedance, calibration, filters, sensitivity, montages and differential amplifiers.  Electrical polarity and localization of waveforms will also be introduced. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119.  Parallel: NDT129.  Open only to neurodiagnostic students.

Adult EEG (NDT122 )

            During this course, students will focus on normal and abnormal EEG activity in the adult patient.  Areas of focus will include pattern recognition, artifact identification, EEG variants and seizure disorders, as well as other neurological disorders and how they correlate with the EEG.  Diagnosis and treatment options will be discussed. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119, 121.  Parallel: 129.  Open only to neurodiagnostic students.

Intermediate EEG Concepts (NDT123)

            This course will cover EEG in epilepsy and seizure emergencies.  It will also explore the relationship between the underlying nature of diseases and their clinical manifestations with a focus on the resultant EEG patterns. A brief overview of EKG will be discussed.  Various treatment options for seizures/epilepsy, including medications, will be reviewed.  Will conclude with a discussion of specialized areas of the hospital, such as intensive care units and the indications for use of EEG in this environment. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119, 121, 122.  Parallel: NDT129.  Open only to neurodiagnostic students.

Clinical Practicum I (NDT129)

            Under the supervision of a qualified Technologist, students will perform EEG's on patients in the hospital.  Students will start with marking/measuring using the 10-20 system, perform hook-up and record EEG, including appropriate Technologist documentation and activation procedures on patients in the outpatient and inpatient setting progressing to the ICU setting.  Students will setup and run EEG's with progressively less supervision as their skills, accuracy and competency increases.  Emphasis will be on performing EEG's that meet expectations and standards of ACNS, the Neurodiagnostic department and interpreting physicians.  By the end of Clinical Practicum I, students will be able to write a technical description using proper terminology, recognize normal and normal variant patterns, and integrate patient history in EEG analysis. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119; Parallel: NDT121, 122, 123. Only open to neurodiagnostic students.

3rd Trimester Courses (16 weeks)

Pediatric & Neonatal EEG (NDT131)

            This course provides an overview of best practice care for performing EEG testing on pediatric and neonatal patients. Additional topics of discussion will include both normal and abnormal patterns seen in children; seizures and syndromes; EEG patterns associated with neurological disorders, infections and genetic conditions; terminology of neonatal age and brain development and age-related EEG waveforms, as well as normal and abnormal neonatal EEG and neonatal seizures. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119; 121, 122, 123, 129; Parallel: NDT139.

Neurodiagnostic Modalities (NDT132)

            This course provides an overview of various neurodiagnostic modalities and their use of basic electroencephalographic (EEG) principles.  Modalities discussed will include long term monitoring, evoked potentials, nerve conduction studies, intraoperative monitoring and polysomnography. Focus of study will be on instrumentation, recording parameters and applications for performing these tests as well as the role of the Neurodiagnostic Technologist when performing these modalities. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119; 121, 122, 123, 129, 131; Parallel: NDT139.

NDT Capstone (NDT133)

            This course will include a review of topics in preparation for the ABRET Registry Examination and students will complete practice exams.  Students will complete a record review presentation of a patient test they performed to summarize and demonstrate their knowledge of concepts learned in the classroom as well as the technical skills of the neurodiagnostic procedure from start to finish. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119; 121, 122, 123, 129, 131, 132; Parallel: NDT139.

Clinical Practicum II (NDT139)

            Under the supervision of a qualified Technologist, students will continue to perform routine EEG recordings from start to finish, as well as observing and performing functions in long-term monitoring unit such as hooking up adult, pediatric and neonatal patients, electrode repair, disconnecting patients and monitoring patient EEG’s in the Seizure Monitoring Unit. By the end of Clinical Practicum II, students will be able to independently run routine EEG procedures, as well as perform long-term EEG hookups.  Students will be able to identify abnormal EEG patterns and correlate patient history with what is on the EEG. Prerequisites: NDT111, 112, 113, 119, 121, 122, 123, 129; Parallel: NDT131, 132, 133.