CSN031 Cardiac Ultrasound Clinical Practice 1

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Online

Overview

This unit is the first of three clinical units and progressively develops the clinical and professional skills you require for clinical practice. This unit builds on your skills, knowledge and abilities gained in the units CSN021 Cardiac Ultrasound 1 and CSN025 Principles of Medical Ultrasound. In this unit, instrumentation, report writing and echocardiographic skills are developed through clinical experience and training in a QUT approved clinical department.

This is a designated unit which is essential to your course progression. Designated units include professional experience units, units requiring the development of particular skills, and units requiring demonstration of certain personal qualities. If you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit, you may be excluded from enrolment or will be put on academic probation. If you fail a designated unit twice within your course, you may be excluded. Supplementary assessment is not available on designated units.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Perform a range of complete adult echocardiographic examinations, measurements and calculations at a standard expected by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE).
2. Evaluate and interpret the normal and abnormal echocardiographic features and anatomy identified in a diverse range of patients during echocardiographic examinations.
3. Critically examine and interpret the clinical indication to determine examination extension as required.
4. Produce high quality digital imaging by applying the physical principles of ultrasound and adapting ultrasound instrumentation settings as appropriate.
5. Employ a range of professional (code of conduct, safe sonographic practices, and protect patient safety) and communication skills to provide safe, high quality, patient-centred care during all echocardiographic examinations.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit combines supervised clinical experience in a nominated QUT-approved clinical department with a range of summative assessment items undertaken by the student during the period of clinical practice. 

The range and volume of your clinical experience, under the supervision of QUT-approved Accredited Cardiac Sonographers or Echocardiologists, should reflect key competency areas of cardiac sonographers when examining a range of cardiac pathologies. It is your responsibility to negotiate the breadth and depth of your clinical experience with your supervisor. Your progress will be monitored and evaluated by your clinical supervisors, in consultation with QUT academic staff. Your workplace experience, as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the clinical setting, is an important part of your learning journey. You will undertake supervised ultrasound training for no less than 3 days per week (0.6FTE) whilst enrolled. 

You are required to submit a Case Study Portfolio to demonstrate the skills and competencies required to perform two (2) cardiac ultrasound examinations. Each case study submission has a different requirement. The first case study is a complete study of an essentially normal ultrasound examination. The second case study must demonstrate evidence of ischaemic heart disease. These topics are discussed extensively in the theory unit, CSN022, Cardiac Ultrasound 2. You will record yourself performing the echocardiographic examination for the second case study including verifying your identity, record the imaging console and ultrasound monitor including audio to record your communication with the patient. Your supervisor will assess your professional communication (prior to case study 2) with your patient prior to commencing the scan, including consent, explanations and professional demeanour.

In both case studies you are required to demonstrate the skills and competencies required to use the non-imaging continuous wave Doppler probe (PEDOF probe) from the apical window and measurement of biplane Simpsons ejection fraction (image quality dependent).

The use of GenAI is authorised for researching clinical information needed to write a professional echocardiographic report. 

You will also be required to submit a CW Doppler assessment demonstrating the use of the non-imaging CW Doppler transducer (PEDOF probe) to acquire the aortic valve signal from the apical window.

Throughout the course, you are required to record evidence of your clinical experience and competency. The Clinical Portfolio is a progressive formative submission over the duration of the course. The Clinical Portfolio is designed to demonstrated progressive accumulation of skills and to ensure adequate preparation prior to the final Clinical Examination in Year 2, Semester 2. For satisfactory completion of the program the Clinical Portfolio must be graded as Satisfactory prior to booking your final Clinical Examination in CSN035 (Year 2, Semester 2).

Academic Consultation and Peer Collaboration: QUT academic staff are available to discuss issues relating to the clinical practice requirements on an individual basis, as necessary. You will also engage with the teaching team and your student peers via the unit's online discussion forum.

Regular online drop-in sessions led by the unit coordinator will occur throughout the semester to support students putting theoretical knowledge into clinical practice. Students can join the unit coordinator in on-line sessions to explore:

• assessments and expectations
• interesting clinical cases
• image optimisation
• critical thinking when interpreting echocardiographic images and measurements.

The online measurements tutorial website is available for you to practice your measurement techniques on real-life images in a simulated environment and receive instant feedback by viewing the expert-level measurement for that image.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Individual summative feedback relating to the case study submissions, CW Doppler assessment and Clinical Portfolio will be provided via the Canvas site for this unit. Feedback for the case studies is provided as video screencasts from experienced senior staff which allows you to see how measurements would be performed correctly, how the image control settings are manipulated and also hear the commentary from the assessors. This reflects real-world practice where a student would review a case with the clinical trainers. 

Results for all assessments will be displayed under My Grades on the Canvas site for this unit.

Assessment

Overview

Assessments in this unit consists of two case study submissions (S/U) and a CW Doppler assessment. 

You must receive a satisfactory result in each assessment item in order to be awarded a grade of satisfactory in this unit. Individual assessment items are graded as Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory.

In this unit, for you to be eligible to receive a passing grade, threshold assessment conditions apply to assessment items 1 and 2.  If you do not achieve a satisfactory grade for an assessment item, you are able to make one resubmission of this work. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.  

A marking criterion is used for the allocation of grades for each assessment item.  A moderation process including cross-marking of submissions ensures individual markers apply standards consistently and fairly.

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Case Study Portfolio

You will be required to submit two case studies demonstrating the performance of comprehensive adult echocardiographic examinations.  This includes 2D, spectral Doppler and colour Doppler components of the examination, and all appropriate measurements and calculations required to answer the clinical question.

Case study 1 - 

1. Patient requirements: This case study is to be performed on a real adult patient with essentially normal findings, or on patients without significant pathology.
2. Simpson’s Biplane Ejection Fraction: attempted even if LV function is normal (select a study where image quality permits measurement of a Simpson’s BP EF).
3. Non-imaging CW Doppler: you are required to at least show the aortic signal acquired from apex. This is an essential component of this case study. If AR, MR and/or TR present then you should also attempt to document these signals.

Case study 2 -

1. Patient requirements: This case study is to be performed on a real adult patient with echocardiographic evidence of ischaemic heart disease (e.g., regional wall motion abnormalities or evidence of the complications of myocardial infarction).
2. Simpson’s Biplane Ejection Fraction: select a study where image quality permits measurements of a Simpson’s BP EF
3. Non-imaging CW Doppler: you are required to at least show the aortic signal acquired from apex. This is an essential component of this case study. If AR, MR and/or TR present, you should also attempt to document these signals also.

Case study 2 is to be video recorded (including audio) and the zipped .mp4 or .mov recording (.zip file, not .rar file), and zipped DICOM images are to be uploaded to Canvas. The recording must include verification of student identity.

Submissions are graded as satisfactory / unsatisfactory.  A detailed marking criteria is used for the allocation of grades.  A moderation process including cross-marking of submissions ensures individual markers apply standards consistently and fairly.

Due to the use of patient data in this assessment, the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited in this assessment.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Threshold Assessment:

Threshold conditions apply.   If you do not achieve the pass level for this assessment task you are able to make one resubmission of this work for the minimum pass level, only when the achieved mark/grade is within 10% (or 1 grade) of the pass level for the assessment item. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.

Assessment: CW Doppler Assessment

You are required to submit continuous wave (CW) Doppler traces, demonstrating your proficiency in using both the guided continuous wave (CW) Doppler probe and the non-imaging continuous wave (CW) Doppler probe (PEDOF probe) during a standard transthoracic echo study. You are to submit traces from five (5) real patients demonstrating this technique, measurement accuracy and optimisation skills.  

The assessment is graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory against a marking criterion. A moderation process including cross-marking of submissions ensures individual markers apply standards consistently and fairly.

Due to the use of patient data in this assessment, the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited in this assessment.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Threshold Assessment:

Threshold conditions apply.   If you do not achieve the pass level for this assessment task you are able to make one resubmission of this work for the minimum pass level, only when the achieved mark/grade is within 10% (or 1 grade) of the pass level for the assessment item. You are advised to seek feedback on your submission from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Anderson, B (2014). A Sonographer's Guide to the Assessment of Heart Disease. MGA Graphics (This text is strongly recommended for all students)

Anderson, B (2017). Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements (3rd ed.). Brisbane: MGA Graphics. (This text is strongly recommended for all students)

Reference book(s)

Otto, C.M. (2023). Textbook of Clinical Echocardiography (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier.

Other

American Society of Echocardiography Guideline and Recommendations: www.asecho.org 

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Course Learning Outcomes

CS61 Graduate Diploma in Cardiac Ultrasound

1. Critically analyse clinical information to accurately differentiate normal cardiac anatomy and complex cardiac pathologies.
   Relates to: Case Study Portfolio
2. Perform independent, culturally safe and patient-centred cardiac ultrasound examinations to a high level of technical proficiency and diagnostic accuracy.
   Relates to: Case Study Portfolio, CW Doppler Assessment
3. Communicate effectively with peers and multidisciplinary health professionals to explore the diagnostic value and limitations of cardiac ultrasound imaging.
   Relates to: Case Study Portfolio
4. Practice as a reflective, ethical and collaborative professional committed to the sustainability of quality assured cardiac sonography practice.
   Relates to: Case Study Portfolio