Overview
This unit provides an insight into the science of cardiac assessment by exploring the role and scope of practice of the cardiac physiologist and echocardiographer within the Australian health care system. You will acquire knowledge of communication strategies used in clinical practice and explore the types of cardiac testing procedures available and the outcomes of those assessments. You will apply your knowledge and skills to demonstrate procedures for the provision of safe patient care, ultrasound scanning coordination, spatial awareness and grey-scale pattern recognition in a simulated clinical environment. The aim of this unit is to provide introductory knowledge and skill that will support your learning throughout the Echocardiography / Cardiac Physiology course.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite Students must be enrolled in CV69 Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Moodle
The unit's content was delivered in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner, with tutorials reinforcing important topics.
Moodle format and delivery style will be continued in 2021.
- Define the scope of practice and professional requirements of cardiac physiologists and echocardiographers, including legal and ethical considerations
- Discuss the provision of cardiac assessment within the context of general diagnostic services in the Australia health care system
- Employ common communication strategies used in the healthcare environment
- Apply introductory level knowledge of ultrasound equipment, image acquisition and interpretation, body and cardiac imaging planes, using appropriate terminology
- Demonstrate knowledge of safe practice, including infection control and ergonomic principles.
Linked to National and International Standards
1. ASAR Accreditation Standards for Cardiac Sonography - critical practice Unit 8 - Cardiac, Foundation units of competence - 1- 5.
2. European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging Core Syllabus
3. American Registry for Cardiac Sonography Core Syllabus
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 0% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 3 - Online Test - 60% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 0% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Online Test - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurement
Edition: 3rd (2017)
Authors: Bonita Anderson
Echotext Pty Ltd
Brisbane Brisbane , Queensland , Australia
ISBN: 978-0-9923222-1-2
Binding: Hardcover
Additional Textbook Information
Some suggested textbooks may be digital while the prescribed text above is not and will need to be purchased. All journals and articles will be available online.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.prince@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Role and scope of practice
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Order CQUniversity uniform from the Bookshop for the Residential School in Week 9.
Module/Topic
The Australian healthcare system
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Diagnostic services
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Communication
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Clinical indications
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Infection control and vital signs
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents. Anderson B. Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements. 3rd ed. Brisbane: Echotext; 2017.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Gross Cardiac Anatomy
Chapter
Anderson B. Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements. 3rd ed. Brisbane: Echotext; 2017.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Compulsory Lab Induction Checklist Due: Week 7 Friday (30th April 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Two-dimensional Echocardiography and image orientation
Chapter
Anderson B. Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements. 3rd ed. Brisbane: Echotext; 2017. Chapter 2: The two-dimensional echocardiographic examination, p.33-70.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Residential School
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Practical Assessment Due: Week 9 Friday (14 May 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Safe practice
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Legal frameworks
Chapter
See eReading list for additional online resources, ie supporting articles and documents.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Unit Coordinator and Contact Details
Your unit coordinator for ECHO11003 Fundamentals of Cardiac Science is Kim Prince. The most efficient and preferred method of contacting Kim is via the Q&A forum located on the unit Moodle site. However, if your query is of a personal nature, please contact Kim directly via email: k.prince@cqu.edu.au or phone: 07 30234244. Kim's office days are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Tutorials
Tutorials for this unit will be delivered ‘live’ online using Zoom (the links required for accessing the tutorials are provided on the Moodle site). The sessions will also be recorded and subsequently made available on Moodle. The tutorials will incorporate a discussion of the weekly content delivered and associated revision material. Advice will also be provided to support preparation for related assessments.
Unit Study Commitment
As per Australian educational standards, you are expected to a do a total of 150 hours (i.e. 12.5 hours per week) of engagement towards your study for this unit. A suggestion of how you should allocate your study commitment per week is as follows:
- 3 hours watching recorded lectures
- 2 hours completing recommended readings
- 1.5 hours creating study notes
- 1 hour completing weekly study questions
- 1 hour participating in/or viewing the weekly tutorial
- 4 hours preparing for the written assessment, practical assessments or the final examination
Compulsory Residential School
You must attend the Residential School at your enrolled campus only. Prior to attendance, you are required to complete the online lab induction for your campus of enrolment and upload the lab induction checklist to Moodle (the links required for accessing the online lab induction and lab induction checklist are provided on the Moodle site). This documentation is required to comply with CQ University’s Occupational Health and Safety policy. Your compulsory lab induction checklist is due on Week 7 Friday (30th April 2021) at 5:00 pm AEST.
Please ensure that you complete all the activities listed under the orientation tile on the Moodle site upon first enrolment.
1 Written Assessment
- cardiovascular diseases
- common cardiac diagnostic tests (listed below)
- adherence to professional requirements
- acknowledgement of patient expectations
- emerging health reform policies.
- Discuss the epidemiological distribution (frequency, pattern) of cardiovascular disease globally, and in Australia.
- Define risk factors that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.
- Provide examples of the common types of cardiovascular disease in Australia.
- Include an appropriate image to enhance content and understanding.
- Why this test is performed?
- How it is performed?
- What the results may indicate?
- Include an appropriate image to enhance content and understanding.
- Provide an example of an authoritative source where patients and/or health professionals can source further information on this procedure.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Exercise stress test
- Stress Echocardiogram
- 24 hour Holter monitoring
- 24 hour Blood pressure monitoring
- Accreditation
- The purpose of CPD points and recognized CPD programs.
- Include in your answer the desired outcome.
- List two (2) actions or strategies that may help you improve patient-clinician communication.
Section 4: Health reforms in Australia
Research health reforms in Australia and chose one (1) policy or strategy that has the potential to improve the lives of patients living with cardiovascular disease. You may wish to consider preventative strategies, health service improvements or health infrastructure advancements.
- Define the problem
- Describe the solution
- Discuss the impact and include in your answer
- a minimum of two (2) benefits of this policy or strategy, and
- a minimum of two (2) limitations or barriers to this policy or strategy
Conclusion:
- Main points and highlights from the main assessment
- Relevance and implications of the assessments findings.
Word count:
1600 words +/- 10%, excluding reference list.
Referencing style:
- Vancouver
- minimum 5 peer-reviewed journal articles (within the last 5 years) must be cited.
Format and submission (template in Moodle under the Assessment tile):
- A4 format
- Orientation portrait
- Multiple pages allowed (include page numbers)
- Title page
- Student name
- Student number
- Unit name
- Assessment title
- Word count
Consider the use of figures, table and/or dot points and present information clearly and concisely.
In the absence of an approved extension request, a late penalty of five percent of the total available marks for the assessment will be deducted for each full or part calendar day that the assessment task is overdue.
Students are advised to refer to the 'Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)' document for additional university guidelines.
Week 6 Friday (23 Apr 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
Individual results will be published within 2 weeks of the due date.
You will be assessed using the Written Assessment marking rubric on your ability to:
- Locate and critically evaluate information
- Recognise pertinent professional information
- Describe the role of a Cardiac Physiologist / Echocardiographer in the interprofessional team
- Describe practical aspects of diagnostic cardiology
A downloadable copy of the Written Assessment task rubric can be found on the Moodle site.
- Define the scope of practice and professional requirements of cardiac physiologists and echocardiographers, including legal and ethical considerations
- Discuss the provision of cardiac assessment within the context of general diagnostic services in the Australia health care system
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
2 Practical Assessment
- Demonstrate competency in the performance of effective hand washing (safe practice) using soap and water.
- Refer to the handouts/rubric on Moodle.
- Demonstrate introductory knowledge of cardiac ultrasound scanning, probe manipulation and scan sector orientation.
- Refer to the rubric on Moodle.
- You must be available to act as a patient model for peer practical assessments.
- You may have to be a patient model on more than one occasion.
- You cannot request who you scan for your practical assessment
Week 9 Friday (14 May 2021) 5:00 pm AEST
The practical assessment will be conducted during the break week residential school. Attendance at the Residential School is compulsory. In the absence of an approved extension, this assessment cannot be completed at a later time.
Direct feedback will be provided at the time of the practical assessment.
- Demonstrate professional behaviour and effective hand washing technique (safe practice)
- Demonstrate introductory knowledge of cardiac ultrasound scanning
- Identify sector orientation
- Manipulate the transducer
- Use appropriate terminology
- Employ common communication strategies used in the healthcare environment
- Apply introductory level knowledge of ultrasound equipment, image acquisition and interpretation, body and cardiac imaging planes, using appropriate terminology
- Demonstrate knowledge of safe practice, including infection control and ergonomic principles.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Online Test
Sonographers will be expected to analyze and discuss echocardiographic findings, cardiovascular pathologies, differential diagnoses, and cardiac catheterisation procedures in a professional cardiac diagnostic role.
Requirements:
Respond to a series of questions (drawn from lectures, readings, tutorials, and laboratory sessions) via an Online
Test, within the prescribed time frame. This online test will assess your understanding of the content presented throughout the unit delivery. Questions will be drawn from a resource bank, to allow the online test to be different for each student. All unit content presented in lectures, tutorial presentations, at the residential school and within prescribed readings is assessible. The online test may include multiple choice, short answer, calculation or image interpretation style questions. Students are encouraged to have a calculator available when sitting the test.
Rules:
To successfully complete the online test, students must:
* Access the online test via ECHO11003 Moodle at the assigned time
* Attempt the online test only once (once started, the online test cannot be paused)
* Moodle will automatically close and submit responses once the allocated time has elapsed.
* The online test will be open for 100 minutes.
* Prepare personal notes and have a calculator when attempting the Online Test;
* Undertake the Online Test as an individual (questions are drawn from a question pool to allow a different online test for each student; any incidences of academic misconduct lead to action from the Deputy Dean of Learning and Teaching);
* Notify relevant staff and TASAC if technical issues arise during the Online Test; TASAC is available for immediate
assistance during AEST business hours).
* In the absence of an approved extension, the Online Test cannot be completed at a later time.
Please note:
- It is important that you commence the Online Test before 5:50 pm (AEST) on Friday the 4th of June.
- The Online Test will automatically close at 8:00 pm (AEST) on Friday the 4th of June.
- If you have not completed the test by this time, your test may be submitted incomplete or with no answers. In the absence of an approved extension, students will receive a mark of zero (or fail) for this assessment, if it is not completed by the scheduled date and time.
- Students are reminded that IT support from the university Information and Technology Division (TASAC) is only available during AEST business hours.
- Students are advised to refer to the 'Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)' document for additional university guidelines regarding assessments.
Online test will open at 8:00 am (AEST) on Thursday 3rd June and will close 8.00 pm (AEST) Friday 4th June.
Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021)
Individual results will be published within 2 weeks of the due date. The online test question pool in its entirety will not be released to students.
You will be required to answer a variety of online questions.
Question responses will be assessed according to your ability:
- to demonstrate sound knowledge of the scope and requirements of cardiac scientists within the context of the current Australian health care system
- to use appropriate terminology and descriptors as well as grammar and spelling
- to appropriately interpret presented sonographic images and cardiac assessment data
- to succinctly respond with accurate answers.
- Define the scope of practice and professional requirements of cardiac physiologists and echocardiographers, including legal and ethical considerations
- Discuss the provision of cardiac assessment within the context of general diagnostic services in the Australia health care system
- Employ common communication strategies used in the healthcare environment
- Apply introductory level knowledge of ultrasound equipment, image acquisition and interpretation, body and cardiac imaging planes, using appropriate terminology
- Demonstrate knowledge of safe practice, including infection control and ergonomic principles.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Social Innovation
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
