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Unit Synopsis
Accurate evaluation of cardiac function is important for clinical decision-making and follow-up assessment. Currently, echocardiography is the most commonly used method to obtain this information. In this unit, you will build on your knowledge of cardiac anatomy and ultrasound applications. You will analyse echocardiographic measurements to assess chamber size, systolic and diastolic function and perform haemodynamic calculations, including intracardiac pressure estimation. You will apply your knowledge to a variety of cardiovascular pathologies and case studies.
Details
| Level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 8 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 2 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2021
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.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Case Study | 0% |
| 2. Online Quiz(zes) | 40% |
| 3. Online Test | 60% |
| 4. Professional Practice Placement | 0% |
| 5. Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books | 0% |
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%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site.
No previous feedback available
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.
Source: Tutorial feedback from students and SUTE (student unit and teaching evaluation).
Students found case studies and questions during tutorials useful as this contextualized theory learnt in the corresponding week.
Clinical case studies will continue to be developed and questions posed during tutorials to continue engagement with students and illustrate the application of content.
Case studies relating to the week's lecture content were presented in addition to any questions raised during the week by students or topics requiring further clarification. Students were encouraged to discuss the pathology and ask questions relating to these cases or images /pathology presented.
Source: SUTE (Student unit and teaching evaluation)
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.
Review of support offered to clinical supervisors. Suggestion of scaffolding of practical skills and practical learning objectives.
Students were asked to provide some examples of images and measurements they had performed during the week to discuss in the tutorial relating to the week's lecture content. The unit coordinator conducted individual Zoom meetings with supervisors to gain further clarification of student training level and student feedback from clinical placement site.
Source: SUTE (student unit and teaching evaluation)
Students indicated lecture format was well received.
Lectures will continue in current format for 2022 delivery and updates made as necessary.
Lectures for both existing and updated lecture content were presented in the current format due to reported student satisfaction.
Source: Tutorial feedback from students
Students found case studies and questions during tutorials useful and relatable.
Clinical case studies will continue to be developed and questions posed during tutorials to continue engagement with students and further illustrate the application of content.
In Progress
Source: Tutorial feedback from students
Students indicated self reflection and critique during tutorials was helpful and contextualised the theory learnt.
Clinical examples of students practical scans will continue to be self reviewed and students will continue to present and critique their own work during tutorials.
In Progress
Source: Feedback in emails from students after assessment submission and during tutorials.
Case study submissions and feedback is a timely exercise. Students indicated feedback content can be overwhelming in its entirety and image submission can be difficult.
Future case study assessments will be initially presented by the student over Zoom along with submitting the written assessment and images. Feedback may be either verbal, written or provided via video for further clarification and comprehension.
In Progress
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Evaluate cardiac function (including chamber size, systolic and diastolic ventricular function and intracardiac pressures estimation) using echocardiographic derived assessment data and haemodynamic calculations
- Compare the aetiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic assessment process and patient management strategy for a variety of cardiovascular disease processes
- Demonstrate professional behaviour and communication skills consistent with cardiac sonography practice
- 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
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Case Study | • | • | • | |
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | ||
| 3 - Online Test | • | • | ||
| 4 - Professional Practice Placement | • | |||
| 5 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books | • | |||
| 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 | • | • | ||
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |
| 1 - Case Study | • | • | • | • | • | • | |||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | • | • | |||||
| 3 - Online Test | • | • | • | • | |||||
| 4 - Professional Practice Placement | • | • | • | • | |||||
| 5 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books | • | • | • | • | • | ||||