A study-ready electrode cart needs compatible electrodes and leads, approved preparation and contact materials, application supplies, replacement items, and a defined cleanup process. Build quantities around the scheduled studies and the time required to return reusable equipment to service.
We recommend checking three separate totals: supplies available for patient use, reusable sets ready for connection, and accessible backup stock. A set awaiting reprocessing is not available for the next hookup, even if it appears in the department’s equipment count.
This checklist supports professional supply planning for conventional scalp EEG and attended sleep-lab electrode workflows. Your laboratory’s approved montage, equipment instructions, and patient requirements determine the actual components and quantities. It is not a complete sleep lab equipment or accreditation checklist.
1. Check the electrode cart before the first hookup.
| Check | Supply group | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Measurement and marking | Metric measuring tool, suitable skin marker, and hair-management tools required by the lab’s placement method |
| ☐ | Recording electrodes | Correct type, material, connector, and quantity for the approved setup; usable condition and legible identification |
| ☐ | Reference and ground components | Included according to the recording system’s requirements |
| ☐ | Leads and permitted adapters | Correct connections, suitable lengths, and no visible damage; required reusable accessories ready for use |
| ☐ | Skin-preparation supplies | Approved cleaner or preparation product, applicators, and removal materials |
| ☐ | Conductive medium | Paste or gel specified for the electrode system, with usable contents and intact packaging |
| ☐ | Securing materials | Approved tape, gauze, or other fixation materials appropriate to the application method and skin |
| ☐ | Replacement stock | Compatible spare electrodes and leads, plus preparation and securing supplies needed to restore a connection |
| ☐ | Patient cleanup | Supplies appropriate to the medium or adhesive actually used |
| ☐ | Reprocessing and waste | Manufacturer-compatible processing supplies, designated used-equipment containers, and the facility’s disposal provisions |
| ☐ | Hand hygiene and PPE | Supplies required by the facility’s infection-prevention procedure |
Use a separate entry for anything that varies by recording system. A shared label such as “EEG lead” is not enough to approve a replacement connector or adapter.
2. Separate EEG requirements from the sleep-study setup
A sleep study requires more than scalp-electrode supplies. AAST’s standard polysomnography guidance describes recording sleep-related signals alongside breathing, oxygenation, movement, and cardiac information.
| Supply-planning area | Scalp EEG workflow | Attended PSG workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Electrode allocation | Count the electrodes and supporting components required by the ordered EEG setup. | Include the prescribed EEG, eye-movement, muscle, and cardiac recording components. |
| Additional sensors | Add items required by the specific study. | Separately verify airflow, respiratory effort, oximetry, and other sensors required by the study. |
| Ready-to-use equipment | Match available sets to simultaneous studies and turnaround. | Match sets and sensor assemblies to occupied rooms and the overnight schedule. |
| Backup access | Place approved replacement items where staff can retrieve them. | Confirm overnight access when central stores or purchasing staff are unavailable. |
Build the list from the approved montage—the arrangement of recorded signals—and the system’s accessory requirements. Do not calculate physical electrode stock from the number of displayed channels alone.
Pediatric studies, home sleep testing, PAP titration, and specialized recordings require their own approved supply lists. Keep those lists distinct from the standard attended diagnostic setup.
3. Assign NuPrep and Ten20 separate stock lines
Preparation gel and conductive paste are used for different tasks. Tracking them separately makes shortages and substitutions easier to recognize.
| Product we offer | Role in a compatible workflow | What to record for replenishment |
|---|---|---|
| NuPrep Skin Prep Gel | Mild abrasive preparation before recording-electrode placement | Approved item, tubes in use, unopened stock, and observed consumption |
| Ten20 Conductive Paste | Conductive contact and adhesive hold for compatible non-gelled neurodiagnostic electrodes | Approved item and jar size, usable contents, unopened stock, and consumption |
Ten20’s manufacturer-listed applications include EEG, PSG, and MSLT. That does not make it the correct contact medium for every sensor in a sleep study. Confirm the medium for each electrode type before standardizing a cart.
For the detailed comparison and application sequence, read our Ten20 vs. NuPrep guide. Keep product instructions with the setup procedure rather than relying on a stock checklist to teach application technique.
4. Count reusable sets by readiness.
Reusable and disposable components create different inventory needs. The following is a planning comparison; it does not recommend one electrode type for every laboratory.
| Planning issue | Reusable electrode assemblies | Single-use electrodes |
|---|---|---|
| Available quantity | Count complete sets that have finished required processing and inspection. | Count usable, unexpired units in the required configuration |
| Turnaround requirement | Allow for processing time and components removed from service. | Allow for supply consumption and replacement delivery time. |
| Replacement trigger | Damage, failed inspection, or another manufacturer-defined reason | Use or another condition requiring disposal under the labeling |
| Supplies that may remain reusable | Electrode assemblies and accessories, according to their labeling | Lead wires, adapters, or other accessories may still be reusable; check the exact design. |
ASET’s skin-safety guidance emphasizes manufacturer instructions, cleaning policies, and skin assessment. Removing visible paste does not by itself establish that an electrode is ready for another patient.
Keep unused supplies, used components awaiting processing, and inspected ready-to-use sets clearly separated under your facility’s procedure. Identify the person responsible for releasing processed sets back into available stock.
5. Set a reorder point from actual use.
Track consumption by supply item and study type. Record material used during the initial hookup, replacements during recording, and discarded material. Do not assume every EEG and PSG consumes the same amount of paste or preparation gel.
For a simple replenishment starting point:
Reorder point = expected consumption during replenishment lead time + department-defined safety stock.
For example, suppose a department uses three NuPrep tubes per week, replenishment takes two weeks, and it chooses three tubes of safety stock. Its starting reorder point is nine tubes. This is a hypothetical planning example, not a recommended consumption rate or patient yield.
Compare that point with usable stock plus confirmed inbound supply, less outstanding allocations. Check arrival dates: an order due after the next group of studies cannot cover an earlier shortage.
| Reorder worksheet field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Exact item and approved substitute | Manufacturer reference and any clinically approved alternative |
| Counting unit | Tubes, jars, individual electrodes, or complete sets |
| Purchase unit | Contents of one orderable package |
| Usable quantity | Exclude expired, damaged, quarantined, or otherwise unavailable stock. |
| Expected demand | Consumption for the scheduled mix of studies |
| Replenishment lead time | Supplier timing plus receiving and preparation time |
| Safety stock | Buffer selected for variability and the consequence of a shortage |
| Owner and review date | Person responsible for checking and placing the order |
Convert the required quantity into purchase packages at the end. Our product pages show the current NuPrep package and Ten20 jar options; a package count and a container count are different inventory measures.
6. Close the supply check at shift handoff.
Before the next staff member takes over, confirm:
- The scheduled study types have complete, compatible supplies assigned.
- Reusable sets counted as available have completed the required processing and inspection.
- Replacement items can be located during the recording, including overnight.
- Open and unopened preparation materials have been checked under their labeling and facility policy.
- Shortages have an owner, a replenishment plan, and a verified expected arrival.
Keep the status specific. “Paste ordered” is less useful than the exact product, quantity, expected receipt date, and number of scheduled studies the remaining stock can reasonably support.
Frequently asked questions
How many electrodes should an EEG or sleep lab order per study?
Use the actual physical components required by the approved setup, then account for observed replacement use. There is no single count that covers routine EEG, expanded EEG, and every PSG configuration.
How many patients will one jar of Ten20 or tube of NuPrep serve?
Estimate from measured local use. Electrode type, number of sites, application method, and discarded material affect consumption. Container weight alone does not establish a dependable patient count.
Is a packaged EEG setup kit a complete sleep-study supply kit?
Check its contents against the ordered study. A kit may cover scalp preparation and electrodes while leaving out the respiratory sensors, oximetry components, or other supplies required for PSG.
Can we replace the specified contact medium with another conductive gel?
Only when the electrode and equipment instructions permit that substitution. Confirm compatibility before changing the stock list.
We can help with ordering questions for our NuPrep and Ten20 options. Contact our team with the item reference, package size, quantity, and required delivery date so we can check the requested order.
Copyright © Balego Inc. All rights reserved.
