text: SONOGRAPHY STUDENT HANDBOOK 2009-2010 1 SSH 09/10 Table of Contents Introduction 6 I. Austin Community College Information General Information 8 Counseling Services 8 Students with Disabilities 8 Student Financial Aid 9 Library Facilities 9 II. Sonography Programs Information Mission Statement 12 Description and Goals 12 SCANS Competencies 13 Application / Admission 15 Orientation 16 Curricula/Course Descriptions 17 Costs Estimate 17 Computer Access/E-mail/Skills 17 Announcements 18 Course and Exam Schedules 18 Grading Scale 19 Graduation Requirements 19 Program Accreditation and Certification Exams 19 Student Records 19 Classrooms and Laboratory 20 Didactic Education 20 Clinical Education 21 Clinical Education Levels AAS Degree Plans 21 Educational Levels ESC-VT 24 Clinical Rotations 25 Sonography Lab Sessions 26 Master Assignment Sheet 26 Semester Assignment Sheet 26 Comprehensive Clinical Performance Objectives 27 III. General Policies and Procedures Admissions 30 Technical Standards and Essential Functions 30 Immunizations 32 Criminal Background 32 Health Data and Physical Exam Requirements 33 TB and CPR Requirements 33 Reporting of Illness/Injury or Communicable Disease 32 2 SSH 09/10 Emergency Instructions 34 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 35 Sonography Programs Attendance 35 Assignment of Grades 36 Academic Dishonesty 36 Sonography Programs Conduct Standards 37 Sonography Chain of Command 37 Electronic Devices 38 Program Progression 38 Progressive Discipline 41 Substance Abuse 43 Student Complaint Procedure 44 Sonography Student Practices 45 IV. Clinical Policies and Procedures Professional Behavior 46 Professional Ethics and Confidentiality 46 Safe/Unsafe Clinical Practices 46 Environment of Care 47 HIPAA 48 Attendance 48 The SCAN® Binder 49 Case Logs 50 Required Scanning Experiences 50 Clinical Evaluations 51 Evaluation Tools 51 Sonography Lab Sessions 53 Open Lab Sessions 53 Peer Scanning 53 Student Lab - Volunteer Scheduling 54 Clinical Site Volunteer Scanning 54 Recorded Images/Exams – Sonography Lab 54 Clinical Site and Sonography Lab Rules 55 Required Clinical and Lab Attire 56 Donated Case Study 57 Sonography Student Pregnancy Policy 58 Sonography Student Working as Staff 58 Student Visiting the Clinical Site (non-assigned) 58 Student Use of Ultrasound Equipment (non-assigned) 59 V. Professional Risks Health Insurance 60 Accidents/Exposure 60 Exposure Response 61 3 SSH 09/10 Appendix Sonography Programs Student Resources 63 Affective Domain Performance Notification 64 Sonography Student Progress Analysis 65 Accident Forms Clinical Signature Forms Student Handbook Signature Sheet 66 4 SSH 09/10 5 SSH 09/10 Introduction The Austin Community College Sonography Student Handbook has been compiled by the faculty to provide information pertinent to students enrolled in all the Sonography Programs offered at ACC. The faculty and staff wish you success in the pursuit of your educational goals. The Sonography Student Handbook provides detailed procedures and policies specific to all of the Sonography Programs offered by ACC. This handbook is used as a supplement to the Austin Community College Student Handbook and serves to bridge the overriding policies of the College with the policies specific to this program. The information, policies and procedures set forth in this handbook are designed to support the success of the student and are provided to the Sonography student during the Sonography Programs Orientation session. A copy of the Austin Community College Student Handbook is available at each campus's administrative offices or may be downloaded from the ACC website at: http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/. Continuing Sonography students will receive an updated or revised copy of the Sonography Student Handbook at the start of the Academic year (fall semester). The Sonography Program is just one of the programs within the Division of Health Sciences. The Health Science Division is comprised of the following programs: Associate Degree Nursing, Licensed Vocational Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Radiologic Technology, Emergency Medical Services, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Medical Coding, Medical Laboratory Technology, Surgical Technology, Pharmacy Technician, and Sonography. The Division of Health Sciences is committed to providing quality educational programs for the purpose of developing successful health care professionals. Developing caring, competent health care professionals prepared for diverse contemporary practice requires interactions with patients and patient services, thereby resulting in an educational environment with unique characteristics and requirements. The Health Sciences programs prohibit discrimination. Access to its programs or activities shall not be limited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or disability. 6 SSH 09/10 7 SSH 09/10 I. Austin Community College Information Sonography students should refer to the ACC website (www.austincc.edu), the ACC Student Handbook (www.austincc.edu/handbook/), contact the Admissions Office (any campus), or any ACC counselor at any campus for general college information. Austin Community College provides many student services which include, but are not limited to, Advising and Counseling, Admissions and Records, Childcare Services, Computer Facilities, Cultural Centers, Financial Aid, Library Services and Media Center, Student Life, and Students with Disabilities. ACC Student Services are detailed at http://www.austincc.edu/support/index.php. Counseling Services Full-time professional counselors are on staff at all ACC campuses to provide confidential assistance to students by appointment and on a walk-in basis. The counselors assist with the most frequently expressed student concerns: Academic: selecting courses, degree planning, and information on transferring ACC credits to other schools Career: job-search strategies, career exploration, skills identification, resume writing, job interviewing, goal setting, and vocational assessment Personal: personal adjustment, time management, relationships, and communication, trust building, and stress management Counselors also provide an assessment program. Vocational interest inventories identify areas of interest in the work field. Aptitude tests assess skills and abilities. Personality tests clarify areas in personal functioning. Students may check with one of the counselors to set a time for testing, assessment, and interpretation. To see a counselor, call 223-5180 (designated Health Sciences Counselor), 223-5188 (EVC Counselors), or any other Counseling Center at any campus for an appointment or check with the Student Services Office at any campus for walk-in times. The Health Sciences Counselor is housed in Building 9000 and is readily accessible to all Health Science students. A student may seek assistance from the HS Counselor or the student may be referred to the HS Counselor if his/her performance in any Sonography or co- requisite course is not meeting stated criteria. If a Counselor cannot provide the information or assistance you need, he/she will be able to provide you with information on services available outside of ACC. Students with Disabilities "Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes". Please see www.austincc.edu/support/osd/index.php for more information and instructions. Refer to the Sonography brochure, Sonography website, and Sonography Student Handbook for Technical Standards and Essential Functions for Sonography. 8 SSH 09/10 Student Financial Aid Austin Community College provides financial aid to assist students; the financial aid program includes scholarships, grants, loans, and part-time employment. The College expects students to make a maximum effort to assist themselves and provide a portion of their college expenses. Students should view financial aid only as a supplement to the financial resources of the applicant. Students must reapply each year for financial aid and mail applications by the suggested dates (see current ACC Student Handbook). Students who plan to attend both fall and spring need apply only once for that academic year. If an application is late, the College awards funds only if funds are available. Please contact any ACC Financial Aid Office for application deadline dates. The Financial Aid office at the Eastview (Health Sciences) Campus is in Building 2000, phone number: 223-5152. Library Facilities The EVC Library is located in Building 2000 of the Eastview Campus of Austin Community College and serves students and faculty in all Health Sciences programs. Open 7 days per week; 74 hours per week, it is fully staffed to provide library, media, and computer center services. The Library maintains general college-level materials in addition to a health sciences collection which covers the fields of medicine, nursing, allied health, hospitals, public health, and biological, behavioral and physical sciences, with an inventory of approximately 26,000 volumes, 400 current journal subscriptions and appropriate journal index services. (Of these, approximately 8,000 monographs, 200 current journal subscriptions, 4 journal title index services, and 1,200 audiovisual and computer software titles are health-science related.) Material is classified and catalogued according to both the Library of Congress and the National Library of Medicine systems as appropriate. Materials Selection and Withdrawal Library material is selected from patron request, published core collection, review, advertisements, publishers' catalogs and announcements. Ongoing faculty input is solicited to maintain a dynamic, responsive collection. In selection, among the factors considered will be: relevancy to the stated educational objectives of each curriculum of Austin Community College; patient education, timeless and current value; updating, such as adding the latest education of an established work and available financial support. Services of Library The Library provides all traditional library services to the students, faculty and staff. Individual study and viewing areas provide a quiet, comfortable atmosphere. Resource Service is available during all open hours. In addition to open access indexes on CD-ROM, online computerized searches may be run for faculty and students if necessary. ACC subscribes to all DIALOG, BRS, and NLM databases. The Library Media Center is equipped with videocassette players, filmstrip and slide viewers and audiocassette players in individual carrels. Library Instructional Technology 9 SSH 09/10 and Instructional Development personnel assist instructors in preparing classroom materials and presentations. The Library Computer Center provides computers and instructional and productivity software for students, faculty, and staff, along with personnel to assist in the use of these resources. A faculty Productivity Center is available to the faculty during all hours of operation. Internet access is available in the library and the computer center. Access to all materials owned by ACC is available via the library automation system. The Library provides terminals throughout the facility upon which the Public Access Catalog may be searched. Periodic listings of new acquisitions are sent to each faculty member. Books, articles, and audio-visual materials may be placed on reserve in the library by instructors to be used as references or for special assignments. Students may also use any other library at other campuses for checking our materials. Books may be returned to any ACC library, regardless of which campus they are checked out. ACC's cooperative arrangements with other libraries in the community expand the students' access to needed materials. Students, regardless of residence, may use the Austin Public Library system. A catalog of the Austin Public Library holdings is maintained in the RVS Library as well as at the other campuses. ACC students may also use the libraries of the University of Texas and St. Edward's University after paying a small user's fee. In addition to these resources, ACC participates in an inter-library loan system that makes materials available from libraries across the country. Your ACC photo identification card is required for checking out any library material from any ACC campus. 10 SSH 09/10 11 SSH 09/10 II. Sonography Programs Information Mission Statement In keeping with the mission of Austin Community College www.austincc.edu/cataloghtml/about.php, the Sonography Programs are committed to providing students with a well-rounded education in the General Learning (Abdominal and Ob/Gyn) or Adult Echocardiography Concentration with optional Vascular Technology Concentration. The Sonography Programs include instruction in sonographic practices and principles and basic to advanced medical imaging skills intended to prepare the student for employment in the field of diagnostic medical ultrasound. The Sonography faculty is committed to assisting the student toward the greatest academic, personal, and professional potential through quality instruction and rigorous coursework. Description and Goals The Sonography Programs are offered as an Associate of Applied Science Degree (Diagnostic Medical Sonography or Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography) with the Enhanced Skills Certificate – Vascular Technology as an option for concurrently enrolled AAS degree plan students. The length of the AAS degree plan programs is 5 semesters excluding the pre-requisite courses. The ESC-VT requires additional courses to be done concurrently with the AAS degree plan with two courses required in the spring semester following completion of the AAS degree plan. The Sonography Programs are designed to prepare entry-level sonographers for employment in Imaging Departments, Radiology, Cardiology and/or Vascular offices and specialty practices. The Programs utilize state of Texas and nationally published course manuals, standards, and outcomes in the development of sonography courses in the curricula. These reference materials are listed in the Appendix of this document. The DMS, DCS and ESC-VT programs are accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (1361 Park St. Clearwater, FL 33756; 727.210.2350; www.caahep.org) with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (2025 Woodlane Dr., St. Paul, MN 55125; 651.731.1582; www.jrcdms.org). Upon completion of the prescribed curriculum, the student is eligible to apply to take examinations for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) certification in Abdominal and OB/Gyn OR Adult Echocardiography and Vascular Technology specialties. ACC Sonography students are allowed by the ARDMS to apply to take the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam during the final semester of the AAS degree plan. Goals The goals of the ACC Sonography Programs respond to the expectations of the communities of interest served by the Programs: students, graduates, faculty, employers (institutions and physicians), patients, Austin Community College, and the profession of Sonography. Achievement of these goals is assessed through annual Program outcome data (graduate and employer surveys, ARDMS exam pass rates, and employment rates) which is reviewed relative to the THECB Guidelines for Programs in Workforce Education, the ACC Instructional Program Review and annual Unit Level Effectiveness Assessment Documentation (U-LEAD), and the Joint Review Committee 12 SSH 09/10 on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) Annual Report. The Sonography faculty and Advisory Committees review outcome reports annually and make recommendations for changes to the curricula if outcomes do not meet benchmark levels. On-going assessment of course content and structure is performed by the Sonography faculty through the use of end-of-course evaluations and ACC faculty evaluations. 1. Prepare competent entry-level general and cardiac sonographers, and vascular technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. 2. Produce skilled medical sonographers who actively apply acceptable principles and techniques within the fields of Diagnostic Medical or Cardiac Sonography and Vascular Technology throughout their careers. 3. Produce graduates eligible to apply, take and pass the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography specialty certification exams upon completion of the program. 4. Maintain high academic and professional standards in students and graduates. 5. Maintain standards for program accreditation. 6. Provide for student retention during the program through using a variety of methods and resources. 7. Serve as a resource for the clinical agencies in the Austin area. SCANS Competencies In 1991, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor established the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS). The Commission found that, "Current and future employees will have to read well enough to understand and interpret diagrams, directories, correspondence, manuals, records, charts, graphs, tables, and specifications." Integration of the SCANS competencies in both academic and vocational/technical classes will help to prepare students to function more effectively in high school, in college, and in the high-level technological workplace. The know-how identified by SCANS is made up of five competencies and a three-part foundation of skills and personal qualities that are needed for solid academic or job performance. SCANS competencies and examples applicable to the Sonography Programs are shown in the following table: SCANS Competencies Examples 1.0 Resources 1.1 Manages Time Completes all assignments within specified time frame; maintains appropriate attendance in all courses. 1.4 Manages Material and Facility Resources Uses appropriate amounts of supplies in performing sonographic studies. 2.0 Interpersonal 2.1 Participates as a Participates with the on-site clinical instructor and Member of a Team other members of the health care team to provide optimum patient care. 2.3 Serves Clients/Customers The sonography student communicates appropriately and effectively at all times with 13 SSH 09/10 2.6 Works with Cultural patients, families, staff, sonographers and physicians Diversity in the clinical setting. 3.0 Information 3.1 Acquires and Evaluates Correlates patient history, laboratory data, related Information studies and surgical procedures to the performance of the ultrasound exam; recognizes incorrect exam 3.2 Organizes and orders and alerts staff sonographer. Maintains Information Produce a written technical report of sonographic findings, appearances and/or measurements as required. 4.0 Systems 4.1 Understands Systems Applies technical settings using ultrasound machine controls to produce diagnostic quality images. 4.2 Monitors and Corrects performance Self-critiques images and views; adjusts imaging parameters as needed to produce diagnostic quality exams. 5.0 Technology 5.1 Selects Technology Selects appropriate transducer and software settings for required sonographic exam. 5.2 Applies Technology to Talk Uses appropriate technical and medial terms. 6.0 Basic Skills 6.1 Reading Completes writing assignments and Internet searches of assigned topics. 6.2 Writing Able to perform calculations required in ultrasound 6.4 Mathematics physics and specialty courses. 6.5 Listening Able to interview patient to obtain information and history as related to the sonographic examination. 6.6 Speaking Able to provide verbal reports on sonographic findings using clear and concise English language. 7.0 Thinking Skills 7.2 Decision Making Correlates patient information and patient condition with the requirements for the diagnostic ultrasound 7.3 Problem Solving exam; adjusts scanning techniques as needed. 7.4 Mental Visualization Correctly identify pathological conditions demonstrated on sonographic images and adapts 7.5 Knowing How to Learn exam as needed. 7.6 Reasoning Creates a study plan and seeks assistance with educational goals as needed. Decide which formulas to apply given various parameters. 8 Personal 8.1 Responsibility Manage personal time and activities as not to Qualities interfere with lecture or lab class sessions, 8.2 Self-esteem assignments or activities. 8.3 Sociability Identifies and acknowledges scanning strengths and weaknesses. 8.4 Self-Management Displays enthusiasm for profession; displays a 8.5 Integrity/Honesty pleasant demeanor in all settings. 14 SSH 09/10 Maintains confidentiality of personal and clinical information. Complies will all ACC, Program and Clinical Affiliate policies, procedures and rules. Application and Admission Interested individuals can obtain a Sonography Programs brochure describing the programs in general by contacting the Health Sciences Information Office, searching the ACC website, at the ACC Highland Business Center, and/or by visiting any ACC campus Admissions, Counseling, Advising, and Student Services offices. Specific information is found on the Sonography Programs website (www.austincc.edu/health/sono) and is provided during the Sonography Information sessions (online or on-campus). Application for admission to Austin Community College is a separate process which must be completed prior to applying to a Sonography Program. Please see the ACC website (www.austincc.edu) for the ACC Admission Process. The number of students accepted into a Sonography Program each year is determined by the number of appropriate clinical sites (sites that meet CAAHEP programmatic accreditation Standards) available for clinical placements throughout the length of the program. Applicants are ranked based on the Total Points score generated on the Applicant Ranking Worksheet. The number of students accepted may vary from year to year. Admission procedures and criteria for the Enhanced Skills Certificate – Vascular Technology: 1. DMS and DCS students are eligible to submit a letter of interest for the ESC-VT program, due by April 20 each year. 2. Grades earned in the first three Levels of the AAS DMS or DCS courses will be reviewed by the Sonography Faculty. A student accepted for the ESC-VT should have a passing average in all previous Sonography courses. 3. Students are ranked by the GPA in their completed Sonography courses and an offer of acceptance will be made to the top ranked students. The number of students admitted is directly related to the number of appropriate clinical sites willing and able to accept student placements. The class is selected by May 1 each year. ESC-VT enrollment/class size is governed by the number of appropriate clinical sites available and willing to accept ESC-VT student clinical placements in the Spring semester, therefore enrollment numbers may vary from year to year. Advanced Placement / Course Challenge Exam Policy 1. Any qualified applicant/student (as outlined in #4 below) may request a challenge exam to receive credit for a didactic course(s). Sonography clinical courses may not be challenged for credit. 2. Any prerequisites for a course that the applicant/student is requesting to challenge for credit must be successfully completed prior to the applicant/student requesting the Sonography course challenge. 15 SSH 09/10 3. The student must file a written request for a challenge examination. Forms may be obtained from the Sonography Department Chair and must be filed at least two weeks prior to the test date. 4. To qualify to request a challenge exam for a Sonography didactic course, the applicant/student must produce acceptable documentation (transcript, military documents, original letter from previous program director and/or instructor) of formal Sonography training to include one or more of the following: a. military service training b. completion of or credit hours in Sonography courses obtained at a regionally accredited college or university OR from a CAAHEP accredited Sonography program; c. foreign Sonography training programs recognized by ACC through its formal transcript evaluation process; d. other class work, as evaluated by the Sonography program faculty prior to determination of eligibility; e. documentation of previous training in a hospital-based Sonography program accredited by CAAHEP. 5. To successfully complete the challenge, the student must pass an exam covering fundamental concepts and demonstrate all competencies required by the course. A minimum grade of 85% ("B") must be achieved in order for credit to be awarded. Transfer of Course Credit from Other Institutions Previous course work satisfactorily completed at another regionally accredited institution of higher education can be evaluated for transfer and may be applied toward completion of a Sonography Program at Austin Community College. Transfer courses must be accepted by ACC, must be comparable to course content of ACC courses, and must be reviewed by the Sonography Department Chair. Applicants/students may receive credit for Sonography coursework (see above) or a challenge exam may be required. The student currently enrolled in another Sonography Program must submit a letter of withdrawal in good standing from the previous Program Director along with all other documents required in the Application Process. Orientation Approximately one month prior to the start of the first Sonography semester newly admitted students are required to attend the Sonography New Student Orientation. The Orientation includes, but is not limited to, a review of the ACC Student Handbook, Sonography Student Handbook, registration information, orientation to first semester courses, and the completion of a New Student Information and Self-Assessment Form and other pertinent assessments. The students will deliver their completed Health Data and Physical Exam Form during the Orientation session. At the end of the session, the students will receive their letter of full acceptance into a Sonography Program. The Student Information and Self-Assessment Form, Sonography Application Form, transcripts, and HOBET exam results will be reviewed and discussed with the new student during a Post-Admission Advising session. This session will be scheduled 16 SSH 09/10 during the first semester. The purpose of this session is to pro-actively identify issues that may affect student success, to provide advice, guidance and resource information, and to ensure that the student completes all required General Education courses of the degree plan in a timely fashion. Curricula/Course Descriptions Please see the current ACC Catalog at www.austincc.edu. Catalogs are available for a fee from the College Bookstore. Any proposed changes to the Sonography curriculum and/or course descriptions will be posted on the Sonography website (www.austincc.edu/health/sono) at least 6 months prior to publication of the changes in the ACC College Catalog. Costs Estimate (Tuition and Fees) For information regarding the College tuition and fees for Sonography courses, please refer to a current ACC Course Schedule (in print or online at www.austincc.edu) or call (512) 223-6104 for assistance. Many Sonography courses (clinical and lecture/lab) carry additional fees for Liability Insurance and Lab Fees. These fees are subject to change by the College at any time. Textbooks, Supplies and Uniforms Textbook, supplies and/or additional requirements are listed in each course syllabus. The Sonography textbooks are available in the Bookstore at the Eastview Campus approximately 1-2 weeks prior to the start of the semester. It is recommended that students retain possession of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and medical terminology texts used in previous courses. Students should also have English language and medical dictionaries for reference. Students are required to purchase the appropriate clinical and lab attire as specified in Section III., Dress Code. The program does not bulk order uniforms or other clinical attire for student purchase; information on purchasing the required uniforms is provided to the student prior to the start of the first clinical semester. Computer Access / Email / Skills All students must be able to access the ACC online teaching platform, Blackboard, as all Sonography courses utilize Blackboard for instruction and dissemination of information. Some Sonography courses may be designated as "hybrid" courses with ½ of the content to be completed online and ½ of the content delivered in the on campus setting. Students may utilize any of the computers on any ACC campus to check their ACC email accounts and to access Blackboard. Blackboard and email accounts should be checked frequently for assignments, announcements and/or messages. Students are responsible for obtaining instruction in the use of Blackboard; see course instructor and/or Health Sciences Lab Manager for assistance. ACC students are assigned an ACC email address. All email communication between the Sonography Programs and the student will be conducted using ACC assigned student and faculty email addresses. 17 SSH 09/10 Sonography students are required to demonstrate a variety of computer skills throughout the length of the program. Students will access the Internet and perform Web searches, submit all writing assignments as Word documents, and utilize the College on-line teaching platform, Blackboard. Students may be required to develop charts and tables, Power Point presentations, etc. for specific courses (refer to course syllabus for assignments). In addition, Sonography clinical sites utilize computer systems for patient schedules and patient information. All Sonography students must be able to utilize any clinical site's data/patient management system as allowed by the clinical site. A student who is unfamiliar with using a computer or who has limited computer skills should obtain instruction in computer programs and usage so that he/she will be able to meet the requirements of his/her courses. Announcements Program announcements and information will be delivered via Blackboard with an automatic email message to the student generated from the Blackboard course site Announcement. ACC announcements and information are posted on the main ACC webpage and in cases of Emergency, will be delivered via the ACC Emergency Messaging System. Sonography Program students should set their Blackboard course site Announcements to "View All" and should check their ACC email frequently to stay current on any Announcements and/or pertinent information. Course and Exam Schedules Sonography lecture and lab courses are taught primarily at the Eastview Campus, Health Sciences Building (9000); some lab sessions will be assigned to the Round Rock Campus. Each semester specific course times and room assignments are announced in the ACC Course Schedule. The course instructor may assign alternate and/or additional laboratory sessions (to be held within a Sonography lab), if needed. Assessment (quiz/exam) dates are set by the course instructor and are listed on the Course Calendar as part of the Course Syllabus; instructors may use unannounced graded/ungraded quizzes as an Instructional Method. Within any given course all course activities are scheduled at the discretion of the instructor for that course. Any revisions to the Course Calendar that occur during the semester will be provided to the student in print and will be posted on the Blackboard site for that course; a revision date will be included so that the most current Course Calendar is utilized. Final Exam dates and times are developed by the Sonography Department Chair in conjunction with each individual course instructor. Final Exam dates and times are included in the course syllabus and non-negotiable. In the event of serious illness, injury or emergency that directly affects the student, the student must contact the course instructor prior to the start of the exam. If the Final Exam is missed, the student may be offered a set of options for completing the course. The Sonography Department Chair must approve any arrangement developed and offered to the student for completion of the course requirements. 18 SSH 09/10 Grading Scale 100% - 93% = A 92% - 85% = B 84% - 75% = C 74% - 68% = D* *A course grade of "C" or greater in all Sonography courses is required for progression in the program. Final course grades are rounded up or down to the whole number; example: 74.4 = 74%, 74.5 = 75%. Graduation Requirements Graduation from any Sonography Program requires successful completion of all prerequisite courses (by transfer credit, course challenge or course completion) and ALL Sonography courses. The Application for Graduation must be submitted to the ACC Admissions and Records Office by the deadline specified in the College Catalog for the applicable Fall semester. Program Accreditation and Certification Exams The DMS, DCS, and ESC-VT programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) which provides a peer review process administered by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC/DMS), 2025 Woodlane Drive, St. Paul, MN 55125-2998. Accreditation is achieved when a program is designed and conforms to the Standards and Guidelines of an Accredited Program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. The Joint Review Committee on Education has established the Program Standards in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Students are encouraged to review this document, which is available upon request from the Department Chair or at www.caahep.org. Students who successfully complete either the DMS or DCS Program may apply to write the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) certification examinations in Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) during the capstone (final) semester of their AAS degree plan program. Student will then be able to apply to take the ARDMS exams in their applicable specialty area upon completion of their AAS Degree Plan DMS or DCS program. Successful completion of the ARDMS exams is required to earn either the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) or Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) credential. Students completing the ESC-VT Program and who earn the RDMS or RDCS credential prior to successfully completing the ESC-VT Program will be able to apply to take the ARDMS Vascular Technology exams under the ARDMS re-applicant status. Student Records The program maintains records for current and recently graduated Sonography students in the Sonography Programs offices; graduate files are stored in the Office of the Dean of Health Science. The Sonography Department Chair office maintains current and newly admitted student Program admission files. The Sonography Clinical Coordinator office maintains all current student clinical files as a central point of storage for each clinical course. Sonography instructors maintain coursework and grade files for the students enrolled in the courses taught by that instructor. These documents are secured 19 SSH 09/10 and may be reviewed by making arrangements with the Department Chair and/or individual instructor. Student course grades are maintained by the ACC Admissions and Records office and are available by requesting an official transcript or through Student Online Access. The Sonography Programs follow ACC Administrative Rule 3.03.014 Records Management Program Disposition of College Records for long-term storage of student records. A student may view his/her grades at any time by appointment with the course instructor; some courses utilized Blackboard for posting grades. A Student Progress Analysis (appraisal of grade standing) may be completed by an instructor at mid-semester or at any time deemed necessary by the course instructor. Classrooms and Laboratory Sonography lecture and lab courses are taught primarily at the Eastview Campus, Health Sciences Building (9000). Classrooms are assigned by the ACC system for classroom management. All Sonography classrooms and labs are equipped for multi- media presentations. Sonography Lab resources include ultrasound simulators for DMS and ESC-VT courses; state-of-the-art ultrasound units purchased in 2009 (4 in the EVC Sonography Lab and 3 in the RRC Sonography Lab); ergonomic workstations for each live scanning room; two state-of-the-art physiologic testing units; student use computers; software for General Sonography, Echocardiography and Vascular Technology (tutorials, testing); TV/VCR and TV/DVD; headphones; Laser Disc tutorials for OB and Vascular applications; case files; textbooks, anatomy/pathology models and posters. Sonography students have access to computer labs located at each ACC campus; the Health Science computer lab (Room 9209) is available to students outside of scheduled classes or testing sessions held in Room 9209. Students have access to the Sonography Lab throughout the length of a Program during assigned times, between on-campus classes, and during Open Lab sessions (if utilized) each semester. Didactic Education The didactic education portions of the AAS Diagnostic Medical, Cardiac Sonography, and Enhanced Skills Certificate – Vascular Technology Programs consist of theory and principle courses; the sonography principles and instrumentation (physics) courses are central and common to all three Learning Concentrations. All Sonography courses are sequential and specific to the semesters listed in each Program curriculum. The State of Texas mandated (THECB WECM) objectives for the Sonography didactic courses are included in the syllabus for each individual course; the ACC Sonography courses may include additional objectives for each course. All Sonography students are introduced to the vascular system within the AAS degree plans; the vascular system is addressed in-depth within the optional ESC-VT courses. A detailed study of sonography principles and instrumentation, including Doppler principles and instrumentation and hemodynamics, is an integral part of each AAS degree plan and the ESC-VT courses. 20 SSH 09/10 The Sonography Programs utilize the ACC on-line teaching platform, Blackboard, to provide significant course materials and support for all Sonography classroom-based and clinical courses. All didactic courses use a variety of Instructional Methods including all or some of the following: on-line research and/or presentations, homework assignments, and quizzes (announced and un-announced), case presentations, scenarios, lab assignments, exams, and writing assignments to assess the student's knowledge and problem-solving skills. The student is responsible for meeting all course requirements stated in the course syllabus by the deadlines listed in the syllabus or on the Blackboard site for the course. Clinical Education Clinical education is a crucial component of the program representing the majority of the contact hours within the ACC Sonography Programs. There are four competency based clinical courses and each course has designated competencies that are correlated with The SCAN ® (The Sonography Clinical Assessment Notebook) published by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography Educational Foundation. All ultrasound exams require the sonographer to use the same critical thinking, scanning and technical skills while following exam protocols that state the minimum images, views, measurements and blood flow assessments required for each organ, structure, vessel or area of the body. During the performance of the sonographic exam, the sonographer must constantly assess and adjust the technical parameters AND assess the region of interest to determine normalcy or presence of pathology in the organs, structure, and blood vessels. The sonographer makes the decision which images/views to acquire, assess, and record; the sonographer is expected to go beyond the minimum protocol to provide a diagnostic ultrasound exam. Proficiency and competency in performing sonographic examinations is a continuous and cumulative process based in the consistent demonstration of accurate scanning skills. The Sonography clinical courses are sequenced in order of psychomotor skills: from basic scanning techniques and patient interactions, to performance of partial exams with appropriate accuracy, to performance of complete exams with accuracy and in a specified time frame. Final competencies are required to ensure that the Sonography student is prepared to enter the workplace and to take and pass his/her ARDMS exams. Clinical evaluations are performed in both the Sonography Lab and clinical site settings. Clinical Education Levels AAS Degree Plans The Clinical Education Levels provide a format for progressive, competency-based clinical education in which the student attains acceptable clinical skills and behaviors. Level I: Program Semester 2 Didactic and Clinical (Lab) Instruction The Sonography didactic courses at this level focus on specific normal anatomy and physiology, sonographic anatomy and imaging, critical thinking skills, and medical ultrasound physics principles. The Sonography clinical courses at this Level address basic scanning techniques/methods, scanning ergonomics, patient care skills, clinical procedures and practices, critical thinking skills, and student clinical behaviors 21 SSH 09/10 and performance expectations. Students practice scanning techniques utilizing the ultrasound training simulator and/or volunteers under instructor supervision. Lab/Clinical Benchmark, The SCAN® Proficiency, and Challenge evaluations are performed at frequent and regular intervals (stated on the Semester Assignment Sheet). Students should utilize the assigned The SCAN® Proficiency Objectives, Benchmarks and Challenge evaluations for this Level to guide his/her practice scanning experiences. Criteria for successful completion of the requirements are stated in the DMSO 1260 or DSAE 1260 syllabi. Clinical Orientation/Observation During the last 6 weeks of the semester the student is assigned a clinical rotation at one of the Program affiliates. At this Level, the student is observing the functions and operations of the department and he/she is required to submit written assignments of his/her observations after each clinical week. Level II: Program Semester 3 Didactic Instruction The didactic courses at this Level address pathophysiology, specific abnormal sonographic appearances, critical thinking skills, scanning techniques and procedures including adaptive scanning techniques, and medical ultrasound physics and instrumentation. Direct Supervision Clinical Performance The student is assigned to a clinical site for three days per week with ½ day is assigned to an on-campus lab session. The student is allowed to begin scanning patients at the discretion of the on-site Clinical Instructor/sonographer and with the CI/sonographer in the room. The student should utilize the assigned The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives, Lab/Clinical Benchmarks and Challenge evaluations for this Level to guide his/her scanning experiences and should ensure that the on-site clinical instructor/sonographer is aware of his/her clinical course requirements. The student's rate of progress and ability to gain additional scanning time in the clinical setting is directly dependent upon the student's ability to perform the scanning tasks assigned by the Program and/or Clinical Instructor/sonographer. The student is required to complete The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Clinical Challenges as assigned on the Semester Assignment Sheet for DMSO 1461 or DSAE 1461. Evaluations for this Level are conducted in both the Sonography Lab and clinical settings. Sonography faculty will discuss the student's progress with the on-site Clinical Instructor(s) and will provide feedback to the student throughout the semester. Level III: Program Semester 4 Didactic Instruction The didactic courses at this Level continue to address specific pathophysiology, specific abnormal sonographic appearances, critical thinking skills, scanning 22 SSH 09/10 techniques and procedures including adaptive scanning techniques, Doppler physics and instrumentation, and hemodynamics. Direct/Limited Supervision Clinical Performance The student is assigned to a clinical site for three days per week with ½ day is assigned to an on-campus lab session. The on-site Clinical Instructor determines when the student is permitted to perform exams with the CI/sonographer in the room or immediately available at all times (clinical affiliate student supervision rules will be followed). The student should utilize the assigned The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives, Lab/Clinical Benchmarks and Challenge evaluations for this Level to guide his/her scanning experiences and should ensure that the on-site clinical instructor/sonographer is aware of his/her clinical course requirements. Exams that are technically difficult or unfamiliar should be attempted by the student. The student will begin to work on improving his/her scanning speed in order to complete entire exams. The student's rate of progress and ability to gain additional scanning time is directly dependent upon the student's ability to perform the scanning tasks assigned by the Program and/or Clinical Instructor/sonographer. To ensure that the student maintains learned skills and continues to improve, any procedure previously evaluated may be reassessed at random. The results of the re-evaluation will be discussed and compared to previous evaluations to note improvements and/or deficiencies. If a student is unsuccessful with a re- evaluation, the student will be required to return to directly supervised performance until the instructor determines that the deficiency has been corrected. The student is required to complete The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Clinical Challenges as assigned on the Semester Assignment Sheet for DMSO 2362 or DSAE 2362. Evaluations for this Level are conducted in both the Sonography Lab and clinical site settings. Sonography faculty will discuss the student's progress with the on-site Clinical Instructor(s) and will provide feedback to the student throughout the semester. Level IV: Program Semester 5 Didactic Instruction The didactic courses at this Level address advanced sonographic practices and procedures, registry review, and special topics (topics may change from year to year. Limited Supervision Clinical Performance The student is assigned to a clinical site for three days per week. The on-site Clinical Instructor determines when the student is permitted to perform exams with the CI/sonographer in the room or immediately nearby at all times (clinical affiliate student supervision rules will be followed). The student is expected to demonstrate advanced scanning skills and perform as independently. The student should attempt any and all exams to improve his/her techniques, 23 SSH 09/10 scanning speed and skills. The student should utilize the assigned The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Challenge evaluations for this Level to guide his/her scanning experiences and should ensure that the on-site clinical instructor/sonographer is aware of his/her clinical course requirements. The student's rate of progress and ability to gain additional scanning time is directly dependent upon the student's ability to perform the tasks assigned by the Program and/or Clinical Instructor. At the discretion of the on-site CI/sonographer and/or ACC faculty and to ensure that the student maintains learned skills and continues to improve; any procedure previously evaluated may be reassessed at random. The student is required to complete the The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Clinical Challenges as assigned for DMSO 2463 or DSAE 2463. Evaluations for this Level are conducted primarily in the clinical site setting but students may be required to perform Challenges in the Sonography Lab setting as well. Sonography faculty will discuss the student's progress with the on-site Clinical Instructor(s) and will provide feedback to the student throughout the semester. Educational Levels Enhanced Skills Certificate – Vascular Technology Two didactic courses required for the optional ESC-VT are concurrent with the AAS degree plan courses (semesters 4 and 5) and include in-depth instruction in normal vascular anatomy and hemodynamics, vascular pathophysiology and pathologies, and sonographic applications. In the Spring semester following completion of the AAS degree plan, the ESC-VT student is required to complete a Vascular didactic course (advanced procedures, registry review) and a Vascular clinical course. Clinical placement will be within departments that perform a significant number and variety of Vascular exams; these placements may be in Vascular labs, Radiology and/or Cardiology departments or office practices. Clinical Performance concurrent with AAS Levels IV and V The on-site Clinical Instructor determines when the student is permitted to perform exams with the CI/sonographer in the room at all times (direct supervision). The student should utilize the assigned The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Challenge evaluations for this Level to guide his/her scanning experiences and should ensure that the on-site clinical instructor/sonographer is aware of his/her clinical course requirements. AAS/ESC-VT students may have specific Semester Assignment Sheets that specify all required The SCAN® Proficiency and Challenge evaluations for both programs of study. The ESC-VT student is required to document all exams observed or performed during the clinical day, including Vascular, General or Cardiac exams. If the student is unable to meet his/her AAS degree plan course requirements, the student will be withdrawn from the ESC-VT program so that he/she may focus on successful completion of the AAS degree plan. 24 SSH 09/10 The student's rate of progress and ability to gain additional scanning time is directly dependent upon the student's ability to perform the tasks assigned by the Program and/or Clinical Instructor. Clinical Performance (DSVT 2463) The on-site Clinical Instructor determines when the student is permitted to perform exams with the CI/sonographer in the room or immediately available at all times (indirect supervision; clinical affiliate student supervision rules will be followed). The student should utilize assigned The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Challenge evaluations for this Level to guide his/her scanning experiences and should ensure that the on-site clinical instructor/sonographer is aware of his/her clinical course requirements. The student should work to improve his/her scanning speed to complete entire exams. The student is expected to demonstrate advanced scanning skills and perform as independently as possible and should attempt any and all exams to improve his/her techniques, scanning speed and skills. At the discretion of the on-site CI/sonographer and/or ACC faculty and to ensure that the student maintains learned skills and continues to improve, any procedure previously evaluated may be reassessed at random. The student's rate of progress and ability to gain additional scanning time is directly dependent upon the student's ability to perform the tasks assigned by the Clinical Instructor. The student is required to complete the The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Clinical Challenges as assigned for DSVT 2463. Evaluations for this Level are conducted primarily in the clinical site setting but students may be required to perform Challenges in the Sonography Lab setting as well. Sonography faculty will discuss the student's progress with the on-site Clinical Instructor(s) and will provide feedback to the student throughout the semester. Clinical Rotations Students are assigned by the Program to clinical rotations at health care facilities that are affiliated with Austin Community College; a student may be assigned to any appropriate clinical facility utilized by the Sonography Programs. Sonography students are not assigned to clinical rotations in departments where they are employed in a patient care capacity, are not assigned to a clinical site where they have already completed a clinical rotation, and are prohibited from making their own clinical placement arrangements. Clinical rotations give the Sonography student exposure to various types of learning environments, different volumes/variety of examinations, and opportunities to perform ultrasound examinations on patients in the clinical setting. Facilities range from private offices to acute care imaging departments. The student is responsible for his/her own 25 SSH 09/10 transportation to and from the clinical site and any parking expenses related to the clinical assignment. Every effort is made to secure clinical placements in which the student will have ample access to scanning opportunities, however, the ACC Sonography Programs cannot control the type or volume of cases performed during the hours a student is scheduled to attend a clinical site. Heavy case loads and/or schedules containing advanced procedures may, at times, preclude a Sonography student from participating in scanning patients; the on-site clinical instructor determines the participation of the student based on the student's technical skill level and/or other mitigating factors. The Clinical Assignment forms are provided to the student prior to the start of the semester. The student will receive information on the assigned clinical site; name of site, name(s) of clinical instructor(s), directions to site (if applicable), parking information and how to obtain a parking pass if required by the site (some sites require employees and students to park off-site and a shuttle service is provided), site-specific name badge if required, and any other pertinent information. It is the student's responsibility to complete all site-specific requirements and place an introductory phone call to the clinical instructor prior to the first day of the clinical rotation. Sonography Lab Sessions Scheduled Sonography Lab sessions which are part of didactic or clinical courses are designed to provide instruction in the technical and psychomotor skills involved in learning basic and advanced scanning skills, production of sonographic exams, and the analysis and critique of sonographic images and/or exams. Lab sessions may involve case analysis, image critique, video reviews, computer tutorials, hands-on scanning instruction and practice, instruction and practice using the ultrasound training simulator, and other activities as deemed pertinent to the student's learning. Open Lab sessions may be scheduled; an Open Lab is a designated time for students to practice the techniques and skills taught during the regular Lab Session. Master Assignment Sheet The SCAN® Master Assignment Sheet" lists the clinical competencies and evaluation schedule for each Sonography Program for the entire length of the program. This document is composed of all the requirements listed on the Semester Assignment Sheet for each Program (see below) and therefore is reviewed on a regular basis. The Master Assignment Sheet can be found in the Sonography Programs Master Plan of Education and is available for review by the student by appointment with the Department Chair. Semester Assignment Sheet The Semester Assignment Sheet is a component of The SCAN® Master Assignment Sheet" and is specific for each clinical course and Program (DCS, DMS, ESC-VT). The Semester Assignment Sheet lists the beginning and end dates of the semester, the Level and column numbers for the semester, all The SCAN® Proficiency , Benchmarks (if utilized in that Level), and Challenge evaluations and the due dates for all requirements for that course. 26 SSH 09/10 As formative point-in-time evaluations, The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives document the student's progress in attaining required sonographic skills and professional behaviors while building towards successful completion of the graded Benchmark and Challenges. Comprehensive Clinical Performance Objectives The Comprehensive Clinical Performance Objectives are drawn from and correlated with The SCAN® Performance Objectives for Professional Qualities and each specialty area (Abdomen, Adult Cardiac, OB/Gyn, and Vascular). Upon completion of the Program, the student will meet be able to meet the following criteria: I. Patient Care and Safety Objective: Perform the following procedures with 100% accuracy at all times. A. Identify the patient and exam. B. Obtain the patient history and information. C. Communicate appropriately with the patient before, during and after the exam. D. Provide assistance for the patient before, during and after the exam. E. Ensure patient safety and good ergonomics; follow Standard Precautions. II. Equipment Usage Objective: The student will with 100% accuracy: A. Prepare the examination room and sonographic equipment. B. Describe the orientation and manipulation of the transducer. C. Describe the basic operation, controls and features of the entire sonographic unit. D. Demonstrate safe handling and appropriate operation of the ultrasound unit, keyboard, transducer, cables and ancillary equipment. E. Cleans transducer, cables and unit using appropriate methods and disinfection solution/wipes. III. Anatomy and Structure Identification Objective: The student will with 100% accuracy: A. Identify normal anatomical structures as demonstrated by sonography. B. Identify acoustic artifacts. C. Describe normal structures using correct sonographic terminology. IV. Sonographic Imaging Procedure Objective: The student will with 90% accuracy: A. Describe the preparation necessary for the examination. B. Utilize additional transducers and/or transducer frequency to obtain appropriate images. C. Locate the required anatomy using standard views and selecting the appropriate scan planes. D. Completely scan through the required anatomy. E. Evaluate anatomy and pathology as demonstrated by the sonographic exam. 27 SSH 09/10 F. Appropriately center and clearly demonstrate anatomical structures and pathology. G. Perform required measurements using calipers; uses software packages as applicable and/or perform manual calculations. H. Select required/documentary images; label images according to standard protocols. V. Recording Images/Views Objective: The student will with 100% accuracy: A. Ensure images/views are adequately recorded. VI. Discussion and Conclusion Objective: The student will with 100% accuracy: A. Discuss the images/views with the instructor; verbalize scanning procedure and technique. B. Discuss anatomy and pathology on recorded images. C. Discuss acoustic artifacts as they relate to diagnosis and image quality. D. Complete the technical report. 28 SSH 09/10 29 SSH 09/10 III. General Policies and Procedures The Sonography student must demonstrate 100% compliance with all College Program, and/or Clinical Affiliate policies, procedures, and rules throughout the length of the program. Non-compliance or violation of any of these policies, procedures, or rules may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the program. A student may only be placed on Probation once during the length of the program; subsequent non-compliance with any policy, procedure or rule results in Withdrawal of the student from the program. Admission Requirements Health Sciences admission requirements vary according to program and may include specific testing, prerequisites, immunizations, criminal background check, and screening (including, but not limited to substance abuse screening). Students seeking information for any Health Sciences program should contact the Health Sciences Information and Admissions Office, Eastview Campus, Building 8000, Room 8356; phone (512) 223.5700. Technical Standards and Essential Functions Health Sciences programs establish technical standards and essential functions to insure that students have the abilities required to participate and potentially be successful in all aspects of the respective programs. Students are required to meet technical standards and essential functions for the (Program) as indicated below. If an applicant or student is unable to meet all of the outlined standards, he/she may be withdrawn from the program. Sonography Program Technical Standards and Essential Functions The following technical standards and essential functions outline reasonable expectations of a student in the Sonography Program for the performance of common sonographic imaging functions. The Sonography student must be able to apply the knowledge and skills necessary to function in a variety of classroom, lab and/or clinical situations while providing the essential competencies of sonographic imaging. These requirements apply for the purpose of admission and continuation in the program. Categories of Definition Example of Sonography Essential Functions Technical Standard Observation Ability to participate actively in all Adequately view sonograms, demonstrations, laboratory exercise, and including color distinctions clinical experiences in the professional program component and to assess and Recognize and interpret facial comprehend the condition of all clients expressions and body language assigned to him/her for examination, diagnosis, and treatment. Such Distinguish audible sounds from observation and information usually both the patient and the ultrasound requires functional use of visual, auditory, equipment (Doppler) and somatic sensations. Recognize and respond to soft voices or voices under protective 30 SSH 09/10 Categories of Definition Example of Sonography Essential Functions Technical Standard garb Communication Ability to communicate effectively in Able to elicit information and assess English using verbal, non-verbal and non-verbal information written formats with faculty, other students, clients, families and all members of the Accurately transmit information to healthcare team. patients, staff, fellow students, and other members of the health care team Receive/comprehend, write, and interpret verbal and written communication in both the academic and clinical settings Motor Sufficient motor ability to execute the Lift more than 50 pounds routinely movement and skills required for safe and effective care and emergency treatment Push and pull, bend and stoop routinely Move, adjust, and position patients and equipment Have full use of both hands, wrists and shoulders Dexterity to manipulate transducer and control panel simultaneously Work standing 80% of the time Intellectual Ability to collect, interpret and integrate Read and comprehend relevant information and make decisions. information in textbooks, medical records, and professional literature Retain and apply information Measure, calculate, reason, analyze, and synthesize Organize and accurately perform the individual steps in a sonographic procedure in the proper sequence and within required time frame Apply knowledge and learning to new situations and problem solving scenarios Behavioral and Social Possess the emotional health and stability Manage heavy academic schedules Attributes required for full utilization of the student's and deadlines intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all Perform in fast paced clinical 31 SSH 09/10 Categories of Definition Example of Sonography Essential Functions Technical Standard academic and patient care responsibilities situations and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with clients and Able to remain calm and focused other members of the health care team. during instruction for and performance of sonographic exams Possess the ability to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under Display flexibility and adaptability stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical Demonstrate professional conduct settings with patients. at all times Possess compassion, integrity, concern for Comply with all ACC, Sonography others, and motivation. Program, and clinical affiliate policies and procedures Possess the ability to demonstrate professional behaviors and a strong work Comply with the Sonographer Code ethic. of Ethics, Clinical Practice Standards, and Scope of Practice (Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography: www.sdms.org) Qualified applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply to the program. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Office of Students with Disabilities if they feel they cannot meet one or more of the technical standards listed. Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to complete this process at least three weeks before the start of each semester. Immunizations Healthcare professions include inherent health and safety risks. Therefore, all health sciences students are required to be compliant with Texas Administrative Code Rule 97.64 related to immunizations for the protection of themselves and patients. Additional information related to immunizations is available at: http://www.austincc.edu/health. Criminal Background Successful completion of a criminal background check is required for admission and continuation in all Health Sciences Programs. Criminal background requirements are found at http://www.austincc.edu/health/background.php Background checks will be honored for the duration of the student's enrollment in the clinical program if the participating student has not had a break in the enrollment at the college/school. A break in enrollment is defined as nonattendance of one full semester or more. Once accepted into the program, it is the student's responsibility to immediately notify the Dean of Health Science in writing of any subsequent changes in criminal history that 32 SSH 09/10 occur after the admission background check has been completed. Failure to do so may result in immediate withdrawal from the program. Additionally, students enrolled in two year program will be required to sign an affidavit at the beginning the second year of the program attesting that their criminal history has not changed. Additionally, • Successful completion of a criminal background check for a Health Sciences Program does not ensure eligibility for licensure or future employment. • Clinical agencies can establish more stringent standards, if they so desire, to meet regulatory requirements for their facility. • Clinical agencies can conduct additional background checks at their discretion. • If a student is found to be ineligible for clinical placement any time during the program, the student is unable to meet clinical learning objectives and will be withdrawn pending resolution of the situation. Health Data and Physical Exam Requirements Health sciences students must possess the physical abilities and characteristics required to meet the technical standards for their health sciences program. Therefore, all health sciences students are required to have a health assessment performed by a physician or other approved licensed health professional within six months of beginning a health sciences program. The ACC Health Data and Physical Exam Form must be used for this purpose and is available at http://austincc.edu/health. Click on "Documents, Modules and Tests". TB and CPR Requirements The Tuberculin skin test is required annually. A student is prohibited from attending clinical if his/her TB test result is out-of-date, therefore the student must provide the Program with a copy of an updated TB test result prior to the clinical semester. Students who test positive on the PPD test are required to obtain a negative chest X-ray report for his/her file; please check with the Health Sciences Compliance Coordinator for more information. A student must submit a current Health Data Form if he/she has a break in program enrollment for one year or more. The CPR required for Health Sciences Programs must be American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers. The card verifying completion must be an AHA card. A student is prohibited from attending clinical if his/her CPR is out-of-date, therefore the student must provide the Program with a copy of his/her renewed CPR prior to the semester. Reporting of Serious Illness/Injury or Communicable Disease A student having an injury or communicable disease must report the condition to the clinical instructor or to the Sonography Department Chair. The fact that a student has an injury or communicable disease may prevent the student from performing safely in the clinical area; however, the student is not relieved of the course requirements, including completing the assigned clinical hours. All reasonable efforts will be made to protect the student's right to confidentially. 33 SSH 09/10 All students are to follow Standard Precautions in the clinical area for the protection of patients and themselves as outlined in the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Emergency Instructions Austin Community College District has procedures in place to help ensure the safety of students during an emergency. Emergency instruction signs are posted in each campus classroom. They indicate evacuation routes, outside rally locations, and indoor shelter- in-place areas. Administrators-in charge and emergency evacuation coordinators are designated in all facilities to assist students and staff in an emergency. In the event that ACC is forced to cancel classes due to inclement weather, DMS classes and clinical rotations will also be canceled. Notification of closures will be made through ACC Emergency Messenger system, the ACC website, local radio and TV stations, as well as ACC's Channel 19. General Emergencies To reach the ACC Police Department dial 222 from any campus phone of 223-7999 from any cell phone, pay phone, or off campus. The ACC Police Department can better determine the student's location and will notify the local police and fire departments. Medical Emergencies For medical emergencies, contact the ACC Police Department by dialing 222 from any campus phone or 223.7999 from any cell phone, pay phone, or off-campus phone. ACC Police will coordinate with the responders and will escort them to your location. Severe Weather/Outdoor Hazards In cases of severe weather or other dangerous conditions outdoors, students will be directed to shelter-in-place areas inside the building. Do not go outside or move to another building. Do not use elevators. Upon being alerted by a public address system, alarm, or campus administrator, students will move immediately to shelter in-place areas indicated on the emergency signs posted in each classroom. Shelter-in-place areas are located in the lowest floor possible of the building, in the center of the building, and away from glass. Fire Upon hearing a continuous alarm or verbal warning, students should evacuate the building immediately and move to the fire evacuation rally location indicated on the emergency signs posted in each classroom. Do not run. Do not use elevators. 1. Leave the building through the nearest exit 2. Take personal belongs if they are in the same room 3. Close all doors behind you. Do not lock them 4. Report to fire evacuation rally location. You must be accounted for at rally location 5. Students and staff will be permitted to re-enter the building when the administrator-in-charge or emergency evacuation coordinator gives a verbal "all clear" signal 34 SSH 09/10 Gunman on Campus Students or staff who see an armed person or receive information that an armed person is on campus should to take the following steps. 1. Contact the ACC Police Dispatch by dialing 222 from any campus phone or 223.7999 from any cell phone, pay phone, or off-campus phone. 2. Turn off lights, close and lock doors. 3. Get on the floor out of the line of fire. Seek available cover. 4. Wait until an "All Clear" given by a police officer or authorized, known voice Contacting a Student in an Emergency With thousands of students at different locations, it is not possible for staff to contact students on campus except in cases of emergency. Staff members may inquire about the nature of the emergency and decide whether the student should be contacted. In order to contact students, campus staff will need the student's ID number and class schedule. When students anticipate someone may need to contact them on campus, they should leave the necessary information in the campus manager's office. Under no circumstances will ACC permit persons to search for students on campus. Family Education Rights and Privacy Act The following statement concerning student records maintained by the Austin Community College District is published in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The release of information to the public without the consent of the student will be limited to that designated as directory information. Directory information includes name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in activities, dates of attendance, degrees, certificates and awards, name of the previous educational institution attended, student classification and enrollment status. Any student objecting to the release of all or any portion of such information must notify Admissions and Records within the first 12 class days of the semester. The restriction will remain in effect until revoked by the student. Sonography Programs Attendance Lecture, lab and clinical schedules are provided to the student prior to the beginning of each semester. Due to the intense nature of sonography education, missed class or clinical hours may seriously affect a student's ability to complete the requirements of his/her course(s). Each course syllabus contains information regarding attendance requirements and procedures. Student Work and Educational Schedule As in all of the Health Sciences Programs at Austin Community College, working full-time while in a Sonography Program is difficult and not recommended since work schedules generally conflict with class and/or clinical rotations. Any activity that impairs the student's ability to attend class, participate actively in all classroom, lab and clinical sessions, and/or meet the requirements of each 35 SSH 09/10 course must be avoided. Students are encouraged to visit with the Health Sciences Counselor regarding time management and study skills improvement. Assignment of Grades The instructor teaching the course shall assign grades. The instructor will provide information to the students at the beginning of the semester regarding the course, including the guidelines for grading. If the student has questions about or objections to the grading policy in a course, those must be brought up during the semester. Such questions or objections should first be addressed to the instructor and then, if the student believes it is appropriate, to the instructor's supervisor. These questions are not relevant when determining whether an error occurred in assigning a performance grade. Grade Change Appeal If a student believes that an error has been made in the assignment of a grade, he or she should follow the "Procedures to Resolve Grade Disputes". ACC website at: http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/policies2.php. Academic Dishonesty Academic integrity is an essential component of professional behavior in health sciences programs. Any documented incidences of academic dishonesty can/will/may result in withdrawal from the program. ACC Health science programs follow the college's general policies on academic integrity as set forth in the ACC Student Handbook. A copy of the student handbook is available at each campus's administrative offices, or may be downloaded from the ACC website at: http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/index/htm. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their own thought, research or self-expression. For purposes of these regulations, academic work is defined as, but not limited to exams and quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; papers; classroom presentations; and homework. When students borrow ideas, wording or organization from another source, they shall reference that information in an appropriate manner. Definition Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to the following: Cheating on an exam or quiz by bringing information to the testing area (no use of cell phones or PDA's for calculation, approved calculators allowed), talking to another student during the test, or looking at another student's test during the examination, removal of privacy screen on computer. Plagiarizing - when students borrow ideas, wording or organization from another source, they shall reference that information in an appropriate manner Unauthorized collaboration / collusion with another in preparing outside work for fulfillment of course requirements. Unauthorized entry (hacking) into test banks or examinations Falsifying data in a patient health record Assisting others in academic dishonesty Discussing an examination with students who have not taken the exam 36 SSH 09/10 Having a copy of the examination outside the time and place of test administration Lying about or misrepresenting care given, clinical errors, or any action related to clinical experience Recording, taping, taking pictures without consent from instructor Sonography Programs Conduct Standards • Students will comply with all ACC, Programs and Clinical Affiliate policies, procedures, and rules at all times. • A student will communicate privately with the instructor regarding his/her individual performance. • Any student appeals to scoring of specific test questions will be submitted to the instructor in writing within one week of the test and will include a rationale and supporting reference citation. The instructor will respond in writing to all test question appeals within one week and will include the final decisions and referenced rationale. All decisions of the instructor to appealed questions are final. • Discussions and opinions held forth in the classroom setting remain within the classroom and are not to be disseminated to those outside the classroom. • Learning styles of classmates are to be respected. • Students are prohibited from after-hours socializing with ACC Sonography faculty, clinical instructors, sonographers, and staff members during the length of the Program. Sonography Chain of Command Students who have questions or disputes regarding lecture, lecture/lab or clinical course objectives including evaluations, teaching methods or communications with an instructor must first discuss their concerns with the assigned course instructor. If the student is unsatisfied with the instructor's response, the student should request an appointment with the Sonography Department Chair. The Department Chair will follow up with the instructor regarding the student's concerns. The Department Chair may request a meeting with the student and the instructor as part of the resolution process. If the student is unsatisfied at this point, he/she should follow The Student Complaint Procedure found in the ACC Student Handbook. Any issues that arise during the clinical day, such as but not limited to: a difference between the scanning methods, techniques, protocols, etc. utilized at the clinical and those taught in the classroom or lab sessions must be handled with extreme diplomacy. The student is never allowed to critique or question the CI/sonographers scanning abilities, choices of images or protocol used to complete an exam. The student may ask the CI/sonographer for clarification of his/her techniques, etc., but any questions regarding the appropriateness of what is observed or discussed in the clinical setting must be addressed to the Sonography faculty and/or Department Chair. Electronic Devices The use of a cell phone and/or pager is strictly prohibited within the ACC Sonography Lab, at the Clinical Site, and during all class sessions. The student is 37 SSH 09/10 prohibited from having a cell phone or pager on his/her person while in the clinical site and/or the Sonography lab. Use of computers and recording devices is prohibited during class sessions unless the student obtains written permission from the instructor. Program Progression In order to successfully progress through any Health Science program, the student must: Complete pre-requisite courses before progressing in the program. Be enrolled in co-requisite courses at the same time. a. Withdrawal from any co-requisite course prior to the college official withdrawal date will result in withdrawal from all other co-requisite courses regardless of the current grade in the course. b. Students who fail a co-requisite course are required to retake all co-requisite courses upon readmission. Achieve a minimum grade of "C" in all health science courses. Satisfactorily meet course objectives. The Sonography Programs curricula are not lists of courses that must be completed, but are programs of study in which all Sonography courses within a semester are co- requisites. All Sonography courses in each semester are prerequisites for the next semester courses. Due to the sequence and chronological order of courses within the Sonography Curricula, Program courses are offered once per calendar year. General Education curriculum courses must be taken during the semester listed or may be taken during any semester prior to the semester listed. Sonography Student Retention It is the student's responsibility to monitor his/her progress in all Sonography curriculum courses. All Sonography faculty members utilize the ACC online teaching platform (Blackboard) for didactic courses therefore grades are accessible to the student at all times. Grades for Sonography clinical courses may or may not be posted to Blackboard before the end of the semester; the student must track his/her own grades or request a review of all clinical course evaluations to monitor progress. Students are expected to seek assistance from their instructors and/or the Health Sciences Counselors whenever necessary to maintain a passing grade average in any course. There is an organized process for keeping students apprised of their grades and the Sonography faculty utilizes a variety of forms to evaluate the student's performance in didactic courses, lab sessions, and clinical courses. The student is apprised when an exam grade or the course grade average below 75%. The instructor may complete a Progress Report form at any time during the semester. A copy of Progress Analysis form is provided to the student and a copy is retained by the course instructor. A student may receive a referral to the Health Sciences Counselor with or without the Progress Analysis form. 38 SSH 09/10 Affective Domain Performance Notification The Affective Domain Performance Notification 2-part form is used to inform a student of non-compliant behavior or observed weaknesses during didactic or clinical courses. A copy of this form is included in the Appendix of the Sonography Student Handbook. Progress Analysis Form The Progress Analysis 2-part form is utilized to inform the student of his/her standing in a Sonography didactic or clinical course. A copy of this form is included in the Appendix of the Sonography Student Handbook. Health Science students, including Sonography students, should recognize that high standards are set for those seeking to work in Health Care professions. Re-Admission Policy A student is eligible to apply for re-admission to a Sonography Program one time only. A student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a Program for any reason (personal reasons; failure of one or more Sonography curriculum courses in any semester; health reasons; etc.) is required to complete a Health Sciences Exit Review with the Sonography Department Chair. Examples of withdrawal include, but are not limited to: A student successfully completes all but one Sonography course in a given semester. Regardless of the grades in the Sonography courses that are passed, the student is withdrawn from the Program. A student has a serious personal, financial, health problem, cannot meet the Technical Standards and Essential Functions of the Program, or is otherwise unable to meet the learning objectives of his/her course/courses. Regardless of grades up to that point in the Program, the student withdraws or is withdrawn from the Program. A student commits a severe infraction/violation of an Austin Community College and/or Health Sciences and/or Sonography Policy which results in immediate withdrawal (page 34). During the Exit Review the student may be given a Division of Health Sciences Offer of Re-entry Eligibility which contains specific details regarding the re-entry process. Students who leave the Program and desire re-entry must sign an agreement detailing the terms under which they will be allowed re-entry into the Program. Unless other arrangements are made in writing by the department, a student must re-enter the program in the next semester in which the appropriate courses are offered. Re-entry is based on space available in the requested semester of re-entry and Verification of Competency. Students requesting re-entry will be ranked using their GPA from their completed Sonography Curriculum courses. The ESC-VT program progression requires that the student meet all requirements of his/her AAS (DMS or DCS) degree plan AND all ESC-VT course requirements. If a student demonstrates a lack of progression in either of his/her programs (AAS or ESC-VT), then he or she will be withdrawn from the ESC-VT program so that the student can fully concentrate on successfully completing the AAS degree plan. 39 SSH 09/10 Re-Verification of Competency As previously stated above, all sonography courses within the curriculum are sequenced. Each clinical Level has designated content and assignments; mastery of all Level required skills must be demonstrated for the student to progress to the next Level. A student who is withdrawn from a Sonography Program will not attend any clinical course until the semester of re-admission; therefore Verification of Competency evaluations will be completed prior to the start of the re-entry semester to ensure that the student is scanning appropriately for that Level of the Program. Re-verification of Competency scanning evaluations will consist of completing a combination of The SCAN® Proficiency and Challenge competencies stated on the Semester Assignment Sheet of the last successfully completed clinical course. The student must earn a minimum passing grade on each evaluation; "1" for Proficiencies and 75% for Challenges. The student seeking re-entry may request access to the Sonography Lab for practice. Access to the Sonography Lab during a semester is determined by Lab availability; therefore a schedule for Lab use must be developed. The student must present a receipt of payment of the Insurance fee for that semester. At least one Sonography faculty member must be on-campus for the student to utilize the lab. The student will arrange for a scan volunteer in accordance with Sonography Lab Volunteer procedures. The student must abide by all Sonography Lab Rules while using the Lab for practice. Please refer to the following chart for the re-entry requirements; additional requirements may be assigned to a student seeking re-entry. Withdrawal Re-entry Process and Level Requirements I (Summer I) Re-apply for admission for next admission class. Concurrent enrollment in any uncompleted General Education courses listed in this semester is required. II (Fall I) Written request for re-entry must be received by the Sonography III (Spring) Programs no later than 90 days prior to the start of the semester. IV (Summer II) V (Fall II) All re-entry requirements must be met by the deadline stated in the Offer of Re-entry Eligibility. Concurrent enrollment in all Sonography and in any uncompleted General Education courses listed in this semester is required regardless of previous successful completion of the Sonography courses. A student will be readmitted on a space available basis using the following priority guidelines based on reason for withdrawal: • Priority 1: for health and/or personal reasons. The student was passing all didactic and clinical courses at the time of withdrawal. • Priority 2: failure of one didactic course with satisfactory completion of all other semester courses. • Priority 3: failure of two or more semester courses. 40 SSH 09/10 . Withdrawal Please refer to the ACC Student Handbook for the College policy on student or instructor initiated withdrawal. Please see the above information regarding Program Progression for Sonography students. Incomplete A student in good standing in a sonography course may request an Incomplete for that course if one of more of the following is determined by Department Chair to be present: serious illness or injury that prevents the student from completing coursework by the end of the semester. All coursework must be satisfactorily completed prior to the beginning of the next semester as all Sonography courses in a semester are prerequisites for the next semester's courses. Not Eligible for Re-entry During the Exit Review a student may not eligible for re-entry if a severe infraction/violation occurs. These infractions/violations include, but are not limited to: Academic dishonesty Falsification of documentation Confirmed substance abuse Change in criminal history Progressive Discipline Faculty is committed to assisting students to be successful in the program. Therefore, Health Science students who are not meeting courses objectives in class, clinical/practicum or lab will be apprised of their performance status using the progressive discipline process. Step 1: Warning The instructor provides the student with a verbal warning or written feedback as to their status. The instructor counsels the student regarding criteria for successful completion of the course and makes recommendations for improvement. Recommendations may include but are not limited to - utilization of peer study groups, tutors, computer- assisted instruction, seeking assistance from ACC counselors. At the discretion of the instructor and depending on the situation, this step may be skipped and a conference done. Step 2: Conference The student meets with the instructor in a formal conference to review the performance deficit. A written Health Science Conference Report will identify specific course/program objectives not met and a remediation plan / contract, including deadlines for completion, to assist the student to correct the deficit and remain in the program and be successful. If at any time the student does not comply with all terms outlined in the conference report, the student may be placed on probation or withdrawn from the program 41 SSH 09/10 Step 3: Probation Probation action is implemented for: Unsatisfactory clinical performance Unsatisfactory clinical attendance and punctuality Inability to maintain physical and mental health necessary to function in the program Unethical, unprofessional behavior, and/or unsafe clinical practice Refusal to participate with a procedure Unsafe or unprofessional clinical practice that compromises patient or staff safety Behavior which compromises clinical affiliations Failure to comply with all terms outlined in the conference report Probation is a trial period in which the student must improve or be withdrawn from the program. The student meets with the instructor and department chair. An ACC counselor may be asked to assist in representing the student. The student and faculty will review and sign a Health Science Probation Report explicitly stating expectations that must be followed during the probationary period and signed. Step 4: Withdrawal If at any time during the probation period, the student fails to meet any of the conditions of the probation contract, the student may be withdrawn from the program. Accordingly, if at the end of the probation period the student has not met the criteria for satisfactory performance outlined in the probation contract, the student will be withdrawn from the program. A student who is placed on probation for unsafe or unprofessional conduct will be withdrawn from the program for subsequent safety or professional conduct violations at any time during the program. (If the occurrence is past the official college date for withdrawal from a course, the student will receive a performance grade of "F" or "U" as applicable.) Some situations do not allow for the progressive discipline process due to the severity of nature or the timing of their occurrence. Incidents of this nature may require the student to be immediately placed on probation or withdrawn from the program. Examples of these include, but are not limited to: Violations of patient confidentially Academic dishonesty Falsification of documentation Unprofessional behavior that seriously jeopardizes patient, student staff, or preceptor safety Unprofessional behavior that seriously jeopardizes clinical affiliations. NOTE: If the occurrence is past the official college date for withdrawal from a course, the student will receive a performance grade of "F" or "U" as applicable. 42 SSH 09/10 Substance Abuse Policy The well-being of patients and clients cared for by our students is of primary concern in all Health Sciences programs and a carefully designed and administered drug and alcohol misuse procedure can reduce accidents. Therefore, the Health Sciences Department has adopted a substance abuse testing program wherein a student who is participating in clinical classes will be tested for drugs when there is reasonable suspicion that the student is under the influence of alcohol and/or illegal drugs, i.e., drugs which are controlled substances under federal law which are not being used under the supervision of a licensed health care professional, or otherwise in accordance with the law. Students will be asked to submit to drug screening by their ACC clinical instructor at the expense of the college in the following circumstances: 1. Observable indication of actual use or impairment such as slurred speech, lack of co-ordination, incoherency, marijuana or alcohol odors. 2. Possession of drugs, apparent paraphernalia or alcoholic beverages. 3. Detailed, factual and persistent reports of misuse by multiple colleagues. 4. Abnormal or erratic behaviors such as sudden outbursts, mood swings, hostility or unusual anxiety that suggests possible drug use or alcohol misuse. 5. Involvement in suspicious accidents. 6. Apparent lapses in judgment or memory. 7. Unusual lethargy. Testing Procedure 1. Document student's behavior. Confer with department chair. If a department chair is the faculty member concerned about the student's behavior or if the department chair is unavailable, the conference will be with the dean or dean's designee. 2. If a student denies being under the influence of unauthorized substances, a request for a drug screen will be initiated. A. The student will sign a consent to undergo drug screening.* B. If the student refuses to consent to drug screening, the student will be immediately dismissed from the program. 2. Institute a Request for Drug Screen. Provide verbal and written instructions for the testing procedure, including time frames for the test. 4. Arrange for transportation directly to a designated testing center by taxi accompanied by a Health Sciences representative. 5. After the drug screen specimen has been obtained the student will be transported by taxi back to the point of origin or home. 6. Student is excluded from all clinical activities pending results of the drug screen. 7. Drug screen findings will be interpreted by the designated testing center within 24-48 hours. 8. Results will be sent to the Dean of Health Sciences where they will be kept in a confidential, locked file. Results of the drug screen will be released to the department chair on a need to know basis only. Records may be released only to the student or the decision-maker in a lawsuit, grievance or other legal proceeding against the College or its agents arising out of the positive drug test. 9. All positive drug screens will be reviewed by an independent Medical Review 43 SSH 09/10 Officer. During the review process the student will have the opportunity to: A. Explain the cause of the positive drug screen. B. Provide the name of the physician authorizing any prescription medications. The Medical Review Officer will contact the attending physician for verification. If verification is obtained, the student will be placed on probation. Any subsequent evidence of substance abuse will result in a recommendation that the student be dismissed from the program. The student may appeal the recommendation using the Student Complaint Procedure in the ACC Student Handbook. 10. If drug screen is positive and unexplained, unverified via the Medical Review Officer, the student will be: A. Dismissed from the program and B. Reported to the state licensing agency, if applicable. 11. A student who tests positive will be referred to a community resource for evaluation by the ACC counselor at the student's expense. 12. If the drug screen is negative, the student will be immediately reinstated in clinical by the department chair and will be provided opportunity to make up assignments. The student will be subject to all other objectives related to safe behavior and care of clients. 13. Readmission to the program is based on program admission policies. * Please refer to the Consent for Drug Screening form located in the Appendices section at the end of this handbook. NOTE: Some clinical affiliates may require a preliminary drug screening prior to actual clinical practice in their facility. Student Complaint Procedure Health science programs follow the college's general policies for student complaints as set forth in the ACC Student Handbook. A copy of the student handbook is available at each campus's administrative offices, or may be downloaded from the ACC website at: http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/gen3.php . The purpose of student complaint procedure is to ensure students due process in the resolution of a complaint. Student complaints may include (but are not limited to) issues regarding classroom instruction or other college services and offices as well as discrimination based on race, color, gender, religion, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation. This procedure does not apply to student disputes about course grades which are resolved under the supervision of the appropriate instructors and instructional administrators. The program will not retaliate against the student as a result of filing a complaint. Sexual and / or Racial Harassment Complaints If a Health Science student has a complaint regarding sexual or racial harassment then the student should refer to the ACC Student Handbook for the policy and procedure related to sexual and racial harassment. http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/policies3.php#sexual. Sonography Student Practices The successful Sonography Student will: 44 SSH 09/10 • accept responsibility for his/her own learning at all times, seeking assistance to improve his/her grade whenever necessary. • comply with all Program and course requirements, policies, and procedures. • take advantage of Open Lab times and any tutoring and critiques to improve grade standing. • appropriately utilize Program documents: The SCAN ®, course syllabi, ACC Student Handbook, Sonography Student Handbook, the course site on Blackboard, and all evaluation criteria and methods. • exhibit professional demeanor and qualities at all times during didactic and clinical courses. • initiate activities that promote an in-depth study of sonography practices and principles (assertive participation in challenging exams, review of interesting cases, discussions with physician interpreter, research of unusual cases). • possess a calm demeanor and the ability to focus and multi-task, comprehend and follow verbal and written instructions, apply didactic knowledge to clinical practice and retain previously learned information/skills. • recognize that performing sonographic exams/procedures requires development of specialized skills including hand-eye coordination and mental visualization of 3-dimensional anatomy, critical thinking skills and an in-depth knowledge of normal and pathologic conditions and sonographic appearances. • recognize that given appropriate instruction in scanning techniques, critical thinking processes, clinical skills and normal/pathologic sonographic appearances, the aptitude to perform sonographic exams rests solely with the student's inherent abilities. 45 SSH 09/10 IV. Clinical Policies and Procedures The Sonography student must demonstrate 100% compliance with all College, Program, and/or Clinical Affiliate policies, procedures, and rules throughout the length of the program. Non-compliance or violation of any of these policies, procedures, or rules may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the program. A student may only be placed on Probation once during the length of the program; subsequent non-compliance with any policy, procedure or rule results in Withdrawal of the student from the program. Professional Behavior Faculty of Austin Community College and the Health Sciences Programs has an academic, legal and ethical responsibility to protect members of the public and of the health care community from unsafe or unprofessional practices. Health Science students, while representing Austin Community College at any clinical agency, must conduct themselves in an ethical, professional, and safe manner. Students are expected to assume responsibility for their actions and will be held accountable for them. Students will abide by ACC and clinical agency policies during each clinical experience. Failure to adhere to program specific policies related to professional behavior or safe clinical practice may result in the use of the Progressive Discipline Policy outlined in the Sonography Student Handbook. Professional Ethics and Confidentiality Students must remember that the information concerning patients is confidential. Students shall not provide patients, parents, friends, relatives, or non-hospital employees the results of tests or discuss the nature of any illness. Only the physician shall give this information to the patient or the patient's family. Failure to comply with the above is cause for immediate dismissal from the program. Safe/Unsafe Clinical Practices The Health Sciences Programs identify safety as a basic human need. A safety need can be identified as physical, biological, and /or emotional in nature. Safe practices are a requirement of each program. Unsafe clinical/practicum practice shall be deemed to be behavior demonstrated by the student which threatens or violates the physical, biological, or emotional safety of the patients, caregivers, students, staff or self. Unsafe or unprofessional clinical/practicum practice may result in implementation of the Progressive Discipline Policy outlined in the (Program) Student Handbook. The following examples serve as guides to these unsafe behaviors, but are not to be considered all-inclusive. Physical Safety: Unsafe behaviors include but are not limited to: inappropriate use of side rails, wheelchairs, other equipment lack of proper protection of the patient which potentiates falls, lacerations, burns, new or further injury failure to correctly identify patient(s) prior to initiating care 46 SSH 09/10 failure to perform pre-procedure safety checks of equipment, invasive devices or patient status Biological Safety: Unsafe behaviors include but are not limited to: failure to recognize violations in aseptic technique improper medication administration techniques / choices performing actions without appropriate supervision failure to seek help when needed attending clinical while ill failure to properly identify patient(s) prior to treatments Emotional Safety: Unsafe behaviors include but are not limited to: threatening or making a patient, caregiver, or bystander fearful providing inappropriate or incorrect information performing actions without appropriate supervision failure to seek help when needed, unstable emotional behaviors Unprofessional Practice: Unprofessional behaviors include but are not limited to: Verbal or non-verbal language, actions, or voice inflections which compromise rapport and working relations with patients, family members, staff, or physicians, may potentially compromise contractual agreements and/or working relations with clinical affiliates, or constitute violations of legal/ethical standards Behavior which interferes with or disrupts teaching/learning experiences Using or being under the influence of any drug or alcohol that may alter judgment and interfere with safe performance in the clinical or classroom setting. Breach of confidentiality in any form Falsifying data in a patient health record Misrepresenting care given, clinical errors, or any action related to the clinical experience. Recording, taping, taking pictures in the clinical setting without expressed consent. Leaving the clinical area without notification of faculty and clinical staff or supervisor. Environment of Care Austin Community College Health Science Students and faculty will follow procedures outlined in the Seton Safe Environment of Care (EOC) and the St. David's Mandatory Education Module and designed by Seton and St. David's and adapted for the use at ACC in order to educate students and faculty in procedures mandated by health care facilities. All of the Seton and Columbia Health organizations, in which we are affiliated, have agreed to the use of these procedures in order to educate students and faculty prior to their clinical rotations in those facilities. The purpose of the test is not simply to pass it, but to understand the concepts presented in the Seton Safe EOC Manual and St. David's Mandatory Education Module. The scope of these tests includes general safety, hazardous materials and waste, medical equipment, security, emergency preparedness, life safety and building construction, utility systems and social environment. These tests are primarily multiple- choice with some short answers questions. These exams require the student to self- 47 SSH 09/10 remediate. The students will not be able to move forward until they have correctly answered each question. These exams are available at: http://www.austincc.edu/health/dmt.php or on departmental home pages. Specific instructions about how to access the test will be given to students by their instructor. When students have completed the test, they will be required to make a copy for themselves and electronically mail a copy to their program. These files must be kept, so that the College can prove compliance with the health care facilities' accreditation requirements. Workplace Violence Students who are assigned a clinical or practicum experience in a Seton Healthcare facility are required to complete the "Safety Module for Non-Employees: Workplace Violence Module". HIPAA The Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) Act requires that all protected health information be kept private and secure by all persons that handle, or have access to, that information. Since health sciences students, faculty, instructors, and staff use protected health information as part of the educational process (i.e. access to client health data to provide care and use of de-identified health data for educational assignments such as case students and care plans), all health science students must complete an online training module on an annual basis to remain in compliance with HIPAA regulations. Students are not allowed to enter the clinical settings / fieldwork until this training has been completed. Any violations of HIPAA regulations will result in disciplinary actions up to and including withdrawal from the program depending on the severity of the violation. ACC Website: http://www.austincc.edu/hipaa/training/. Clinical Attendance Lecture, lab and clinical schedules are provided to the student prior to the beginning of each semester. The Clinical Site Instructor may adjust or change a student's clinical schedule times. These changes must be submitted in writing to the Clinical Coordinator for approval. Due to the intense nature of sonography education, missed clinical hours may seriously affect a student's ability to complete the requirements of his/her course(s). See each course syllabus for detailed information regarding attendance requirements and procedures. The student will record his/her exact start and end times for the clinical day, including the assigned lab session. Each week the total number of hours is recorded on the bi- monthly Attendance record and on the Attendance Total Hours page. The instructor must initial all start and end times. Call-In Procedure for Clinical Absence The student is required to notify the Sonography Clinical Coordinator and the clinical site by phone (email messages are not acceptable) at least 30 minutes before his/her shift start time if he/she will be absent. 48 SSH 09/10 • When calling the Sonography Clinical Coordinator, the student should state whether or not the clinical site has been called and if he/she left a message on the answering system or with a person. • The student will document the name of the person taking their message of absence for that day. • The Absence Form must be completed by the student and given to the Clinical Coordinator during the next on campus day. • Failure to follow this communication procedure will initiate the Progressive Discipline Process. The clinical day is 8 hours in length with a minimum ½ hour lunch break; on-campus lab session hours are as assigned. The Clinical Assignment form states the specific time the student is required to report to his/her clinical site. The student must contact the Sonography Program Clinical Coordinator or other faculty for permission to leave the lab and/or clinical site before the assigned end time of the day/session. Any adjustments or changes to the student's regular clinical schedule must be submitted in writing to the Sonography Clinical Coordinator in advance of the adjustment. The SCAN® Binder The Sonography student is required to maintain his/her The SCAN® binder appropriately: 1. Students will receive instruction in the correct use and record keeping for The SCAN® in DMSO or DSAE 1260. 2. All documentation must be recorded accurately using black or blue ink; the student's name must be on each page where required. 3. The student is not allowed to re-arrange the sections of the binder and must not store unrelated paperwork or items in the binder; the binder must be kept confidential and professional in appearance at all times. 4. Questions regarding The SCAN® documentation and record keeping will be addressed by the Sonography Clinical Coordinator or the course instructor. The student should not rely on the opinions or directions given by other students in completing his/her documentation. 5. Attendance and Case Logs must be accurately recorded daily; recording cases observed and/or scanned must be HIPAA compliant. 6. The student marks the Pathology record sheet when pathology is observed and/or scanned in each semester. 7. The student is required to place the required The SCAN® Proficiencies, Benchmarks, and Challenge evaluation forms for each evaluation segment immediately after the Semester Assignment Sheet. 8. The Semester Assignment Sheet lists the evaluation requirements for each 5 week segment of the clinical course and documents the student's completion of 49 SSH 09/10 the evaluations. This document remains in the student's The SCAN® until the completion of the semester. 9. Students are required to complete a Clinical Site Evaluation Form and total their Case Logs at the end of each rotation/semester. 10. All clinical course evaluations and notations are private and should be treated as such by the student; sharing and/or comparing evaluations or scores demonstrates a lack of professionalism on the part of the student. Case Logs The student is expected to document all cases observed or scanned during scheduled labs, clinical days and Open Lab sessions. The student will document the type of experience, whether the exam was observed or scanned in the Lab (L) or Clinic (C), and for some courses, the number of images taken and the specific organs scanned. Only one mark per row is made. A student may observe sonographic exams/procedures throughout the length of the program and not have an opportunity or ability to scan during that exam; the student should mark those cases in the Observed column. If a student observes the sonographer while he/she is scanning, but is allowed to scan before or after the sonographer, then the student marks the experience in the Limited column. The student must scan the majority of the case to mark in the Independent column. Case Log pages must be totaled when each page is completed and the entire Case Logs section must be totaled at the end of the semester. No patient names, record numbers or any other identifying data should be included on the Case Log pages (HIPAA). Pages of the student's pocket note book or other notes regarding the number and type of cases observed and/or scanned during the day MUST be recorded in the Case Logs and those note pages must be destroyed before leaving the clinical site. All images/exams recorded by the student using live ultrasound equipment in the Sonography Lab must remain within the lab setting or in the student's clinical course records to maintain compliance with HIPAA. Required Scanning Experiences Students will be required to record all exams that they have participated in or performed during lab, clinical or open lab hours. It is very important that all exams are recorded as this document will be used to tract the total number of exams completed while in the Program. ACC Sonography students are required to obtain a minimum number of hands-on scanning experiences throughout the length of a Sonography Program; this number is correlated to each Level of the Program. Please see individual clinical course syllabi for the required number of hands-on scanning experiences required for that course. Students obtain their hands-on scanning experiences in the Sonography Lab and clinical settings. If a student cannot meet the required number of scanning experiences assigned for each week or otherwise specified time period, he/she is required to confer with the course instructor for guidance. 50 SSH 09/10 Scanning experiences are central to demonstrating expected progression and attainment of sonographic skills that allow for increased hands-on scanning experiences throughout the length of a Sonography Program, and for mastery of the technical skills required of ACC Sonography Program students and graduates. Therefore it is incumbent upon the student to obtain as many hands-on scanning experiences as possible using all resources that are available to Sonography students in both the clinical and lab settings. Clinical Evaluations The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Challenge assignments vary by Level according to the Program Master Assignment Sheet. Level specific The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives and Challenge assignments and accompanying due dates are provided to the student at the beginning of each semester. Students are responsible for completing all clinical course requirements by the due dates stated on the Semester Assignment Sheet; the Case Log Totals, Attendance Total, and Clinical Site Evaluation forms are completed at the end of each rotation/semester. Evaluation Tools Clinical evaluation tools (The SCAN® Proficiencies, Benchmarks, and Challenges) utilized by the Sonography Programs are found in the student's The SCAN® binder, in the Sonography Clinical Coordinator's office and, for select forms, in the Sonography Lab and the clinical site (Sonography Programs Clinical Binder). The Affective Domain Performance Notification, Progress Analysis, and Affective Domain forms may also be utilized. The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives The student will place The SCAN® Proficiencies required for each designated Level immediately after the Semester Assignment Sheet under tab 4 of The SCAN® binder. The student will highlight the required column, or portions of that column, for that 5 week evaluation period. Completion of The SCAN® Proficiency Performance Objectives may require the student to scan one or more volunteers or patients; the Proficiency will be dated as complete when all required Performance Objectives are marked. The instructor may make comments on the reverse side of the Proficiency page(s). Once the Proficiency is completed, the student will return the page(s) to their correct location within The SCAN®. The student is apprised of his/her areas that need improvement and where acceptable performance has been demonstrated. Once a Proficiency Objective has been scored at least a "1" the student is expected to continue to Meet Expectations for that Proficiency Objective. The Proficiency Objectives are marked as "0" – Needs Improvement; "1" – Meets Expectations; "2" – Exceeds Expectations. 51 SSH 09/10 Benchmark Benchmarks are detailed evaluations of specific skills that must be completed according to the due dates stated on the Semester Assignment Sheet. The student should review and be familiar with the criteria of each Benchmark. The student will place the Benchmarks required for each designated clinical evaluation segment immediately after the Semester Assignment Sheet under tab 4 of The SCAN® binder A minimum score is required to pass the Benchmark; the student is allowed two attempts to pass a Benchmark (the highest grade awarded on the second attempt is a 75% regardless of points earned). The student is required to sign the Benchmark and is encouraged to write comments regarding his/her performance. A student who has demonstrated successful completion of a Benchmark is expected to retain and apply those skills throughout the remainder of the Program. Benchmarks are marked as "0" = No; 1 = Somewhat; 2 = Yes. Challenge Challenge evaluations are designated sonographic exams that must be completed by the due dates stated on the Semester Assignment Sheet. The completed Challenge evaluation documents the student's ability to perform/acquire specific sonographic images, views and/or exams in a clinical setting and within a designated time frame. The evaluation criteria address all the skills required of a sonographer in the performance of sonographic studies (see the Program and Level specific forms). The Challenge evaluation grade average is a significant part of the grading distribution for the clinical course. The student is expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of each of the criteria in the Challenge, how those criteria relate to the required Challenge assignment, and the due dates for the Challenge assignments. The Sonography student must inform the Clinical Instructor/sonographer that he/she is requesting a Challenge evaluation at the beginning of the clinical day or lab session. The student is not allowed to decline a patient for the Challenge based on age, sex, body habitus, or condition. The CI/sonographer indicates on the Challenge form the length of time the student is allowed for completing the Challenge exam. The student should review the Challenge evaluation with the CI/sonographer and is required to sign the Challenge form. All Challenge evaluations are performed unassisted by the instructor. A minimum score is required to pass the Challenge Evaluation; the student is allowed two attempts to pass the required Challenge (the highest grade awarded on the second attempt is a 75% regardless of points earned). A student who has demonstrated successful completion of a Challenge is expected to retain and apply those skills throughout the remainder of the Program. Completed Challenge forms are sealed in an envelope by the CI/sonographer and are retained at the clinical site until retrieved by an ACC Sonography faculty member. A student-submitted Challenge evaluation form is void. The student will be required to 52 SSH 09/10 repeat the Challenge as a second attempt and the student will receive a written warning of non-compliance. The Clinical Challenge evaluations are marked as "0" – No; "1" – Somewhat; "2" – Yes. Sonography Lab Sessions Students are expected to participate fully in all scheduled lab activities as assigned by the instructor. During the assigned on-campus lab session, a student may request a short restroom break. Students should not leave the lab for long periods of time or without informing a faculty member; eating and drinking are not allowed in the lab. Due to time constraints, evaluations in the lab setting may be scheduled outside of the regular assigned lab session. A student's evaluation will be scheduled by his/her lab instructor. Sonography students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of every opportunity to utilize the Sonography Lab and its resources. Open Lab sessions may be scheduled; an Open Lab is a designated time for students to practice the techniques and skills taught during the regular Lab Session. Students also have access to the Sonography Lab before, between and after on-campus lecture courses. The calendar of scheduled Lab Sessions is posted outside the door of the Sonography Lab. Open Lab Sessions Open Lab is a designated time for students to practice the techniques and skills taught during the regular Lab Session. A Sonography faculty member must be present to provide general supervision of the lab. The student will sign in and out and record which scan room he/she utilized during the scanning session. The student must arrange for his/her volunteer for practice scanning. All volunteers must sign the Volunteer Waiver form which must be witnessed and signed by the ACC faculty member present during the Open Lab session. Students may reserve a time during an Open Lab on the sign-up schedule posted outside the Sonography Lab. If the student is not able to utilize the selected time period, he/she may trade the reserved time with another student or not attend lab at that time. Open Lab is optional but encouraged. Scanning during Open Lab does not replace lab instruction and/or clinical hours. Peer Scanning The ACC Sonography student is encouraged to volunteer to be scanned by other program students during the course of the Sonography program. The Sonography faculty believes it is important for each and every student to experience the role of a patient in the sonography department. Student scan labs are the primary location for student's to obtain hands-on instruction throughout the length of the program. Scanning of peers or volunteers is not allowed unless a Sonography faculty member is physically present to monitor the use of the Sonography Lab. 53 SSH 09/10 Each student that wishes to volunteer for peer scanning is required to sign the Student Waiver Form (Section III). The procedure for student peer scanning is detailed on the waiver form. The signed form will be kept in the student's file and will be in effect throughout the length of the program unless the student signs a Peer Scanning Declination Form. Students that decline to volunteer for peer scanning throughout the length of the program will sign the Peer Scanning Declination Form. The Sonography Program faculty recognizes and respects the student's decision not to participate in peer scanning. A declination of peer scanning will not impact the student's grades or standing in the program. Sonography students that are or become pregnant during the course of a Program MAY NOT be scanned by any student or faculty member unless the pregnant student meets the requirements stipulated for all obstetric volunteers (see Student Lab – Volunteer Scheduling Procedure). Student Lab – Volunteer Scheduling The Sonography Programs accept volunteers wishing to assist Sonography students with attaining hands-on scanning skills and competencies. Volunteers are accepted for the DMS Labs (abdominal organs and vessels, pelvic organs and structures, thyroid, and obstetrical), DCS Labs (heart), and ESC-VT Labs (blood vessels throughout the body). These individuals must contact the Sonography Clinical Coordinator to obtain information about volunteer requirements and to schedule the appointment(s). All student scan lab sessions are 100% supervised by an ARDMS credentialed Sonography Faculty member. All volunteers must be in good health; those individuals seeking medical care or diagnosis are not accepted as volunteers and are directed to contact their health care provider for assistance. The Clinical Coordinator and/or faculty inform all potential callers of the criteria to volunteer for a Sonography lab session. All volunteers must sign the Volunteer Waiver Form. Volunteers for obstetrical scans must obtain written permission from their health care provider. Clinical Site Volunteer Scanning During the clinical day the staff and/or sonographers at the student's clinical site may agree to volunteer for student practice scanning when time and the clinical schedule allows. The staff and/or sonographers are not obligated by the Sonography Programs to provide this type of scanning opportunity and the student should respect the wishes of the staff and/or sonographers regarding practice scanning. Pregnant staff and/or sonographers will not be scanned by the student at the clinical site unless a standard exam is scheduled. The pregnant staff member or sonographer must provide the Program with written permission from the health care provider before the student will be allowed to practice scan the pregnancy. Recorded Images/Exams - Sonography Lab Setting Students will record images/exams for instructional purposes during scheduled and Open Lab sessions. These images/exams, regardless of recording method utilized, must remain within the ACC Sonography Department to maintain compliance with HIPAA. 54 SSH 09/10 Clinical Site and Sonography Lab Rules 1. Students must comply with all ACC, Sonography Program and Clinical Affiliate policies, procedures, and requirements at all times. 2. The SCAN® binder records must be completed accurately and appropriately. 3. Students must comply with the Clinical/Lab Dress Code during all clinical rotations, lab sessions and whenever volunteers are scheduled for scanning practice. 4. No food or drink is allowed. Cell phones and pagers are prohibited. The student may not have a cell phone or pager on his/her person while in the Lab or while at the clinical site. Provide your family, childcare providers or other necessary individuals with Sonography and Clinical department contact numbers.) 5. Students are expected to be ready to fully participate in the lab session/clinical day at the assigned start time. 6. Students will participate in all activities assigned during the lab session/clinical day. 7. Students must demonstrate professional conduct at all times. Any non- professional conduct or disruptive behavior will cause the student to be dismissed from the lab session/clinical site and will result in a disciplinary action. 8. Whenever the student utilizes the Sonography Lab or attends a clinical site, he/she is responsible for a. preparation of the scan room/station b. careful, safe and ergonomic use of the furniture and equipment in the scan room/lab/department; dims lighting as necessary c. providing appropriate patient care before, during, and after the scan d. cleaning the transducer, ultrasound unit, scan table and ancillary equipment after scanning and at the end of the lab session e. returning the scan table and chair to the lowest settings f. all duties assigned by the faculty member and/or clinical instructor 9. When a patient/volunteer is to be scanned, the student will a. introduce themselves to the volunteer, stating he/she will perform the patient/volunteer's exam b. take the volunteer to the scan room and explain the scan session procedure c. maintain HIPAA compliance at all times 10. Children are not allowed in the Sonography Lab; children are allowed to wait in the breezeway area (outside of the Sonography Lab) for the volunteer as long as they are supervised by an adult (not a Sonography student). Older children/teens may wait unattended. 55 SSH 09/10 Required Clinical and Lab Attire Student's grooming practices shall make ample provision for sanitation, safety, and comfort and shall not draw unnecessary attention to the student so that all can focus their attention on their work and our collective efforts to serve patients. All students shall be required to present a clean, neat, and professional appearance and to dress in a manner appropriate for a professional health care environment. Extreme styles, recreational clothing (in place of or worn with required scrubs), excessive jewelry, and perfumes/colognes or excessive make-up are not acceptable work attire (see below). The On-Site Clinical Instructor or Sonography faculty member may dismiss the student from the clinical day or lab if his/her appearance is not acceptable. Questions as to the appropriateness of any uniform clothing are answered by previewing the clothing/shoes for the Sonography faculty. Students are required to: 1) Wear a long-sleeved Caribbean Blue scrub jacket; a solid Caribbean blue top (short or long sleeved) in any style: scrub top, T-shirt, or polo shirt. This top must fit appropriately. If the top has a V-neck, the neckline must not be too low. You may wear a white or Caribbean blue short-sleeved T-shirt under the top if needed. Please note that when buying your scrubs/uniforms for lab and clinical that the pants must also fit appropriately. The pant must not be too large or small and the waist of the pant must be at the natural waist. 2) Wear standard ACC photo ID and name pin at all times in the Sonography Lab and in all clinical areas; the name pin should be at least 1" by 3" in size, white with black letters and rounded corners, first name only. If a clinical affiliate requires the student to wear the affiliates ID badge then both the ACC and clinical affiliate badges must be visible at all times. 3) Wear appropriate undergarments. 4) Wear clean, white shoes or all white leather athletic or walking or clog shoes in good condition; appropriately colored socks (white, or coordinated with Caribbean Blue scrubs); no cloth or shoes with air holes on the top (such as "Crocs"). 5) Wear only jewelry such as engagement rings, wedding rings, graduation rings, and wristwatches. Small neck chains, small post or hoop earrings are permitted. No other jewelry or body piercing materials may be visible while in any clinical setting. 6) Wear natural-appearing make-up; natural-to-pale nail polish, and keep fingernails clean, trimmed and short. Nail polish must be free of chips and students are not allowed to wear finger nail extensions. 7) Style hair neatly so that it does not interfere with patient care or the performance of your tasks: 56 SSH 09/10 Hair should not be in the face, in or over the eyes or hang forward over the shoulders; Hair longer than shoulder length should be styled or arranged to avoid violation of the principles of medical asepsis (I.e.: pulled back in a clip, in a pony tail); Hair-colored or white clips, pins or other hair holders may be worn in the hair to have a neatly controlled appearance; Beards and mustaches are acceptable if kept clean and neat (closely trimmed); No fad designs or colors are allowed. 8) Body tattoos must be covered at all times in the clinical setting. 9) Wear appropriate surgical caps and masks to completely cover head and facial hair if working in Surgery or any other area where a surgical procedure is taking place. 10) Refrain from wearing forms of personal insignia such as armbands, buttons, hats, etc. in order to minimize distraction and preserve professionalism. Donated Case Study In compliance with ACC HIPAA procedures regarding the use of donated de-identified patient information (sonographic teaching case studies), the following procedure must be followed: All films, videos, clips must be de-identified prior to the study leaving the clinical site. This may be done electronically (deleting the patient name and MR number from the study) or physically (cutting the patient name and MR number out of the films). Films, videos and clips that cannot be de-identified prior to the case leaving the donating clinical site cannot be used by the program and will not be accepted. Failure to comply with this directive will result in disciplinary actions for the student. Sonography students and/or faculty members may not make copies of the donated case original interpretations, even if the report is then de-identified. A form that Sonography students and/or faculty members may use to compile generalized patient information including interpretation of ultrasound exams is included in the students The SCAN® binder and in the Sonography Clinical Binder located at each clinical site. This form should be included with the donated case. Failure to utilize this form and/or any incidence in which the Sonography student and/or faculty member removes actual patient reports from the clinical facility, de-identified or not, will result in disciplinary actions for the student. De-identified case studies donated to the Sonography Programs will be logged into the appropriate section of the Donated Case Log and the studies will be labeled according to the type (Abdominal, Adult Echo, etc.) and number assigned to the case. For example, an Upper Abdominal studies will be labeled A1, A2, etc. Adult Echocardiography studies will be labeled AE1, AE2, etc. The Donated Case Log will also record which course the study will be utilized for teaching during the curriculum. 57 SSH 09/10 It is the responsibility of the Sonography faculty to appropriately log and label each donated case. The Donated Case Log will be maintained in the Sonography Clinical Coordinator office and will be available for inspection by the HIPAA Task Force at any time. Sonography Student Pregnancy Policy Because there is no ionizing radiation involved in ultrasound, a student can participate in all program activities contingent upon the student's physician approval. The Program will require the student to inform the Department Chair if pregnancy is confirmed. Since Ultrasound Department/facilities are frequently in close proximity to Radiology Departments, the program may provide the pregnant student with a radiology dosimeter to monitor her while she is in clinic, if applicable. Additionally, it will be required that the student provide a letter from her physician indicating she can participate in program activities. Although pregnancy is not an illness, the student's ability to meet all course requirements during her pregnancy may be affected. The student is not excused from any course requirements including attendance requirements. When a student informs the Department Chair of her pregnancy and expected due date, the Department Chair and Health Sciences Counselor will apprise the student of all the remaining requirements of the degree plan courses. Missed clinical hours and/or lecture/lab courses may be made up during the Level in which the student has missed clinical time or lecture/lab activities; if the absences equal more than 1 week for clinical hours or two lecture/lab class sessions it may not be possible for the student to make up the lost time. Should the pregnancy come to term while the student is in Level V, the student may be given an "Incomplete" and allowed to make up the missed activities/classes during the intersession or the next semester. At any point during the Program, if the pregnant student's previous performance in the Program has been acceptable, she may elect to withdraw in good standing from the program and she will be allowed to return to the Program the following year on a space available basis. Sonography Student Working as Staff Students in the Sonography program will not be substituted for regular staff even though they may be competent in certain aspects of sonography. Should a student be employed in any ultrasound facility that is an affiliate of the program, they may do so only during times where it does not involve or conflict with program activities. Additionally, should a student be employed by a facility where clinical rotation is normally conducted; they may not use any "employer time" to substitute for program clinical requirements. Student Visiting the Clinical Site (non-assigned) Students are prohibited from visiting any clinical site (unless employed by the site or as a patient treated at the site) utilized by the program outside of assigned clinical education hours or as required by the program (pre-rotation visit). 58 SSH 09/10 Student Use of Ultrasound Equipment (non-assigned) Students enrolled in an ACC Sonography Program may have access to ultrasound departments or equipment in their place of employment. During scheduled and assigned clinical education hours, the ACC student is expected to participate in scanning and is covered by the ACC Liability Insurance. However, students using ultrasound equipment in the workplace for practice is not required, expected, or condoned by the ACC Sonography Program. Use of ultrasound equipment in this manner is unethical. An employer who allows a student to utilize ultrasound equipment on employee time and outside the assigned ACC Sonography Program clinical rotation is required to acknowledge in writing that the employee (student) is not required to accrue scan time outside of assigned clinical hours and that the employer has given approval of use of ultrasound equipment by an ACC Sonography student during employment hours. 59 SSH 09/10 IV. Professional Risks Interactions with patients in the health care system carry inherent risks to both the patient and caregiver, including, but not limited to, communicable diseases. In the curriculum, students will be given information regarding known risks for various diseases and measures to decrease these risks. All students are expected to provide appropriate care to all assigned patients in any setting. These assignments may include patients with medical diagnoses of tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C o, AIDS or other infectious diseases. Students are expected to implement standard precautions and appropriate barrier protection in the care of all assigned patients. Health Insurance The College does not provide personal health insurance coverage for students. All Health Sciences students are encouraged to carry some type of personal health insurance. Information about health insurance is available at: www.austincc.edu/ehs/Insurance under Optional Student Health Insurance. Accidents/Exposure Medical Professional Liability Insurance Medical professional liability insurance is required for each Health Science student enrolled in a clinical course with patient contact. This insurance is purchased automatically through Austin Community College registration fees collected each semester. Accident insurance Student accident insurance coverage is required for students participating in certain college sponsored laboratory / clinical activities. The maximum medical benefit is $10,000 per student with a $25.00 deductible. The student is responsible for the $25.00 deductible. For covered classes, the student pays an insurance fee at the time of registration. The Student Accident Insurance pays benefits for specific losses from accident only. Benefits are not paid for loss due to sickness. The student accident policy provides insurance coverage only while participating in specified laboratory/clinical classes. It does not extend to accidents involving automobiles and incidents outside the laboratory/clinical/classroom. For the most updated information, see www.austincc.edu/ehs/Insurance. Accident Procedures 1. Provide first aid for the student sufficient to get the situation under control. 2. If the accident occurs on campus, campus police are notified. 3. If the accident occurs in the clinical area, faculty responsible for the course in which the student is injured must be notified immediately of the incident. 4. If it appears that a physician should see the student, he or she may chose to see his/her own physician, go to a minor emergency center, or be transported to a hospital. The student can pay the bill at the time of treatment or assign benefits and request reimbursement from ACC's insurance company. 60 SSH 09/10 5. The injured student will use the designated claim form. All components of the claim form must be completed. The completed form must contain the signatures of (1) the faculty/supervisor, and (2) the student/claimant and submission of an itemized medical bill before reimbursement will be made. Reimbursement requests along with completed claim form should be sent to: Austin Community College Risk Management Department 9101 Tuscany Way Austin, TX 78754 Phone: 223-1015 Fax: 223-1035 6. The student submits a copy of the completed insurance form and HIPAA release form to the Assistant Dean of Health Sciences immediately after the incident. 7. The Faculty submits TWO copies of the Supervisor's Injury and Illness Analysis and Prevention Report; one copy to the Department Chair and one copy to the Assistant Dean of Health Sciences within 48 hours of the event. 8. The Assistant Dean of Health Sciences will communicate the official notification of the claim to the Risk Management Department who confirms insurance coverage with the carrier & medical provider. ************************* FORMS ARE AVAILABLE IN PUBLISHED COURSE MATERIALS and on the web http://www3.austincc.edu/it/eforms/frontpage.php?ID=RIIN.004 http://www3.austincc.edu/it/eforms/frontpage.php?ID=RIIN.003 Exposure Response Students and faculty members who experience an exposure to any potentially infectious materials (needle stick, mucous membrane, or non-intact skin) or airborne inhalation require specific follow-up. It is the responsibility of the individual to initiate appropriate first aid and to report the incident as soon as possible (preferable within one hour) to their immediate supervisor or instructor. It is the responsibility of the clinical instructor or supervisor to ensure that the appropriate steps have been taken to provide for the safety of the student. It is the responsibility of the Department Chair to assist the faculty member following an exposure to the student or employee. Faculty will ensure that copies of the Exposure procedures and appropriate forms will be made available to the students prior to their first clinical experience. 61 SSH 09/10 Appendix This section contains Program resource information and all forms that are signed by the student. These forms include the Student Signature Form, Volunteer Waiver Form, Combined Confidentiality Form, and any forms required by a student's specific clinical site. This section also contains copies of the Accident Forms which are not completed unless utilized by the student or Program. 62 SSH 09/10 Sonography Programs Student Resources Phone Numbers Eastview Campus Police: (512) 223-5120 Emergency: 222 from any ACC phone; 223-7999 from any phone ACC Health Sciences Admission and Information Office: (512) 223-5700 Sonography Administrative Assistant: (512) 223-5941 Sonography Department Chair/DMS Program: (512) 223-5944 Sonography Clinical Coordinator: (512) 223-5945 DCS Program: (512) 223-5946 ESC-VT Program: (512) 223-5943 Sonography Lab: (512) 223-5942 Fax: (512) 223-5895 (non- secured) Program Development and Content Resources Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs Standards and Guideline for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (http://www.caahep.org) American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (exam content outlines) (http://www.ardms.org) Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (Code of Ethics, Scope of Practice, and Clinical Practice Standards) (http://www.sdms.org/positions/default.asp) Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (Sonography National Education Curriculum; Programmatic Accreditation Site Visit Summary form) (http://www.jrcdms.org) Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Workforce Education Course Manual (http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/) Austin Community College Instructional Program Review and Unit Level Effectiveness Assessment Documentation (http://www.austincc.edu/oiepub/) Clinical Signature Forms Includes the signed Combined Confidentiality Form, Seton Workplace Violence Form, and copies of all completed forms as required by the student's assigned clinical facility. Affective Domain Notification Form Student Progress Analysis Form Accident Forms 63 SSH 09/10 SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM AFFECTIVE DOMAIN PERFORMANCE NOTIFICATION Student Name _________________________________________ Date ___________________ Course __________________________ Instructor _____________________________________ This form is issued because you continue to demonstrate one or more of the following: Non‐compliance with college, Program, and/or Clinical Affiliate policies and procedures: Clinical Site and Sonography Lab Rules and Procedure # ____: ____________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Patient Safety: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Biological Safety: ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Emotional Safety: ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Unprofessional Practice: __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Maintenance of SCAN® binder: _____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ HIPAA violation: _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Other __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Today you were not: prepared to scan: ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ able to follow verbal instructions to improve scanning performance: _______________ __________________________________________________________________________ able to demonstrate retention of knowledge of previously learned procedures: _________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ able to apply didactic knowledge to clinical practice: ____________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Other: _________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Student: __________________________________________ Date: ________________ 64 SSH 09/10 SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM STUDENT PROGRESS ANALYSIS Student Name _________________________________________ Date _____________ Course: _______________________ Instructor ___________________________ Dear Student: This information should help in your efforts to successfully complete this course. Please contact me in person (by appointment) or in writing if you have questions, concerns or comments. Your current grade/status is _______; based on: Test scores ________ Assignment grades ________ Quiz scores ________ Lab evaluations _______ Participation _______ Affective Domain _______ Clinical Challenges _____ Attendance _______ Other ___________________________________________________ Comments: You are progressing well. Your performance is improving; continue your efforts. Your progress is weak. You lack focus and organization. Your test scores are jeopardizing your grade. You are in danger of failing this course. Refer to attached Didactic Affective Domain. Your interpersonal skills are lacking. Other: _______________________________________________ Recommendations: Improve your study skills. Improve your test taking skills. Seek assistance to improve your interpersonal skills and communication. Your vocabulary/math/critical thinking skills are weak. Consult with me by ______________________; see syllabus for office hours. Seek assistance from an ACC counselor by ____________________ (referral attached). Other: ________________________________________________________________ Student: ______________________________ Date: ____________ 65 SSH 09/10 Student Signature Sheet Please read each statement below. Initial each statement in the space indicated and provide your name, signature, and date below. 1. ____ I have read and agree to, and will comply with the student policies as outlined in the ACC and Sonography Student Handbooks. Furthermore, I will agree to and will comply with the course requirements as listed in the Syllabus and Student Policies of the Sonography Program. 2. ____ I understand that while performing my regularly assigned duties, I may be exposed to blood, body fluids, or tissues. I will use the appropriate personal protective equipment required when there is an inherent potential for mucous membrane or skin contact with blood, body fluids or tissues, or a potential for spills or splashes of them. Appropriate protection may include the use of gloves, gowns, masks, face shields, eye protection, mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, and other protective equipment. I understand that if I fail to use available personal protective equipment, I may be subject to disciplinary action. 3. ____I have been informed regarding the inherent health/safety hazards in the health care field and release ACC from any liability for such hazards. 4. ____I have read and agree to the "Substance Abuse Administrative Policy." 5. ____I agree to criminal background checks and agree to immediately notify the Dean of Health Sciences in writing of any subsequent changes in criminal history that occur after the admission background check has been completed. 6. ____I will complete all clinical educational training modules and submit signed documentation to the Program as required. Printed Name _________________________________ Date ___________ Signature ______________________________________________________ 66 SSH 09/10