Overview
This unit will develop your knowledge of the application of cardiac ultrasound in the assessment of a variety of disease processes including cardiomyopathies, diseases of the aorta and cardiac masses, preparing you for competent practice in the health workplace as a graduate cardiac sonographer. Knowledge presented will elaborate on the aetiology, pathophysiology and clinical presentations of these disease states. You will discuss the role of the various cardiac imaging modalities in the clinical assessment of these disease states. Through discussions of clinical scenarios and case studies you will analyse diagnostic data and provide differential diagnoses within an ethical framework of best practice and patient safety.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite: ECHO28001 Cardiac Imaging, Haemodynamics and Pharmacotherapy AND ECHO28007 Cardiac Anatomy and Pathophysiology
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 2 - 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).
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 Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation survey
The lectures were concise lectures without over-saturating course content.
The lectures in the course will continue to be developed and updated to ensure pertinent information is presented.
Feedback from Student Unit and Teacher Evaluation survey
Students find it hard to know if their practical skills are developing appropriately and in a timely fashion, given clinical training approach can vary widely in various industry settings.
Further guidance will be developed and provided to students upon course and unit enrolment.
- Differentiate between the aetiology, pathophysiology and echocardiographic assessment processes associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases
- Analyse case-based clinical information to formulate differential diagnoses and plan patient management
- Compare and contrast cardiac assessment data acquired from a variety of cardiac imaging modalities
- 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
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Unit 8: Cardiac
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||
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 | |
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 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||
2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||||
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
BASIC to ADVANCED Clinical Echocardiography. A Self Assessment Tool for the Cardiac Sonographer.
Edition: 1st (2020)
Authors: Bonita Anderon; Margaret M. Park
Wolters Kluwer
Philadelphia Philadelphia , PA , USA
ISBN: 9781975136253
Binding: eBook
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
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.cumins@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Aortopathies
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Endocarditis
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cardiac tumors, thrombus and other masses
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Other strategies used in the assessment of cardioembolic events and intracardiac masses
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and its mimickers
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz will open at 8:00 am (AEST) on Wednesday 10th August and will close at 8:00 pm (AEST) on Friday 12th August.
Module/Topic
No new content will be presented this week.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy and other myocardial diseases
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Alternative cardiac imaging modalities
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
See eReading list.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cardiac Transplantation
Ventricular assist devices
Chapter
See eReading list
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision
No new content will be presented this week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test will open at 8:00 am (AEST) on Monday 10th October and will close at 8:00 pm (AEST) on Wednesday 12th October.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Unit Coordinator and Contact details
The unit coordinator for ECHO28008 Cardiomyopathies, Aortopathies and Cardiac Masses is Katrina Cumins. The most efficient and preferred method of contacting Katrina is via the Q&A forum located on the unit Moodle site. If your query is of a personal nature, please contact Katrina directly via email (k.cumins@cqu.edu.au) or phone (08 9260 4052). Katrina's office days are; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
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 focus on answering the weekly study questions and contextualisation of key concepts in preparation for related assessments.
Lectures are used to present the central information for the week’s study, outlining the main theories and principles of the topic under consideration. Tutorials provide an opportunity for discussion and interaction with other students and with your tutor. It is important students make the most of these interactive sessions and participate fully in order to broaden knowledge and experience with the course material.
To help prepare fortnightly tutorials, please post to the Q&A forum or email the unit coordinator any questions that you might have in relation to the learning material.
Note: Tutorials are recorded for educational purposes. Recordings of Zoom tutorials may be uploaded and appear on YouTube, Moodle and Microsoft Teams. If you have any concerns about being recorded please turn off your webcam or audio, or both, during the session. Your participation will signify your consent to the recording and publication for educational purposes.
Weekly revision material will be provided. Attempting all provided revision material will help you prepare for your assessments.
No new lecture material will be presented during week 12 of term. This week will be used to prepare for the online test assessment.
Please ensure that you complete all tasks under the orientation tab on Moodle upon first enrolment.
1 Written Assessment
You are to write an essay, which cites a variety of sources to support your discussion on the following topic:
'Cancer treatment has improved significantly in recent years. However, some chemotherapeutic drugs are limited by the risk of cardiotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity can appear early or late in the course of the disease treatment and may vary from sub-clinical myocardial dysfunction to irreversible heart failure or even death. Patient prognosis relies on the early detection of myocardial dysfunction and can be achieved through serial monitoring with non-invasive cardiac imaging methods.'
Within your essay:
- Discuss chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity and proposed mechanisms.
- Compare and contrast diagnostic benefits offered by various imaging modalities used to screen for cardiotoxicity.
- Include diagrams or images to enhance the audience's understanding of the benefits or caveats associated with pertinent measurement techniques or assessment strategies.
- Identify key indices which would suggest the diagnosis.
- Discuss patient management and prognosis following diagnosis.
Your target audience is fellow clinical technical staff and student peers.
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. As with all other university assessments, 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.
Week 11 Tuesday (27 Sept 2022) 8:00 pm AEST
Results will be made available within two weeks of assessment due date.
You will be assessed on your ability to:
- Locate and critically evaluate information.
- Produce a scholarly essay that is well written, and evidence-based.
- Use appropriate technical terms, spelling, grammar, and referencing.
- Address key points as outlined in the task description.
- Minimum 5 peer-reviewed journal articles must be cited.
- Literature titles must be current (<5 years of age), excepting seminal works.
Word count: 2000 words count +/- 10%. Word count does not include headings or references but does include diagram explanations and labeling.
A detailed marking rubric can be found on the Moodle site.
- Differentiate between the aetiology, pathophysiology and echocardiographic assessment processes associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases
- Analyse case-based clinical information to formulate differential diagnoses and plan patient management
- Compare and contrast cardiac assessment data acquired from a variety of cardiac imaging modalities
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Online Quiz(zes)
The quiz will assess your understanding of the content presented within this unit as outlined below.
- Questions may be drawn from lectures, additional resources provided (e.g. prescribed readings), or tutorial presentations.
- Questions will be drawn from a resource bank, to allow tests to be different for each student.
Questions may include multiple-choice, short answer, or image interpretation format.
- It is recommended that you have a calculator available when sitting the quiz.
The quiz can be accessed through the assessment tab on Moodle at the assigned time.
Students will have 70 minutes to complete the quiz.
Once started, the quiz cannot be paused or restarted. Only one attempt per quiz is permitted.
Please note:
- It is the student's responsibility to commence the online quiz before 6:50 pm Friday 12th August 2022 (AEST).
- The quiz will automatically close and submit completed student answers once the allocated time has elapsed.
- The duration of the quiz is tailored to promote recall of fact, rather than research of answers unknown.
Students are reminded that IT support from the University Information and Technology Division (TASAC) is only available during AEST business hours (Monday to Friday).
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. 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
Other
The Online Quiz will open at 8:00 am (AEST) on Wednesday 10th August and will close at 8:00 pm (AEST) Friday 12th August. The quiz will assess the topics covered during weeks 1 to 4.
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.
Students 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.
The number of marks allocated for each question will be indicated within the quiz. Question marks are allocated based on the accuracy, depth, and breadth of required responses.
Your score from the quiz will contribute 30% to your final grade.
- The specific date that the quiz opens and closes is outlined in the assessment due date description.
- Please note that the quiz must be completed before the due date time listed.
- In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete the task after this date, and there will be no opportunity to apply a late penalty of five percent per day.
- Students will receive a mark of zero (or fail) for this assessment if they have not completed it by the scheduled date and time and do not have an extension.
- Differentiate between the aetiology, pathophysiology and echocardiographic assessment processes associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases
- Analyse case-based clinical information to formulate differential diagnoses and plan patient management
- Compare and contrast cardiac assessment data acquired from a variety of cardiac imaging modalities
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
3 Online Test
- Perusal time and online test duration will be 130 minutes in total.
- Open book conditions.
- It is recommended that you have a calculator available when sitting the online test.
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. Colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct and may lead to action being taken the Deputy Dean of Learning and Teaching HMAS.
- Once started, the online test cannot be paused or restarted. Only one attempt is permitted.
- The online test will automatically close and submit completed student answers once the allocated time has elapsed.
- The duration of this test is tailored to promote recall of fact, rather than research of answers unknown.
- You will be required to answer a variety of online questions. Questions may include multiple-choice, short answer, essay style, or image interpretation format.
The number of marks allocated for each question will be indicated within the online test. Question marks are allocated based on the accuracy, depth, and breadth of required responses.
Students are reminded that IT support from the University Information and Technology Division (TASAC) is only available during AEST business hours. It is recommended that the online test is completed during 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 Monday 10th October and will close at 8:00 pm (AEST) on Wednesday 12th October.
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.
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.
The number of marks allocated for each question will be indicated within the online test. Question marks are allocated based on the accuracy, depth and breadth of required responses.
- Differentiate between the aetiology, pathophysiology and echocardiographic assessment processes associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases
- Analyse case-based clinical information to formulate differential diagnoses and plan patient management
- Compare and contrast cardiac assessment data acquired from a variety of cardiac imaging modalities
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
4 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
The Clinical Case Log Book is a document designed to track clinical experience. This log book documents all observed, partially or fully completed echocardiography cases that a student is exposed to during clinical employ. It is recommended that you update this log book daily.
This assessment task requires the submission of a Clinical Case Log book, detailing clinical experience since course enrolment.
A template for the Clinical Case Log Book is supplied in a word document format on the Moodle site. Students were supplied this same Clinical Case Log Book at the time of course enrolment.
The word document is designed to facilitate easy electronic submission at various checkpoints throughout unit and course enrolment. The clinical supervisor's digital signature can be used to verify the authenticity of entries on the word document.
Alternatively, the word document can be printed, manually completed and scanned to a digital file format for submission.
A Clinical Case Log book submission can be requested at any point during course enrolment, at the discretion of the university course coordinator.
The 'Clinical Case Log book' incorporates the following data:
- The date of each examination.
- Allocation of a unique identifier for each patient to ensure anonymity.
- Referral indications.
- Type of echocardiogram performed (i.e. Adult, Paediatric, Stress/Dobutamine, TOE).
- Student level of scan participation (observed, partially, or fully completed examination).
- Case findings.
It is recommended that a student participate in an average of 180 echocardiographic studies per 12 week term of course enrolment. (This is an average of 5 scans per day, 3 days per week.)
Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022) 11:45 pm AEST
Individual student feedback will only be provided 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 Case Log Book will be reviewed to ensure that:
- An acceptable volume of clinical work has been achieved.
- Exposure to sufficient case study complexity has been demonstrated to support ongoing knowledge and practical skill development.
- Cases 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.