Everyone communicates, but are they doing it well? Communicative competence takes practice and self-awareness. By developing their communication skills, the student will improve their interpersonal ability, intercultural competence, and digital fluency to prepare the student for success in the workplace. In Communication Strategies, the student will learn through discovery and project-based activities to practice approaching situations critically and collaboratively. The strategies the student will gain in this course will be useful throughout their program and in their chosen industry.
In this course, students will continue to explore important topics relevant to Allied Health professionals. In addition, students will develop interdisciplinary partnerships and team-building skills through collaboration, consultation and discussions.
The focus in Term 3 is to build on the theoretical knowledge learned in the didactic phase of the program and application in a clinical setting. This term should reinforce the practical skills introduced in Cardiac Laboratory Techniques 1 and 2. The main focus of Term 3 Cardiac Practicum 1 will be the introduction and participation in an Echocardiography departmental setting, while under the supervision of qualified professionals; the student should demonstrate increasing independence and progress from a novice performance level to entry level of competency in the profession of Cardiac Sonography (Term 5). During Term 3 the students will be introduced to scanning of actual patients, while applying and strengthening: theoretical knowledge, recognition of theoretical pathology, patient care skills, patient history taking, the completion of a cardiac technical impression, case presentation to a Cardiologist as required, all while participating in all aspects of an Echocardiography Department.
While participating in Echocardiogram examinations performed in the clinical sites Echocardiography Department (under direct clinical supervision) students will build upon the theoretical knowledge gained from the didactic phase of the program. Skills learned in the first practicum are expanded upon, and an increasing level of independence from novice to entry to practice should be demonstrated. Throughout this course, students will continue to scan patients - gaining hands-on experience, while applying and strengthening: theoretical knowledge, recognition of theoretical pathology, patient care skills, patient history taking, the completion of a cardiac technical impression, case presentation to a Cardiologist as required, all while participating in all aspects of an Echocardiography Department.
This course introduces cardiac sonography and cardiac scan techniques. It is designed to enable the student to recognize and understand normal anatomy, physiology, and the sonographic appearance of the heart. Cardiac Sonography 1 integrates anatomy and physiology with sonographic principles in the imaging of the heart. The focus of this course is on the assessment and interpretation of patterns in the normal heart as seen with Two Dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler (color, CW, and pulsed wave) imaging. The focus of the course then shifts to the etiology, hemodynamics, signs and symptoms, and sonographic patterns as relevant to the interpretation and quantification of cardiac disease including mitral, aortic, tricuspid, pulmonary, segmental wall anatomy, coronary artery, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, hypertension (systemic and pulmonary), cardiac masses, pericardial disease, cardiac masses, prosthetic heart valves, diseases of the aorta, and Diastolic Function (provocative maneuvers). The course will integrate theory and laboratory practices.
Cardiac Laboratory Techniques 1, Laboratory Modules, and Practicum Introduction to Health Care Practices introduces students to sonographic imaging of the heart. The course will emphasize the operation of sonographic equipment in the creation and interpretation of 2 Dimensional, M-mode and Cardiac Doppler imaging.
In this course, students will be introduced to the theoretical concepts and principles of the physics and instrumentation relevant to the safe and effective practice of diagnostic medical sonography.
In this course, using appropriate safety techniques, students will complete final preparations for clinical practicum by transitioning to complete independent cardiac sonography examinations (routine/protocol).