Overview
This unit advances your study of obstetric ultrasound. You will explore the sonographic assessment of normal and pathological obstetric and gynaecological cases. 'Hands-on' scanning sessions facilitate the identification of normal sonographic appearance. Clinical scenarios are used to engage you in the sonographic decision-making process which culminates in the creation of a sonographers' interpretive report.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: MEDS12006 Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology 1
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 - 2018
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 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 Unit Evaluation
Practical & Written Assessment format alterations for this offering were well received by students who scored the assessment item as more 'useful to my learning' than in previous years.
Keep new format and provide updated exemplars to the next offering.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation
A small number of students provided comments in the unit evaluation around wanting a better explanation of the assessment item.
Re-write the lab manual.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation / student emails
Previous year (2016) students wanted more time in the scanning lab. This offering the UC included an additional hour of 'unmanned' practice time following each of the 3 timetabled labs to assist with completion of image acquisition for Practical & Written Assessment item.
Keep this practice time.
- Discuss the clinical presentation, sonographic appearance and aetiology of pathological processes of the gravid uterus and fetal development.
- Analyse normal and abnormal fetal development with reference to embryological development and laboratory findings.
- Analyse clinical scenarios to provide a differential diagnosis and produce a sonographic report.
- Formulate strategies for the provision of safe and ethical patient care.
- Apply sonographic techniques appropriate to obstetric ultrasound to produce a limited morphology study in a simulated environment.
The learning outcomes for this unit relate to the requirements of the Australian Sonographers Association Competency Standards for the Entry Level Sonographer as listed here.
Unit 1 -3, 10.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 2 - 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 - Practical and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Examination - 60% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Before We Are Born
Edition: 9th (2016)
Authors: Keith L. Moore, T.V.N. Persaud, Mark G. Torchia
Elsevier
Philadelphia Philadelphia , PA , USA
ISBN: 978-0-323-31337-7
Binding: Paperback
Callen's Ultrasonography in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Edition: 6th (2017)
Authors: Mary E. Norton, Leslie M. Scoutt, Vickie A. Feldstein
Elsevier
Philadelphia Philadelphia , PA , USA
ISBN: 978-0-323-32834-0
Binding: Hardcover
Additional Textbook Information
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.
d.chester@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Week 1: The Fetal Environment
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lab Safety Induction
05 March 2017
COMPULSORY
Module/Topic
Week 2: Fetal Age and Size in the Second and Third Trimester
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Week 3: Fetal Reports and Graphs
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Formative Moodle Quiz
Lab #1 Wednesday 21/03/2018
Module/Topic
Week 4: Fetal Neural Tube Structures
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Practice Sonographer Worksheet
Module/Topic
Week 5: Fetal Neural Tube Structure...continued
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Mock Exam
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Week 6: Fetal Heart
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Formative Moodle Quiz
Lab #2 Wednesday 18/04/2018
Module/Topic
Week 7: Fetal Heart...continued
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Practice Sonographer Worksheet
Module/Topic
Week 8: Normal Fetal Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Lab #3 Wednesday 02/05/2018
Module/Topic
Week 9: Abnormal Fetal Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Formative Moodle Quiz
2nd Trimester Images and Discussion Due: Week 9 Friday (11 May 2018) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Week 10: Normal and Abnormal Fetal Limbs
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Week 11: Multiple Gestations
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Mock Exam
Module/Topic
Week 12: Fetal Anomalies:
Chapter
Content provided in lectures and reading items on Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Unit coordinator details:
The unit coordinator for MEDS13001 is Deanne Chester. The best way to contact Deanne is via email at d.chester@cqu.edu.au. Deanne's office number is 07 3295 1175 although she has sonography lab commitments and is often away from her desk. It is often best to email and request a scheduled meeting (over the phone or in person) if necessary.
Additional unit information:
This unit includes three practical sonography lab sessions. During these sessions you will be simulating a limited 2nd trimester morphology ultrasound examination.These sessions will also enable you to produce the images required for the Practical & Written Assessment item due in week 9 (Monday 08 May 2017)
Please note you MUST attend the Lab Safety Induction in week 1 (Monday 05 March 2018) to be permitted access to the labs during the term. If the induction has not been completed you will be excluded from the lab sessions.
Access to the internet is required to undertake this unit, as unit materials, tutorials and updates will be provided via Moodle, email and Zoom.
Weekly resources will include access to relevant websites, activities and readings. To give yourself the best chance of success please ensure that you undertake all readings and activities that are provided to you. There will be several opportunities for formative assessment and feedback during the term. Due to previous student feedback, there is no prescribed text set for this unit. If you are interested in having a reference text for your studies and to assist you in your early years as a graduate, please see recommendations under 'Additional Resources' on the Moodle page.1 Practical and Written Assessment
This assessment item is designed to allow you to solve clinical problems in a sonographic context and critically evaluate the process and product.
This will be based around the following components:
Practical component - Acquisition of images
Using the 2nd trimester obstetric phantoms in the CQU sonography lab, you will personally acquire the following relevant and appropriately optimised images:
- Placental location
- Placental cord insertion
- Fetal lie (split screen)
- Bi-parietal diameter (BPD) / head circumference (HC)
- Abdominal circumference (AC)
- Femoral length (FL)
- Humeral length (HL)
- 4 Chamber Heart (4CH)
- Aortic root / left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT)
- Pulmonary artery root / right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT)
ONE image only from each of 1 - 10 above are submitted.
Multiple measurements of parameters should be performed and this will be evident in the report page data.
Report pages and graphs (as relevant to the above listed images) are to be included in the submission.
Written component - Discussion of image series
You will provide a reflective discussion on your imaging series (1500 words total).
For each image submitted:
- discuss the clinical purpose or importance of each image and/or measurement (Why do we take the image/measurement? How is the information used clinically?). Include citations/referencing for this section as required.
-
critique the image quality (specifically any aspects needing improvement)
- summarise any difficulties encountered (If it was challenging, why? Do you think it would be different on a patient compared to the phantom? Would there be different challenges on a live fetus?).
- provide suggestions for future improvement when you next attempt this in a clinical setting (be specific and reflective in your thoughts).
Note for similar images such as placental location and placental cord insertion, or femoral and humeral length, you may choose to discuss these together rather than repeating yourself and save on word count. This is entirely up to you.
Referencing
Referencing is a vital component of any academic work and plagiarism is taken seriously by the university. Please refer to the Academic Misconduct Procedure available on the IMPortal available HERE.
In the medical field (in which sonography is included), journals use a numbered style of referencing for citing references. This can be Vancouver style, AMA, or other combinations. This often depends on the publication.
Hence for this unit the bibliographic style you are to use is Vancouver referencing style.
See further referencing information below and examples on Moodle site.
Week 9 Friday (11 May 2018) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (25 May 2018)
Practical component - Acquisition of images
Your images will be assessed for:
- optimisation
- scan plane
- accurate measurement/s
- annotation
- use of ultrasound machine features
Written component - Discussion of image series
Your discussion will be assessed on:
- justification of clinical relevance of images/reports/graphs
- quality of critique on image quality
- reflection of difficulties encountered in the acquisition process
-
suggestions for improvement in a clinical setting
- spelling, grammar, academic writing
- referencing
-
adherence to word count (word count marks not allocated if too brief or too lengthy; additional words will not be assessed)
For detailed marking criteria please see the marking rubric HERE
Please also watch the Assessment Video HERE
Please see exemplars of previous submissions provided on Moodle page
Referencing
Vancouver referencing is to be used.
See support on Vancouver referencing HERE
See Moodle site for more details and examples.
- Discuss the clinical presentation, sonographic appearance and aetiology of pathological processes of the gravid uterus and fetal development.
- Analyse normal and abnormal fetal development with reference to embryological development and laboratory findings.
- Analyse clinical scenarios to provide a differential diagnosis and produce a sonographic report.
- Apply sonographic techniques appropriate to obstetric ultrasound to produce a limited morphology study in a simulated environment.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
Examination
No calculators permitted
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?
