Overview
This unit provides an insight into Medical Ultrasound by exploring the role and global scope of practice of the medical sonographer and echocardiographer, the use of ultrasound in medical imaging, the types of examinations available and the provision of safe patient care as an allied health professional. The aim of this unit is to provide introductory knowledge and skills that will support your learning throughout the Medical Sonography or Echocardiography course. Simulation exercises will enable you to apply theory to practice.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
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 - 2017
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 Course evaluation responses
Residential School was a friendly gathering of students who enjoyed meeting each other and learning together face to face. Students generally enjoyed the format, however would have liked more opportunities to scan each other/phantoms.
Continue to fine-tune and bed-down the Residential School activities. Incorporate more scanning activities when and where possible (given the large student numbers).
Feedback from Course evaluation responses
Suggestion to improve visibility of weekly learning outcomes, and provide tutorial questions to gauge understanding of the content.
Ensure weekly learning outcomes are clear and visible at the commencement of each lecture. Tutorial questions to be provided, and tailored to the weekly content.
- Discuss the Australian Health Care System and how it relates to the provision of diagnostic imaging services.
- Discuss the role and scope of practice of the medical sonographer and echocardiographer, including professional and legal frameworks.
- Apply knowledge of ultrasound equipment, transducer / patient positioning and sonographic image appearance using appropriate medical and sonographic terminology.
- Discuss the role of diagnostic medical ultrasound and how it relates to other diagnostic imaging modalities and picture archiving communication systems.
- Demonstrate sonographic manual skill development in a simulated environment.
This unit will be one of the core units in the Medical Sonography Courses which is externally accredited by the Australian Sonographers Accreditation Registry, an external professional regulatory body. This unit introduces students to the foundational knowledge and skills of Medical Sonography and enables an appreciation of the use of ultrasound in a national and international context and in the context of the other diagnostic imaging technologies available. The professional body entry level competencies of the accredited sonographer include consideration of safe practice and professional behavior.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 0% | |||||
| 3 - Examination - 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 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 0% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Examination - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Essentials of Sonography and Patient Care
Edition: 3rd edn (2013)
Authors: Craig,M.
Elsevier Saunders
St. Louis St. Louis , MO , USA
ISBN: 9781437735451
Binding: Hardcover
Additional Textbook Information
Suggested supplementary textbook:
Ramlaul, A., & Vosper, M (Eds) (2013) Patient Centred Care in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy. Edinburgh, Scotland: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.quinton@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Unit Introduction
Introduction to Referencing
Introduction to the Medical Imaging Department / Cardiac Catheter Laboratory
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The History of Ultrasound
The Australian Health Care System
Sonography / Echocardiography Education
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sonographic / Echocardiographic & Medical Terminology
Patient Positioning in Sonography / Echocardiography
Scan Planes in Sonography / Echocardiography
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Communication
Patient Care
Infection Control
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Manual Handling
Ergonomics
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No lectures or tutorials
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ultrasound Physics
Image Generation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The Ultrasound Machine
Cardiac Catheter Laboratory Equipment - for echocardiography stream students only
The Ultrasound / Echocardiographic Examination
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Diagnostic Examinations in Sonography / Echocardiography
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Residential School (compulsory)
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
2 day on-campus Residential School
Module/Topic
Diagnostic Examinations in Sonography / Echocardiography (continued)
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Medico-Legal Issues in Health Care
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision
Exam Preparation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Written Exam - this week or next (refer to examination timetable - when released). The examination will contain some questions labelled as specific to either Sonography or Echocardiography (answer the questions appropriate to your stream where a choice exists)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Written Exam - last week or this week (refer to examination timetable - when released). The examination will contain some questions labelled as specific to either Sonography or Echocardiography (answer the questions appropriate to your stream where a choice exists).
This unit has a mandatory on-campus residential school in Week 9 for 2 full days.
For sonography stream students you must attend the residential school at your enrolled campus only.
Echocardiography stream students from Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania must attend the residential school at the Sydney campus only.
Echocardiography stream students from Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory must attend the residential school at the Perth campus only.
Students must adhere to a specific dress code while attending residential school. Detailed information regarding the dress code will be made available on the unit Moodle site.
1 Written Assessment
You are required to complete a written assessment based on lecture material, tutorials and relevant material provided on the unit Moodle site. In addition to the unit materials provided, it is expected that you will research current literature in order to discuss and respond to each question/topic.
Question 1:
What is plagiarism?
Include in your response: a) a list, and description, of the 4 different types of plagiarism as mentioned in the referencing lecture; and b) a brief discussion on various ways to avoid being accused of plagiarism.
Question 2:
Sonography Stream Students: Why is it safe to stand beside a patient undergoing a medical ultrasound examination, but unsafe to stand beside a patient undergoing a medical CT examination?
Explain your answer, referring to the physics involved in acquiring images for each modality, and the electromagnetic spectrum.
Echocardiography (Cardiac Physiology) Stream Students: Why is it safe to stand beside a patient undergoing an echocardiography ultrasound examination, but unsafe to stand beside a patient undergoing a cardiac cath lab angiogram examination?
Explain your answer, referring to the physics involved in acquiring images for each modality, and the electromagnetic spectrum.
Question 3:
Sonography Stream Students: Research and compare the differences between the sonography organisations, which use the acronyms, ASA and ASAR. Include a brief discussion on sonographer registration in your response.
Echocardiography (Cardiac Physiology) Stream Students: Compare and contrast the difference between a major hospital cardiac unit, and a small suburban cardiology clinic.
Question 4:
Medicare is the Federal Government health insurance system managed by the Department of Human Services. Explain Medicare using the following headings:1. Medicare Levy
2. Medicare Benefits Schedule; and the
3. Medicare Safety Net
Length: 2,000 words (+/- 10%) Any words over the word count will not be marked. Reference list and figure captions are excluded.
Presentation: Pass/Fail inherent requirement is that it is written in good English, and free of grammatical and spelling errors. Your assessment should be submitted as a Word document with 1.5 line spacing in 12 point Arial font. Referenced figures are encouraged.
Referencing: Your answers to each question must be supported by references. You are expected to research each question and to use references that have, and have not, been provided to you. You should use a minimum of 3 references per question. A reference list must be provided and the CQU Sonography hybrid numbered APA referencing style must be used throughout your assessment. Ensure that your assessment is accurately referenced. References should clearly show where your information was obtained. Refer to the unit Moodle page and the CQU general website for further information. A minimum of 6 contemporary journal articles (less than 10 years old) must be used as references (additional to those provided on the the unit Moodle page) for this assessment. Only 1 numbered reference list in CQU Sonography hybrid numbered APA format should be provided for the whole assessment. Do not include separate reference lists for each question.
**Further detailed assessment guidelines and marking criteria will be made available on the Moodle site.
Week 6 Friday (21 Apr 2017) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 9 Friday (12 May 2017)
You will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Overall presentation of assignment including structure of assignment; accuracy of spelling and grammar; correct use of medical and sonographic terminology; appropriateness of literature reviewed; correct and accurate referencing; academic writing and expression.
- Clear and concise responses to each specific question/topic, including relevant and appropriate discussion and analysis of each topic with reference to current literature.
A detailed marking rubric/criteria will be made available on the unit Moodle site.
- Discuss the Australian Health Care System and how it relates to the provision of diagnostic imaging services.
- Discuss the role and scope of practice of the medical sonographer and echocardiographer, including professional and legal frameworks.
- Discuss the role of diagnostic medical ultrasound and how it relates to other diagnostic imaging modalities and picture archiving communication systems.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Practical Assessment
During your attendance at the 2 day compulsory residential school you will participate in practical activities, where you will observe, learn and practice techniques and skills relating to the sonography or echocardiography (cardiac physiology) profession.
Following participation in these activities, you will be assessed on your ability to perform practical sonographic or echocardiographic (cardiac physiology) tasks relating to:
1) Patient care and communication; and
2) Body planes, ultrasound scanning planes and associated image recognition.
100% attendance for the 2 full days of the residential school is mandatory.
For sonography stream students you must attend the residential school at your enrolled campus only.
Echocardiography stream students from Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania must attend the residential school at the Sydney campus only.
Echocardiography stream students from Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory must attend the residential school at the Perth campus only.
You will be automatically allocated to this campus, and appropriate staffing/resource arrangements will be made at that location.
You must pass the practical assessment in order to pass the unit.
Failure to attend the full 2 day residential school will mean that you will not pass this unit.
One re-sit of the practical assessment will be permitted.
Detailed information and a marking criteria will be made available on the unit Moodle site.
As per the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework), Section 4: Assessment Procedure: Item 4.59, this assessment is considered a professional assessment task and has an absolute submission date. This assessment must be completed on the final day of the residential school.
The practical assessment will take place on the final day of the 2 day residential school. Any re-sits will also be conducted on the final day of the residential school.
Week 10 Friday (19 May 2017)
Your practical assessment result will be posted in your Gradebook on the unit Moodle site.
The practical assessment will be conducted by a sonography or echocardiography lecturer or tutor (appropriate to your stream of enrolment), who will observe and assess your ability to carry out practical skills relating to:
1) Patient care and communication; and
2) Body planes, ultrasound scanning planes and associated image recognition.
Assessment of each task will be relative to the practical assessment marking criteria, which will be made available on the unit Moodle site.
You must pass the practical skills test in order to pass the practical assessment.
- Apply knowledge of ultrasound equipment, transducer / patient positioning and sonographic image appearance using appropriate medical and sonographic terminology.
- Demonstrate sonographic manual skill development in a simulated environment.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
Examination
Dictionary - non-electronic, concise, direct translation only (dictionary must not contain any notes or comments).
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?
