I carry out diagnostic tests on patients, mostly electroencephalograms, or EEGs, to diagnose epilepsy. I apply electrodes to the patient’s head to record their brain waves, and also take video so we can monitor any seizures. A typical EEG takes 20 minutes but we also do sleep-deprived tests and prolonged recordings. I’m trained to carry out EEGs on children and to work in different environments such as intensive care.
Another test I carry out is a nerve conduction study to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome. This involves attaching leads and electrodes to the patient’s arm and stimulating the nerve with an impulse to record the speed of their nerves. I also use evoked potential tests to monitor a patient’s spinal cord during operative procedures too, for example where it’s necessary to remove a tumour from the spine.