Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) can learn to recognize and diagnose sleep disorders by completing the sleep medicine course offered by the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine. The class will begin October 24 and will provide CE credits.

The course curriculum was developed and is taught by Michael Lacey, MD, DABSM, a board certified sleep doctor.

Acknowledging the 40 percent growth over the last five years of NPs and the projected 30 percent growth of PAs, Dr. Lacey said, "Neither group is exposed to sleep medicine as part of their basic core curriculum, so I felt a course in sleep medicine would enhance their knowledge while improving overall patient care in their practices."

Gail Reid is the program manager of the Atlanta Sleep School. She believes that sleep medicine could become a recognized specialty for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. She said, "It is part of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine's mission to educate physicians as well as allied healthcare professionals in the practice of sleep disorders medicine and we believe that this course contributes significantly to this mission."

The course will cover an array of sleep disorders including Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, Parasomnias, and Narcolepsy. Participants will learn causes, diagnosis, and treatment as well as legal aspects of dealing with dangerously sleepy patients.

For more than a decade, the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology has offered courses for more than 5,000 healthcare professionals. For more information, visit www.sleepschool.com