Overview
The aim of this unit is to provide introductory knowledge in cardiac imaging, haemodynamic assessment and pharmacotherapy, providing a foundation for future study in the Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Ultrasound. You will acquire knowledge of the physics behind ultrasound image formation and instrumentation. You will learn haemodynamic principles which apply to volumetric flow, valve assessment and pressure calculation and develop an understanding of how pharmacotherapy affects cardiac performance. You will further develop your physics knowledge and skill of ultrasound imaging through participation in an intensive on-campus scanning workshop, in a simulated clinical environment.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite:Enrolment in CL74 Graduate Diploma of Cardiac Ultrasound
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 - 2022
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 Postgraduate 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 unit evaluation
Sound quality of recordings at times were quite low.
Some lecture content to be re-recorded.
Feedback from Moodle unit evaluation
It might have been helpful to flip the lecture content so we were learning about echo testing modalities/function at the beginning of the semester (when we first started practical work), and then learn the complexities of the probe/machine at the end of the semester.
Technical complexities are taught as primary unit content as this knowledge provides strong foundations for correct scanning and image acquisition. Without this foundational knowledge, comprehension of more advanced scanning concepts such as Doppler would be hindered.
- Discuss the theoretical principles underlying assessment of cardiac haemodynamics using echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation
- Describe how cardiac performance is altered by pharmacotherapeutic agents
- Discuss the physics behind ultrasound image formation and instrumentation, including imaging artefacts
- Apply knowledge of ultrasound physics and practical skills to acquire optimal ultrasound images, with due regard for bioeffects and safety
- Perform basic Doppler haemodynamic calculations using data derived from an echocardiogram
- Engage in cardiac ultrasound practice as per external accreditation requirements (Australasian Sonographer Accreditation Registry).
Linked to the Australian Sonographers Accreditation Registry (ASAR) Accreditation Standards for Cardiac Sonography:
Foundation Units of Competence
- Unit 1: Deliver safe, patient centred service
- Unit 2: Practice within professional and ethical frameworks
- Unit 3: Locate, analyse and synthesise information to support evidence based practice
- Unit 4: Contribute to workplace health and safety and quality assurance
- Unit 5: Communicate effectively
Critical Practice Unit of Competence
- Unit 8: Cardiac
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||
| 3 - Online Test - 50% | ||||||
| 4 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 0% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
| 4 - Research | ||||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||||
| 8 - 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 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
| 3 - Online Test - 50% | ||||||||
| 4 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 0% | ||||||||
Textbooks
A Sonographer’s Guide to the Assessment of Heart Disease
Edition: 1st (2016)
Authors: Bonita Anderson
Echotext
Brisbane Brisbane , QLD , Australia
ISBN: 978-0-9923222-0-5
Binding: Hardcover
Echocardiography: The Normal Examination and Echocardiographic Measurements
Edition: 3rd (2017)
Authors: Bonita Anderson
Echotext
Brisbane Brisbane , QLD , Australia
ISBN: 978-0-9923222-1-2
Binding: Hardcover
The Physics and Technology of Diagnostic Ultrasound: A Practitioner's Guide
Edition: 1 (2012)
Authors: Dr Robert Gill
High Frequency Publishing
Sydney Sydney , NSW , Australia
ISBN: 9780987292148
Binding: eBook
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.
m.osman@cqu.edu.au
p.boucaut@cqu.edu.au
y.gao@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Resolution and image production
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Events and Submissions/Topic
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Revision
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz will open at 11:00 am (AEST) on Wednesday the 6th of April and will close at 11:00 am (AEST) of Friday the 8th of April.
Online Quiz Due: Week 5 Friday (8 Apr 2022) 11:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Residential School
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Compulsory Residential School Practical assessment Tuesday 12th April 2022 during compulsory residential school.
Module/Topic
Signal analysis and processing
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Events and Submissions/Topic
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Quality control and B-mode artifacts
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Doppler ultrasound and more artifacts
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Events and Submissions/Topic
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Novel applications and biological effects
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Cardiac hemodynamic assessment
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Pharmacotherapy
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Revision
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Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test will open at 11:00 am (AEST) on Friday the 10th of June and will close at 11:00 am (AEST) of Tuesday the 14th of June.
Online Test Due: Exam Week Tuesday (14 June 2022) 11:00 pm AEST
Unit Coordinator and Contact details
Your coordinators for ECHO28001 Cardiac Imaging, Haemodynamics and Pharmacotherapy are Angie Gao and Mahomed Osman. The most efficient and preferred method of contacting Angie and Mahomed is via the Q&A forum located on the unit Moodle site. If your query is of a personal nature please contact Angie or Mahomed directly via email (y.gao@cqu.edu.au, m.osman@cqu.edu.au) or phone (02 9324 5034, 07 3023 4160).
Angie is contactable on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In between these days, replies may be delayed and Mahomed is contactable throughout the week. If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please contact Head of Course Paula Boucaut directly via email (p.boucaut@cqu.edu.au) or phone (07 3023 4108).
Unit 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 tutorials will incorporate a discussion of the weekly content delivered and associated revision material. Advice will also be provided to support student preparation for related assessments. All tutorials will be recorded and subsequently made available on Moodle.
Unit Study Commitment
As per Australian educational standards, a study commitment or engagement of approximately 150 hours will be required to complete this unit (i.e 12.5 hours per week). A suggestion for 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 the weekly study questions
- 1 hour participating in/or viewing the weekly tutorial
- 4 hours preparing for quizzes, practical assessments or the final examination
Compulsory Residential School
All students are required to attend the on-campus Compulsory Residential School on Wednesday the 12th of April 2022 (break week on the academic calendar). Students will be notified of the campus venue details and residential school schedule upon term commencement. Travel will be necessitated to either Brisbane, Sydney or Perth CQUiversity campus for attendance at the residential school. Delivery venue will be dependent upon the number of student enrolments. Students may be required to act as a patient model for their peers during practical activities.
Please ensure you complete all the activities listed under the Orientation tile on the Moodle site upon first enrolment.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This Online Quiz will assess your understanding of the content presented during weeks 1-4 of unit delivery.
- All unit content presented in lectures, tutorial presentations, and within prescribed readings is examinable.
The Online Quiz may include multiple choice, short answer, calculation or image interpretation style questions. Students are encouraged to have a calculator available when sitting the quiz.
The Online Quiz will be open for 45 minutes.
- Once started, the quiz cannot be paused or restarted.
- Only one attempt is permitted.
Please note: It is important that you commence the Online Quiz before 10.15 am (AEST) on Friday the 8th of April.
- The Online Quiz will automatically close at 11.00 am (AEST) on Friday the 8th of April.
- 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.
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. As with all other university examinations, colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct, and may lead to action being taken by the Deputy Dean of Learning and Teaching HMAS.
Students are advised to refer to the 'Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)' document for additional university guidelines regarding assessments.
1
Week 5 Friday (8 Apr 2022) 11:00 am AEST
Online Quiz will open at 11:00 am (AEST) on Wednesday the 6th of April and will close at 11:00 am (AEST) on Friday the 8th of April.
Results will be made available within two weeks of assessment due date. The Online Quiz 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 the:
- use of appropriate terminology and descriptors as well as grammar and spelling.
- student’s ability to appropriately interpret presented sonographic images and cardiac assessment data.
- student's ability to succinctly respond with accurate answers.
- Discuss the physics behind ultrasound image formation and instrumentation, including imaging artefacts
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
2 Practical Assessment
This practical assessment will be commenced during the break week Residential School. Attendance at the Residential School is compulsory. You will use knowledge from previous weeks as well as skills learned at the Residential School to perform tasks under the supervision of a tutor.
- The residential school laboratory manual can be downloaded from the Moodle site.
- Students will commence completion of the laboratory manual questions during the residential school.
- Students are required to bring a USB stick to the residential school to save acquired images.
This practical assessment requires students to:
- observe the effect of changing machine parameters on the resultant image.
- perform practical tasks set out in their laboratory manual.
- obtain, annotate and store ultrasound images during the residential school that will assist to answer questions detailed in their laboratory manual (for later submission).
Students are advised to refer to the 'Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)' document for additional university guidelines regarding assessments.
Week 7 Tuesday (26 Apr 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
A 5% mark penalty will be applied for each day, or part there of, that the residential school laboratory manual submission is late.
Results will be made available within two weeks of assessment due date.
Questions posed in the laboratory manual will assess the student's understanding of each lab task performed during the residential school.
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
- provide accurate responses to questions posed in their lab manual using appropriate terminology.
- provide appropriate illustrative images in response to questions posed.
- Apply knowledge of ultrasound physics and practical skills to acquire optimal ultrasound images, with due regard for bioeffects and safety
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Online Test
This Online Test will assess your understanding of the content presented throughout unit delivery. There will be a heavier emphasis on content not previously assessed, in particular content from weeks 5-11 of 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 examinable.
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.
The Online Test will be open for 70 minutes.
- Once started, the test cannot be paused or restarted.
- Only one attempt is permitted.
Please note: It is important that you commence the Online Test before 9.50 am (AEST) on Tuesday the 14th of June.
- The Online Test will automatically close at 11.00 am (AEST) on Tuesday the 14th 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.
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. As with all other university examinations, colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct, and may lead to action being taken by the Deputy Dean of Learning and Teaching HMAS.
Students are advised to refer to the 'Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)' document for additional university guidelines regarding assessments.
Exam Week Tuesday (14 June 2022) 11:00 pm AEST
Online Test will open at 11:00 am (AEST) on Friday the 10th of June and will close at 11:00 am (AEST) on Tuesday the 14th of June.
Results will be made available within two weeks of assessment 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 the:
- use of appropriate terminology and descriptors as well as grammar and spelling.
- student’s ability to appropriately interpret presented sonographic images and cardiac assessment data.
- student's ability to succinctly respond with accurate answers.
- Discuss the theoretical principles underlying assessment of cardiac haemodynamics using echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation
- Describe how cardiac performance is altered by pharmacotherapeutic agents
- Discuss the physics behind ultrasound image formation and instrumentation, including imaging artefacts
- Perform basic Doppler haemodynamic calculations using data derived from an echocardiogram
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
Students must maintain access to suitable clinical experience for the duration of the course enrolment. In accordance with the Australasian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR) Program Accreditation Guidelines, it is recommended that students be engaged in cardiac ultrasound practice for a minimum of three days/week over a two-year period, full-time equivalent, in an Australian or New Zealand clinical setting (minus standard leave privileges).
Clinical experience is the component of sonographer education that allows students to put theoretical knowledge into practice within the patient care environment. It includes, but is not limited to, the hospital setting, and may include general practice, remote and rural health clinics, and community care environments.
This assessment task requires the submission of a Clinical Attendance Log Book, detailing all cardiac ultrasound practice since course enrolment.
- The logbook should include all hours spent in attendance within the echocardiography laboratory (either observing, participating, or performing related activities).
- These hours must be signed off on and approved by your ASAR registered clinical supervisor or appropriately qualified medical practitioner, verifying the accuracy of entries.
A student is required to complete a total of 2200 hours of clinical attendance prior to graduation and ASAR registration as a qualified sonographer.
- It is recommended that a student complete a minimum of 270 hours of clinical attendance per academic term of course enrolment.
Students were first supplied with this same Clinical Attendance Log Book at the time of course enrolment.
The Clinical Attendance Log Book:
- template can be found on the Moodle site.
- should be printed, manually completed and scanned to a digital file format for submission.
A Clinical Attendance Log Book electronic submission can be requested at any point during course enrolment, at the discretion of the university course coordinator.
Review/Exam Week Friday (10 June 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Results will be made available within two weeks of assessment due date. Individual student feedback will be provided only if assessment criteria deficits are identified.
To be awarded a PASS, all documentation must be completed and submitted by the corresponding due date and time.
The Clinical Attendance Log Book must demonstrate:
- that minimum training requirements have been met and verified by ASAR registered clinical supervisor or appropriately qualified medical practitioner.
- hours of attendance have been documented appropriately.
- Engage in cardiac ultrasound practice as per external accreditation requirements (Australasian Sonographer Accreditation Registry).
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
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?
