CSN032 Cardiac Ultrasound Clinical Practice 2
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | CSN032 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | CSN031 and CSN023. CSN023 can be studied in the same teaching period as CSN032. |
| Equivalent(s): | PCN597-1, PCN597-2 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,468 |
| International unit fee | $4,584 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Online
| Unit code: | CSN032 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | CSN031 and CSN023. CSN023 can be studied in the same teaching period as CSN032. |
| Coordinators: | Kate Marriott | kate.marriott@qut.edu.au Ruth Ramm | r.ramm@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit provides the second opportunity in the course for you to be involved in extensive clinical experience that is complementary to all other units in the course. This unit further builds your skills, knowledge and abilities gained in the unit CSN031 Cardiac Ultrasound Clinical Practice 1. Your specialist skills will be further refined and expanded, and advanced echocardiographic skills will be developed through employment 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:
- Display the specialised skills necessary to perform a range of comprehensive adult echocardiographic examinations, including the performance of advanced measurements and calculations, to the standards as described by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE).
- Effectively recognise and describe the normal and abnormal echocardiographic features and anatomy on a wide range of adult echocardiographic examinations, including an explanation of the possible causes for abnormal appearances, and be competent at reporting these findings.
- Apply advanced knowledge of the physical principles of ultrasound and ultrasound instrumentation, as well as demonstrating the ability to adapt ultrasound instrumentation settings to ensure high quality imaging is performed.
- Critically examine and interpret the clinical ultrasound request and apply specialised knowledge and skills in order to demonstrate high levels of diagnostic accuracy.
- Using advanced digital literacy skills, create and deliver an online case presentation on a specific cardiac pathology imaged in the clinical setting
Content
The unit covers the following topic areas as applied in the clinical situation. This content is complementary to, and must be considered in the context of, learning in other units such as CSN021 Cardiac Ultrasound 1, CSN025 Principles of Medical Ultrasound, CSN022 Cardiac Ultrasound 2, CSN023 Cardiac Ultrasound 3, and CSN031 Cardiac Ultrasound Clinical Practice 1.
Clinical practice including:
- Standard two-dimensional views obtained at the parasternal, apical, subcostal and suprasternal positions
- Standard spectral and colour Doppler examination, including standard and advanced measurements and calculations
- Assessment of diastolic function
- Qualitative and quantitative assessment of common cardiac pathologies
- Awareness of Occupational Health and Safety practices
- Professional conduct
Learning Approaches
The unit combines supervised clinical experience in a nominated QUT approved clinical department with a range of formative and summative assessment items undertaken by the student during the period of clinical practice. You will normally undertake supervised ultrasound training no less than 3 days per week (0.6FTE) whilst enrolled. No direct lectures are involved. 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 other students through the use of this unit's online discussion forum.
This unit is supported by an intensive block during O Week (approximately 2 days) which combines tutorials, demonstrations and interactive scanning sessions delivered at Gardens Point campus. Computer-based materials are available for self-paced review and further studies. You will engage throughout the semester with online-tutorial quizzes which provide instant feedback on your understanding. There is also an online measurements tutorial website which allows 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.
Throughout the course, you are required to record evidence of your clinical experience and competency. Mandatory completion of relevant components of the electronic Clinical Portfolio is required for satisfactory completion of the unit.
Workplace learning with the support of your clinical supervisor forms an important part of the teaching process. Clinical supervisors are Accredited Cardiac Sonographers or Echocardiologists as approved by QUT. Clinical supervisors are responsible, in consultation with the student, for ensuring an adequate range and volume of clinical experience is obtained. Supervisors, in consultation with QUT academic staff and the student, are required to monitor and evaluate your clinical progress.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
During the on-campus imaging workshops, students will participate in live-scanning sessions on volunteer patients. During these sessions, students will have the opportunity to receive feedback on their imaging and measurement technique from both peers and expert sonographers.
Individual formative feedback relating to the Clinical Portfolio submission will be provided via the Canvas site for this unit. Feedback for the case studies are provided as video screencasts which allows the student 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 clinical sonographers in the workplace. Individual, written feedback will be provided for the case presentation submission.
Results for all assessments will be displayed on the Canvas site for this unit.
Assessment
Overview
In this unit, you will undertake both written and clinical assessments related to the learning outcomes of this unit. You will perform echocardiographic imaging in the clinical setting and submit two case studies with specific valvular pathology requirements. You will also research a cardiac condition that you have imaged and prepare a PowerPoint presentation on this topic, providing an opportunity to present your submission in the workplace or at an educational event or conference.
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.
Unit Grading Scheme
S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Case Study Portfolio
You will be required to perform two ultrasound examinations within your clinical practice on medically referred patients with specific valvular pathology. The ultrasound images from these studies will be submitted, demonstrating your ability to perform a comprehensive adult echocardiographic examination including 2D, spectral and colour Doppler components of the study. You are also required to critically review all images and measurements in order to produce a professional echocardiographic report to reflect the findings.
Graded: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Threshold Assessment:
Threshold conditions apply. If you do not achieve a satisfactory grade for this assessment task 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.
Assessment: Interesting case presentation
You will be required to research a pathology observed in an echocardiographic examination you have performed in the clinical workplace. You will acquire the digital skills necessary to produce a PowerPoint presentation including a review of current literature relevant to the pathology and a demonstration of your imaging. You will have the opportunity to submit your work for inclusion in an online webinar series for Australian and New Zealand ultrasound students, organised by a sonography industry partner, or alternatively, to present your study at a workplace educational event.
Graded: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Threshold Assessment:
Threshold conditions apply. If you do not achieve a satisfactory grade for this assessment task 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.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
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.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Costs
Student registration with the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR): $110.00
Travel costs associated with the on-campus, intensive block.
Resources
Recommended Text:
Anderson, B (2017). Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements (3rd ed.). Brisbane: MGA Graphics. (This text is strongly recommended for all students)
Anderson, B (2014). A Sonographer's Guide to the Assessment of Heart Disease. MGA Graphics (This text is strongly recommended for all students)
Other References and Recommended Reading:
Any detailed cardiac anatomy and physiology text, e.g.
Otto, C.M. (2018). Textbook of Clinical Echocardiography (6th ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.