As a sonographer, it is necessary to record the result of the ultrasound examination accurately and within a timely manner. This includes commenting on the sonographic appearance of both normal and abnormal organs, including appropriate measurements (and units) and diagrams as necessary.

This 'technical impression worksheet' is a task which will assess your ability to record the results of a modified thyroid sonographic examination. This written assessment (worksheet) is challenged upon completion of the MOCK test (Week 7 Thursday Lab) utilising the information obtained during the scan. Please see information below:

Schedule of Written Assessment:

• You will review your images from your thyroid mock assessment on the ultrasound machine and utilising this information, fill out the worksheet following the Assessment 1 marking guidelines. In the event that you did not get all measurements, your tutor will provide some alternative (lobe) measurements so you can complete your worksheet. 
• You will be given five minutes to complete the ultrasound worksheet. This will be done in front of your assessor whilst in the ultrasound bay. 
• Upon completion of this assessment task, you will hand the completed worksheet to the on-campus staff member and/or assessor. No student Moodle submission is required for this assessment. 

The Written Assessment (technical impressions worksheet) is a summative assessment. It is a PASS/FAIL assessment and in order for a student to achieve a pass in this assessment they must:

• Achieve a mark of 10/12 (i.e.10 marks out of 12 marks) or higher.
• Complete the required mandatory sections within the worksheet accurately. These mandatory sections, outlined as 'bolded items' by the marking guideline, are sections within the worksheet that must be filled in with the correct information and/or in the correct format in order to pass. Failure to complete all of these mandatory sections correctly will result in an automatic FAIL grade for this assessment.
• In the event that a student FAILS this assessment, one chance will be given for the student to resit this assessment task.
• The second chance to complete this assessment correctly will be on Week 9 Thursday Lab (i.e. SKILLS TEST day). This resit opportunity for this assessment will be attempted upon completion of the practical assessment (using images obtained in the SKILLS TEST). This resit opportunity will be given the same conditions as the first attempt (as stated above).

As a sonographer, it is necessary to perform an ultrasound examination accurately and within a timely manner. This includes following a set protocol, surveying an organ in its entirety, recognising normal and abnormal structures and documenting the examination by obtaining representative sonographic images. All this must be done whilst adhering to the sonographer scope of practice, professional conduct and maintaining good patient care and ergonomics throughout the examination. This assessment challenges your ability to perform routine sonographic scanning techniques and image optimisation / acquisition of the thyroid in a reasonable time period to advanced beginner level. It will be assessed using the Assessment of Readiness for Clinical (ARC) Tool or eARC (electronic version of the ARC Tool), including professional (pre-scan, during, and post-scan) and technical (scanning) requirements. These are outlined as follows:

Professional (pre-scan, during, and post-scan) requirements:

• Apply patient care techniques and effective communication to obtain relevant patient history, informed consent, and to direct ‘patients’ accordingly

• Apply professionalism in dealing with equipment and the scanning setting

Technical (scanning) requirements for a modified Thyroid examination:

• You are required to perform routine sonographic scanning techniques, image optimisation, and acquisition, in a specific time period to advanced beginner level. A scanning time limit of 15 mins is applied to this assessment and the you are to follow the outlined thyroid protocol.

• Demonstration videos on both the technical and professional component of the Practical Assessment has been provided. This should be used as a 'guidance' only as its aim is to assist you visualise the requirement of the practical thyroid examination. You must follow the protocol when performing this examination whilst being mindful that your scanning skill and technique will need to be adapted based on the patient requirements.

• You will be assessed using the ARC tool, which is available on the unit Moodle site. This ARC tool is a marking guideline for the practical assessment. Your assessors may use the eARC (electronic version of the ARC tool) to assess you on the day.

• No student Moodle submission is required for this assessment. 

This is a PASS/FAIL assessment. To pass this assessment, both the professional and technical components must be graded as a ‘pass’. The components are graded separately so that if one is passed and the other is not, only the failed component must be repeated to pass. If you have failed only the professional component, the full assessment will be repeated, but you will only be marked on the professional component. There is only ONE opportunity to re-sit either component of the assessment item.

Please carefully review the assessment information and ARC tool posted on the unit Moodle site and unit Overview.

The skills test will assess scanning technique, image optimisation, demonstration of required anatomy on images obtained, and adherence to scan protocols. The non-scanning component will assess communication, professional behaviour, patient care, infection control, and ergonomics. The sonography tutor will observe the student's performance of the full scanning procedure and assess each task relative to the stated standards of the ARC tool. The ARC tool and supporting details can be found on the unit Moodle site.

Please ensure to bring in a hard copy of the ARC tool to your Mock Assessment (week 7) should your assessor need to use it on the day. If you do not bring (or forget to bring) in a paper (hard copy) of the ARC tool on the day of your Mock Assessment day, this may warrant a LiP point. You do not require to bring in (hard copy) of the ARC tool on your assessment day (WEEK 9 SKILLS TEST) as this will be arranged and prepared by the on-campus staff.

The criteria to receive a PASS grade for Practical Assessment 2 [SKILLS TEST] are as follows:

• A pass mark of 65% for both Technical and Professional components.
• Professional Component: All bolded items in the professional component must be achieved (completed accurately) in order to pass the assessment. Failure to do any of the bolded items results in a FAIL grade for the professional component of the practical assessment.
• Technical Component: Please review the ARC tool for specific marking guidelines for the technical component of the practical assessment.

All assessments will be marked by at least one assessor. Often this will include your assessor on the day and one co-coordinator (from another campus) and/or unit coordinator. Your grade (PASS/FAIL) will be allocated upon completion of all marking, moderating and reviewing of the practical assessment. 

Practical Assessment 2 RESIT Information:

In the event that a student does not achieve a minimum of 65% or higher or fails one of the bolded items in the professional component of the ARC tool, they will be given ONE opportunity to resit the technical and/or professional components on the Week 12 Thursday Lab. If the student has failed only the professional component, the full assessment will be repeated but the student will only be marked on the professional component. For this, the 'technical component' will be performed until all required professional actions can be demonstrated. If the student has failed only the technical component, only this component will need to be reassessed during the resit opportunity.

Please be aware that all practical skills assessments will be video recorded. Videos may be viewed by CQU sonography staff and tutors for the purposes of marking and moderation of assessments. It also may be required to be viewed by other CQU staff in the event of a student requesting a review and/or appeal of grade. However the videos will not be released to students for review. Please be aware that the ARC tool (or specific marks within the ARC tool) will not be available to review due the PASS/FAIL nature of the assessment. All students will be given the back feedback page (with detailed comments) and an opportunity for a feedback session to discuss overall performance of the practical assessment.

It is necessary for a sonographer to have a thorough understanding of the anatomy, physiology of structures being sonographically examined. It is also important to recognise sonographic appearance of normal, variants and abnormal structures in ultrasound as well as associated pathologies and clinical indications. This assessment requires students to demonstrate their ability to understand basic anatomy, physiology, clinical indications and sonographic appearance of normal and abnormal structures within the domain of superficial structures.

There will be two separate online tests (quizzes) to assess your knowledge of the unit material. These are open book, and will be held in Weeks 5 and 12. Once available, the quiz will be open for 32 hours (i.e. open at 10:00 AEST Monday and close Tuesday at 18:00 AEST).

• The content of these quizzes will be anatomy, scanning planes, image optimisation, pathology, patient care, communication, ergonomics, sonographic terminology, and infection control. Each quiz will have 20 questions. You will be allowed ONE attempt at each quiz.

• Once the quiz has commenced, approximately 1 minute per question will be given, for example, a 20 question quiz would be given a time limit of 20 minutes to complete.

• Quiz dates and topics are available on the unit Moodle site.

• In the event that you are unable to complete the quiz in the allocated time and have suitable medical documentation for exceptional circumstances as discussed under Term Specific Information in this Unit Profile, you need to notify the unit coordinator by email before the end time of the quiz (Tuesday 1800 AEST) to be granted an extension to the quiz time.

• Failure of technology or sudden interruptions is not recognised as reasonable grounds for an extension request, so ensure plenty of time prior to the quiz closing to attempt the quiz.

• If you do not have adequate internet capacity at home, please ensure you attempt the quiz on campus premises in a quiet area.

• In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete a quiz after it has closed.

Students must achieve a cumulative pass rate of 70% across both (two) (2) quizzes to pass this assessment. Failure to complete one quiz means a maximum possible cumulative score of 50% = a FAIL for the quiz assessment and a fail grade for MEDS12003.

• Students will receive their score for each quiz once all students have completed that quiz. Questions and answers in the quiz should not be discussed between students as there may be students who have approved extensions who may not have attempted the quiz at the time.
• Each quiz will have 20 questions with a 20min time limit. You will only be allowed ONE attempt at each quiz.
• In the event that you fail to reach this standard, you will receive a FAIL grade for Assessment 3. 

This is an open book quiz, so you have the opportunity to consult your notes, lecture slides, text books, and unit Moodle page. Answers will either be correct or incorrect and it will tabulated by the unit's online Moodle system however you will not be able to see the grade until all students in the cohort have completed this assessment. This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. Please see the Academic Misconduct Procedure document for implications of misconduct.

Professional behaviour is a critical part of any medical imaging profession, and encompasses the manner in which we treat our colleagues, patients, and the professional settings and equipment provided to us. The purpose of this assessment is to ensure that students from the medical sonography course are well-equipped to embody the high standards of professionalism that are expected from CQUniversity students while on their upcoming clinical placements. Professional conduct includes, punctuality, role integrity, accountability and coachability. It also includes proper conduct in and outside of the lab environment as per set guidelines and rules/regulations.

This assessment will require you to treat each of your lab sessions as a scheduled "work shift" and to exhibit high quality professional attributes to ensure you are prepared to enter the work force with the skills required to provide safe patient care and professional behaviour. As such, this assessment is based on continuous and ongoing assessment of student application and attendance during labs. Note this extends to all behaviour exhibited by you during your time studying this unit, up until the end of exam week. This includes participation in forums and online tutorials, labs, GoogleDocs booking system, social media etiquette, team work, attitude towards constructive feedback, attitude towards peers and staff, and all official correspondence with university staff and peers.

Expected behaviour and its relevance to the clinical environment is listed under the Assessment 4: Professional Behaviour Assessment Description on the unit Moodle site. You must review this information and be aware of what is expected of you for this unit. It is very important that you familiarise yourself with the CODE OF CONDUCT in the Lab Manual as well as ASAR CODE OF CONDUCT and the CQU CODE OF CONDUCT. All of these documents are posted on the unit Moodle site for your information. Below is a list of areas this on-campus assessment assess:

• Student application - live active participation in Moodle activities (such as discussions through the Case of The Week Forum).
• Student attendance' - recording 100% lab attendance which is sighted and signed by the on-campus tutor.
• Student unit 'engagement' - frequent discussion on Q&A and Zoom participation.

The 'Formative Feedback, Application and Lab Attendance Record' is the document which assesses the above areas. It records student engagement and on-campus activity and throughout the term. It allows student to monitor your performance in each lab (through tutor formative feedback), record lab attendance and document variety of Moodle activities. This document is one of the (main) submissions required for Assessment 4 due in Week 12 Friday at 1800 AEST.

Submissions for Assessment 4 includes:

1. Signed Lab Agreement Form, upload to the unit Moodle site under Lab Agreement (Assessment 4A) - Due Week 1 Friday 1800 AEST
2. Signed Consent Form, upload to the unit Moodle site under Consent Form (Assessment 4B) - Due Week 1 Friday 1800 AEST
3. Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance Record, upload under Assessment 4: Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance - Due Week 12 Friday 1800 AEST.

Please submit these documents in PDF format only under the relevant Assessment Item. Failure to submit these documents by due time and specification will result in a LiP point. 

If unprofessional attitude or behaviour is reported, a staff member will be follow this incident and if deemed appropriate, a LiP (lapse in professional) point will be issued. When a LiP is issued, it will be discussed between the student and either the on-campus lecturer or the unit coordinator. Written documentation explaining the reason for the issued LiP point will be signed by the on-campus lecturer, tutor or the unit coordinator and sent to the student via email.

LiPs

All interactions with staff and peers pertaining to this unit will be treated as a replica of the clinical work environment. You will be expected to demonstrate all of the professional behaviour that will be expected of you in a formal work environment. LiPs can be issued in three different categories:

1.Professional behaviour towards colleagues and staff,

2. Professional behaviour towards patients, and

3. Professional behaviour towards professional settings and equipment and clinical (lab) environment.

Up to THREE LiPs can be issued before the assessment is graded as a FAIL. However, if any exhibited attitude or behaviour is deemed as unsafe or inappropriate for clinical practice, the professional behaviour assessment will be graded as a FAIL at the discretion of the unit coordinator.

Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance Record:

Overall performance (tutor comments), participation (lab attendance), professional behaviour (LiP record) and Moodle activity (application record) are monitored via the 'Formative Feedback, Application and Lab Attendance record' document. Less than 100% compulsory Lab attendance (unless otherwise discussed with unit coordinator) and poor engagement with Moodle interaction will be graded as a FAIL for this Assessment. 

Note: You will be required to bring this 'formative feedback' document in for each of your labs in Weeks two to six (2 - 6) (i.e. Labs 1-3), but not for the dates of your Lab Orientation, Mock (pre-preparation test) and Skills Test (practical assessment) as this will be assessed via the ARC tool. If you do not bring (or forget to bring) in your Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance Record on the day of your Compulsory Lab, this will warrant a LiP point.

Inadequate Moodle interaction can be determined as students who do not log onto the MEDS12003 Moodle site frequently (minimum requirement at least once a week) and students who do not participate in at least one (1) 'Case of the Week' discussion through the 'Case of the Week Forum'. Required specification for this discussion is outlined in the Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance Record document. It is also highly recommended to participate in Q&A forums throughout the term to address any unit specific queries.

Submissions for Assessment 4 includes:

1. Signed Lab Agreement Form, upload to the unit Moodle site under Lab Agreement (Assessment 4A) - Due Week 1 Friday 1800 AEST
2. Signed Consent Form, upload to the unit Moodle site under Consent Form (Assessment 4B) - Due Week 1 Friday 1800 AEST
3. Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance Record, upload under Assessment 4: Formative Feedback and Lab Attendance - Due Week 12 Friday 1800 AEST.

Please submit these documents in PDF format only under the relevant Assessment Item. Failure to submit these document by due time and specification will result in a LiP point or even FAIL grade.

Professional Behaviour Assessment Rubric:

This is a PASS/FAIL assessment. This assessment is marked using the Professional Behaviour Assessment (PBA) rubric and incorporates LiPs (lapses in professionalism). If a student accrues more than THREE LiPs (Lapse in Professionalism) points, a Professional Behaviour Assessment Rubric is issued by the UC and the Assessment is graded as a FAIL. If a student accrues less than three LiP points, then the BPA is not issued by the UC which means the student can PASS this Assessment 4. The rubric will only be issued by the UC in the event of a student receiving more than 3 LiP points thus a FAIL grade for Assessment 4. To summarise, to pass the PBA rubric the student can only accrue a maximum of three LiPs across all descriptor in total (thus a PBA score of 12/15). If a fourth LiP is issued, the UC will issue a PBA rubric as the maximum PBA rubric mark would be 11/15 thus a FAIL grade for Assessment 4.

If a PBA Rubric needs to be issued the UC will manage this documentation. The UC will complete the PBA and discusses the outcome of the PBA rubric with the student. Both UC and student are required to sign this document and the student will need to upload it on the Moodle site. The UC will provide a copy to the student and will retain the original.