ASSESSMENT 1 PRESENTATION AND WRITTEN ASSESSMENT
Title: COMMUNICATION AS AN OBSTETRIC SONOGRAPHER
Task Description
Outline:
This written and recorded assessment will examine the sonographers’ role in the detection and communication of an important condition in pregnancy. This assessment item is designed to test your communication, problem solving and critical thinking skills with respect to literature searches, information collation and editing, image review, academic writing and referencing pertaining to the condition.
Part A: Written assessment
Your assessment task is to source, collate and edit relevant information pertaining to this topic: Small for Gestational Age (SGA).
Your discussion topics will depend on your chosen topic, but the following may help guide you:
• Background/overview e.g. occurrence, risk factors, aetiology and/or pathogenesis
• Important clinical information e.g. relevant history and/or clinical tests
• Incidence and implications of the disease in First Nations Australians and why incidence rates are higher in this population (consider the concept of equity versus equality in healthcare)
• Characteristic sonographic features
• How to sonographically evaluate these features and what else to look for
• Compare with at least one differential diagnosis
• Further investigations and clinical management options
All submissions must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document and must be uploaded online via Moodle through Turnitin.
• Font style and size - Arial 11 or Times New Roman 12
• Line spacing - 1.5 (body), single (references)
Maximum word limit is 2000 words (+/-10%), excluding tables, labelled figures and references. However, tables must be used to support the discussion and not as a means of increasing the word count. Submissions outside this range will be penalised as per the marking rubric.
Max file size must not exceed 100MB.
Part B: Recorded presentation
You will prepare a short video presentation (up to 4 minutes in length) based on a scenario where you have just identified the anomaly in Part A in an examination you have performed.
The presentation should:
• effectively communicate details of your chosen anomaly and its key specific sonographic features using the format of the ISBAR (identify, situation, background, assessment, report/recommendations) technique where you are presenting your findings to the consultant radiologist once completing your scan
• be recorded using a smart phone, laptop or tablet device
• be uploaded to YouTube, with the link to the recording provided at the end of your written assessment (after the reference list), on its own individual/separate page. Please ensure the visibility setting of your video is set to "unlisted".
PowerPoint slides, images and worksheets are not required for the recorded presentation.
LEVEL OF GENAI USE ALLOWED
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Assessment Due Date Week 5 Wednesday 11:59 PM AEST
Weighting 40%
Minimum pass mark 50%
Overview
This unit advances your study of obstetric ultrasound from MEDS13001 to explore the sonographic assessment of normal and pathological third trimester obstetric cases. You will study the sonographic appearance, scanning techniques, management and pathological complications associated with third trimester scans as well as become familiar with investigations and interventions relevant to the management of post partum patients and prenatal anomalies of the fetus. You will also investigate sonographic studies relating to a paediatric patient. Common paediatric anomalies as well as inherent congenital diseases will be reviewed to include their sonographic appearance, safe scanning techniques, prognosis and treatment. Clinical scenarios/case studies are used to engage you in the sonographic decision-making process for both the third trimester scan and the paediatric patient.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite: MEDS13001 Obstetric and Breast Ultrasound and MEDS12007 Medical Sonography Clinical Unit 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 2 - 2025
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 co-ordinator reflection
Students included a lot of information in tabular form rather than as a discussion of information in the written assessment to override word limits.
Consider increasing the word limit for the written assessment to allow students to discuss information with more depth and analysis.
Feedback from SUTE data
The final assessment for this unit has a weighting of 60% of the unit total. Students felt placing such a large percentage of the unit total on one assessment caused increased pressure on them whilst concurrently on clinical placement.
Consider a restructure of assessments to reduce weighting of final test.
- Describe safe ultrasound assessment of the fetus in late pregnancy, maternal post partum pelvis and the paediatric patient
- Differentiate the aetiology, ultrasound appearance and Doppler haemodynamics of abnormalities in third trimester pregnancies and post partum patients
- Analyse normal and abnormal paediatric ultrasound findings with reference to anatomy, clinical presentation, sonographic appearance, and aetiology
- Critically evaluate and analyse clinical scenarios to communicate a differential diagnosis which includes ethical and management considerations.
The learning outcomes for this unit relate to the requirements of general sonography courses under the Australasian Sonography Accreditation Registry (ASAR), Standards for the Accreditation of Sonographer Courses (SASC):
Foundation Units of Competence 1-5
Critical Practice Units of Competence 10
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Online Test - 60% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 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 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Callen's Ultrasonography in Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Edition: 6th (2016)
- Authors: Mary E Norton
- Elsevier
- ISBN: 0323328342
- Binding: eBook
Pediatric Ultrasound E-Book: How, Why and When.
- Edition: 2nd (2010)
- Authors: Darge, Kassa
- Elsevier
- ISBN: 9780080982489
- Binding: eBook
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Smart phone video access or desktop/laptop webcam with recording capabilities
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.mahony@cqu.edu.au
a.chandrarajan@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 14 Jul 2025Module/Topic
- Imaging the obese pregnant patient
- The post partum uterus
- Understanding the communication needs of all patients
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6:00pm AEST
Week 2
Begin Date: 21 Jul 2025Module/Topic
- Interventional ultrasound in pregnancy and gynaecology
- Placental disorders
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6:00pm AEST
Week 3
Begin Date: 28 Jul 2025Module/Topic
- Growth disturbances in the fetus
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6:00pm AEST
Week 4
Begin Date: 04 Aug 2025Module/Topic
- Doppler use in obstetrics
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 11 Aug 2025Module/Topic
- Third trimester scan
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6:00pm AEST
Assessment 1- Recorded presentation and written assessment Due: Week 5 Wednesday (13 Aug 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 18 Aug 2025Module/Topic
Break week
- No new content
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 25 Aug 2025Module/Topic
- Maternal complications
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial - Wednesday 6.00pm AEST
Week 7
Begin Date: 01 Sep 2025Module/Topic
- Introduction to paediatric ultrasound
- Neonatal head
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 08 Sep 2025Module/Topic
- Paediatric spine
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6.00pm AEST
Week 9
Begin Date: 15 Sep 2025Module/Topic
- Paediatric hip
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6:00pm AEST
Week 10
Begin Date: 22 Sep 2025Module/Topic
- Paediatric renal tract and adrenals
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 29 Sep 2025Module/Topic
- Paediatric gastrointestinal tract
Chapter
Provided lecture content and readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial- Wednesday 6:00pm AEST
Week 12
Begin Date: 06 Oct 2025Module/Topic
- No new content
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 13 Oct 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 20 Oct 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The unit coordinator for MEDS13009 is Rebecca Mahony. Rebecca is based on the Sydney campus, Monday to Friday. The best way to contact Rebecca is via the Q and A forum on the Moodle site. It is important to check the Q and A forum regularly for updates and information about the unit.
If the matter is of a more personal nature email Rebecca at r.mahony@cqu.edu.au ensuring that all email correspondence is via your CQU student email.
The co-unit coordinator is Andrea Chandrarajan. Andrea is based in Mackay and is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The best way to contact Andrea is via the Q and A forum or via email at a.chandrarajan@cqu.edu.au.
Discussions about unit content and assessment are provided in the tutorials. Tutorials are held on Wednesdays at 6:00pm AEST as per the above term schedule. The schedule, links and tutorial recordings are available in the virtual classes tile of the Moodle site.
1 Presentation and Written Assessment
This recorded presentation and written assessment will examine the sonographers’ role in the detection and communication of important conditions in pregnancy.
This assessment item is designed to test your communication, problem solving and critical thinking skills with respect to literature searches, information collation and editing, image review, academic writing and referencing.
Part A: Written assessment.
Your assessment task is to source, collate and edit relevant information pertaining to the placenta accreta spectrum.
The following discussion topics may help guide you:
- Background/overview e.g. Occurrence, risk factors, aetiology and/or pathogenesis
- Important clinical information e.g. relevant history and/or clinical tests
- Characteristic sonographic features
- How to sonographically evaluate these features and determine a sonographic diagnosis
- Compare with at least one differential diagnosis
- Further investigations and clinical management options
All submissions must be submitted as a Microsoft word document and must be uploaded through Turnitin.
Font style and size- Arial 11 or Times New Roman 12.
Line spacing-1.5 (body), single (references)
Maximum word limit is 2000 words (+/- 10%). Excludes tables, labelled figures, and references. Submissions outside this range will be penalised as per the marking rubric.
Max file size must not exceed 100MB.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 3: You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas
Part B: Recorded presentation
You will prepare a short video presentation (up to 4 mins in length), based on a scenario where you have just identified placenta accreta in an examination you have performed.
The presentation should:
- Effectively communicate details of the placenta accreta spectrum and its key specific sonographic features. The format should take the form of the ISBAR (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, Report/Recommendations) technique where you are presenting your findings to the consultant radiologist following the completion of your scan.
- Be recorded by utilising a smart phone, laptop or tablet device.
- Be uploaded to YouTube. The link to your YouTube recording is to be loaded in the comment section of your submission. Please ensure the visibility setting of your video is set to "unlisted"
PowerPoint slides, images and worksheets are not required.
Week 5 Wednesday (13 Aug 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Moodle online submission
Online
Part A: Written
- Construct a paper to include an introduction, aim, body (with headings and subheadings) and a conclusion as minimum requirements. The submission should have a clear structure and defined purpose. It must be free of grammatical errors and reflect an appropriate level of critical analysis, clinical vocabulary, and scientific terminology.
- Evaluate current information and clinical consensus around the given topic by demonstrating thorough, relevant, and up to date literature searches to support the information that you provide.
- Describe the sonographic appearance and highlight the relevance of the sonographers' role in the diagnosis and management of this condition. it is expected that you will use referenced images, diagrams and/or tables to support your discussion.
- A reference list should be provided at the end of the submission in the correct format. Referencing must be done using CQU Vancouver style with a minimum of 10 scientific peer reviewed references. You must consistently use in text citations to support your analysis and discussion.
Part B: Recorded presentation
- Demonstrate creativity and decision making skills to construct a presentation that effectively communicates the pertinent information required using the ISBAR technique.
- Determine optimal video and audio settings so you are clearly visible, well heard and that the background/location is appropriate.
- Analyse and highlight content details that are relevant based on the literature review used in your written component.
- Interpret and select any additional information that will enhance your chosen condition scenario.
- Discern an effective methodology to ensure an appropriate format for your presentation.
- Display your understanding of the sonographer's role within this clinical scenario by constructing and delivering a presentation that is clinically relevant and follows ISBAR technique in a timely manner.
For more detailed marking criteria please see the marking rubric under the Assessment tile on the unit Moodle site.
- Describe safe ultrasound assessment of the fetus in late pregnancy, maternal post partum pelvis and the paediatric patient
- Differentiate the aetiology, ultrasound appearance and Doppler haemodynamics of abnormalities in third trimester pregnancies and post partum patients
- Analyse normal and abnormal paediatric ultrasound findings with reference to anatomy, clinical presentation, sonographic appearance, and aetiology
- Critically evaluate and analyse clinical scenarios to communicate a differential diagnosis which includes ethical and management considerations.
2 Online Test
Each health profession possesses a body of knowledge, the fundamentals of which must be learnt and understood. The sonography profession has selected these concepts as relevant to your future scope of practice and you will build upon them in your future clinical capacity.
You will complete 2 online tests to assess your understanding of the concepts delivered in MEDS13009. The tests can be accessed through the assessment tab on Moodle.
Online Test 2A (Obstetrics): Week 7 Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM AEST
Online Test 2B (Paediatrics): Week 12 Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30PM AEST
Each test will comprise 5 questions which will require written answers. Students will need to note opening and closing times to complete the exam during this time period.
Each test will be open for 50 mins (allowing 10 minutes per question) and only ONE attempt is allowed. Once started, the test cannot be paused or restarted
All unit content for MEDS13009 may be examined.
Questions will be drawn from a pool of questions to allow tests to be different for each student.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge
This assessment is to be undertaken as an individual. As with all other university assessment, colluding with other students on non group work tasks is considered academic misconduct, and may lead to action being taken. Inserting answers from other websites at the time of the online test without referencing the source is considered plagiarism.
As the quizzes are in two different weeks in the term, their due dates are listed in the unit's Moodle site (for weeks 7 and 12). The online quiz is open from 8:30 am AEST to 4:30 pm AEST
Online test
In order for a student to achieve a pass mark in this assessment, the student must achieve a minimum score of 50% or higher averaged over both online tests. Students must demonstrate a reasonable attempt to complete both tests within this assessment item by set due date and time.
You will be allocated a 50 minute time period for each online test.
Students will need to provide medium length typed responses to 5 online questions within the time period.
Film viewing questions may be included and you are required to be familiar with normal and pathological sonographic imaging of the areas discussed in MEDS13009.
Each question is worth 10 marks (giving a max total of 50 marks per online test)
If extensions are required these must be applied for BEFORE the online test has closed and answers have been released to students. The 72 hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Responses will be assessed according to:
- Use of appropriate terminology and descriptors as well as grammar, spelling of technical terms, relevance of response and competence to correctly address all elements of the question.
- The students ability to correctly interpret sonographic images/graphs/tables and then to succinctly compose an appropriate response based on their learning from the unit.
- Describe safe ultrasound assessment of the fetus in late pregnancy, maternal post partum pelvis and the paediatric patient
- Differentiate the aetiology, ultrasound appearance and Doppler haemodynamics of abnormalities in third trimester pregnancies and post partum patients
- Analyse normal and abnormal paediatric ultrasound findings with reference to anatomy, clinical presentation, sonographic appearance, and aetiology
- Critically evaluate and analyse clinical scenarios to communicate a differential diagnosis which includes ethical and management considerations.
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?
