Cardiac Sonography Lab 1 DSON 1012

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate effective oral, written and nonverbal communication to ensure appropriate professional relationships with patients, students and instructors.
• Demonstrate reliability and adaptability. (2.3h, 2.3i)
• Consistently demonstrate initiative, professional conduct and judgment in a respectful and cooperative way.
• Effectively maintain patient dignity, comfort and safety when performing sonographic examinations.
• Set up a 3-lead ECG and recognize components of normal sinus rhythm. (3.3 f)
• Select the optimum system and transducer for examination considering the patient's age and size, structures being examined and specific indications for examination. (4.1a)
• Set up and operate ultrasound equipment appropriately using knowledge of sonographic principles, techniques and instrumentation.
• Perform uncomplicated cardiac sonograms, selecting optimal acoustic windows, varying patient positions, and employing breathing techniques to produce diagnostic quality images, cine clips, and measurements.
• Understand the variables and their relationships within calculations, and use software calculation packages to perform cardiac m-mode and 2D sonographic measurements. (4.2g, 5.4c)
• Select the optimal acoustic window, orient and manipulate the transducer while correctly adjusting instrument controls to optimize the image.
• Understand basic troubleshooting. (4.3c)
• Participate in patient education. (2.3j)
• Assess the following structures with 2D and/or m-mode imaging, and measure on 2D and M-mode images (when applicable): cardiac position, chest and thorax, coronary vessels, hepatic veins, outflow tracts, pulmonary veins, wall layers and segments, all 4 cardiac chambers and appendages, IAS, IVS, great vessels and their branches, all cardiac valves, aortic root, MV/TV annulus, IVC and SVC. (Appendix E)
• Measure the following structures with 2D and/or M-mode imaging: outflow tracts, wall layers, all 4 cardiac chambers, and great vessels. (Appendix E)

Effective as of Fall 2024