Measuring brain waves in real-time is essential for Epilepsy Care
By Levell Williams

Clemese Griffin, electroencephalography (EEG) technologist at Hartford Hospital, leaned over an elderly patient and saw fear in his eyes.
“Is this going to shock me?” he asks, eyeing the colorful wires she was about to attach to his scalp, beneath his silver hair.
With a gentle smile, Griffin responds, “No, it won’t shock you.” Turning to his family sitting nearby, she adds, “I’ll walk you through each step, so you understand what is happening.”
Griffin is one of 16 EEG technologists supporting the hospital’s Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU). Dressed in olive green scrubs, the team visits every corner of the hospital bringing 24-hour monitoring services for patients at risk of seizure, stroke and other adverse brain events and conditions.
Their presence often goes overlooked
To the untrained eye, EEG work can seem simple. Technologists enter rooms to attach wires to patient scalps, leaving as quickly as they came. However, EEG work goes much deeper, Griffin says.
“It looks easy, but it’s a lot,” she says. When head injuries are a factor, it can take as much as an hour to prepare a patient for monitoring. “It’s not just putting stickers on the patient.”
Typical work involves patients from various service lines who need brain monitoring. Technologists attach roughly 25 electrodes the size of a fingertip to the scalp, then connect them to an electroencephalography machine which measures electrical brain signals. The EEG team then monitors patient brain waves from the monitoring station, providing real-time updates to the clinical care team.
Each patient’s brain waves differ and EEG monitoring is essential for detecting events like seizures because signs such as body convulsions are not always accurate or, worse, they may appear after the patient is irrevocably harmed.
HH’s Neurodiagnotics Lab supports the Ayer Epilepsy Center. Since 2018, the lab has expanded its staff and services to include 24-hour monitoring and on-the-job mentorship for new technologists.
“It speaks to the level of care that we’re providing to patients and colleagues within HHC”
“It took a lot of work to get to this point,” says Shannon Parnishkul, system neurodiagnostics director. “It speaks to the level of care that we’re providing to patients and colleagues within HHC.”
While HH offers the most robust EEG care at HHC, Ayer offers EEG services at the six other hospitals through the Epilepsy Center. Parnishkul says she hopes other locations will expand services with time.
For many, including Griffin, the most important part of EEG work is comforting patients.
“When it comes to epilepsy, it’s very scary for some people,” she says. “We make them feel safe.”
Reflecting on Dedication
By Libby Marino
For 24 years, Miguel Hernandez has been a beacon of positivity at Hartford Hospital, meticulously cleaning windows and bringing light to patients and staff alike.
Hernadez’s presence is more than a routine service; it’s a daily source of comfort and joy. Patients look forward to the clarity he brings, both through spotless windows and his warm demeanor.
His unwavering dedication transforms ordinary days into bright moments, reminding everyone of the simple yet profound impact a clear view and a friendly face can have in their healing journey.