CQUniversity Unit Profile.

Each Module (Carotid artery Doppler, Lower Extremity Veins for DVT, and Transvaginal female pelvis) will have skills tests associated with it as follows:

• Mock assessments (formative) - TUESDAY weeks 4, 6 & 8
• Part A, OSCE (all Modules) TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY week 9
• Part B, Finals (all Modules) TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY week 12

MOCK ASSESSMENTS

The purpose of mock assessments is for your interim skill level to be assessed and feedback provided at intervals throughout the term, which can allow you to reflect and improve along the way. You will be required to complete sonographic examinations under an appropriate time limit, as per the respective imaging protocol, including professional (pre-scan, during, and post-scan), technical (scanning) and clinical (knowledge) requirements that are discussed in the unit lab manual, instructed labs, lectures, demonstrations, and tutorials. Mock assessments are experiential and formative, and do not count towards your unit grade. Mock assessment non moderated ARC tools are intended as learning tools. 

PART A OSCE

The purpose of Part A OSCE in week 9 is to assess your capability as a student practitioner overarching all modules. You will be assessed on professional, technical and clinical requirements of the examination holistically. The assessor will instruct you to perform targeted portions of examinations in Part A, rather than complete full protocols. You will be required to perform THREE targeted portions per module with a time limit of 15 minutes per Module, and 1 hour for the entire assessment. 

All OSCE assessments will initially be marked live, and unit coordinator moderation will follow. Video recordings of your performance will be used for this purpose which provides a more robust marking process than the live assessment. One grade will be allocated at the completion of all marking and moderating and you will receive the final ARC tool/s as feedback.

PART B FINALS

The purpose of Part B skills tests in week 12 is to provide a final oppportunity to pass the unit if any module/s within the OSCE were not already passed. These are full protocols. If the OSCE was passed in all modules, no Finals will be required.

Students will be assessed using the ‘Assessment of Readiness for Clinical’ (ARC) tool, which is available on the unit Moodle site. The ARC tool assesses the three components holistically. 

Part B, Finals will only be required for any module not passed within the week 9 OSCE assessment. As with Part A, the ARC tools from any required Finals will be moderated using video recordings and graded. 

One grade will be allocated for each assessment at the completion of all marking and moderating and you will receive the final ARC tool/s including feedback comments. 

Please carefully review the assessment information and ARC tools posted on the unit Moodle site.

This is a pass/fail assessment.

You must demonstrate critical skills consistently throughout the assessments with a view to becoming a capable student practitioner on completion of this unit. Each module covers a different examination which varies in protocol and complexity and is thus marked accordingly. Please review the Appendix to the ARC tool for a listing of Correct Practice and explanation of what would determine a critical or non-critical error. There is no limit on non-critical skill errors, however there is a limit on critical skill errors. Demonstration of consistent critical skills in the clinical, technical and professional components and all critical requirements (bolded points) in the professional component, is required to pass. 

Professional (pre-scan, during, and post-scan) requirements:

• Apply patient care techniques and effective communication to obtain relevant patient history, informed consent, and to direct ‘patients’ accordingly
• Apply professionalism in dealing with 'patients', colleagues, equipment, and the scanning setting

Technical (scanning) requirements:

• Students are required to perform routine sonographic scanning techniques, image optimisation, and acquisition, in a reasonable time period to competency level 2.
• An 'appointment time' of 30 minutes is applied to all Module assessments. This time is aligned with standard student expectations in a clinical environment. 

Clinical (knowledge) requirements:

• Students are to narrate their actions during the sonographic examination to demonstrate underlying knowledge and thought processes of the skills being performed as relevant to the examination.
• Difficulties during the examination are to be verbalised and actions justified.

There is only ONE attempt per student per assessment.

If the OSCE is passed outright, Finals will not be required.

If the OSCE is not passed outright, Finals will be required in week 12 for any Module that was not passed in week 9.  

As each Module is a hurdle assessment, the unit cannot be passed if any Module has not been passed. 

Please be aware that all assessments will be video recorded. Videos may be viewed by CQU sonography staff and tutors for the purposes of marking and moderation of assessments, and may be required to be viewed by other CQU staff in the event of a student requesting either a Review of Grade or an Appeal of Grade. 

This is a pass/fail assessment item.

The purpose of this assessment is to prepare you for the professionalism and documentation responsibilities you will have on clinical placement, as well as to develop self-reflection skills by setting weekly goals and following-up on your progress. When working clinically, patients and physicians rely on quick, efficient, and complete documentation to issue treatment. Failure to complete paperwork correctly in the clinical environment may have dire consequences to patient management.

This assessment will require you to complete the documentation set forth in your Lab Manual. This includes documents forming Part A - Lab Induction, and documents forming Part B - Reflection on feedback through the term, as follows:

PART A - INDUCTION

• Workplace Health and Safety Induction - completed via Quiz activity in Moodle 
• Lab Agreement - scanned hard copy or eForm to be submitted via Moodle
• Consent and Confidentiality Form - scanned hard copy or eForm to be submitted via Moodle
• Compulsory tutorial - attend and engage online

PART B - REFLECTION

• Peer feedback from each lab session - completed in Glossary activity in Moodle
• Mock ARC tools for each module (both tutor and peer) - scanned hard copy or eForm to be submitted via Moodle
• Speed round images and reflection from each lab session (excluding lab 1) - completed via Quiz activity in Moodle 

Any uploaded documentation is to be in pdf format. Please ensure your first name, surname, student number, and name of document you are uploading is used in that order in the title of the document, separated by either underscores or single spaces. Any other order variation or information is incorrect so please take note of this.

i.e. Deanne_Chester_10123456_lab_agreement.pdf or Deanne Chester 10123456 lab agreement.pdf

To simulate real clinical environments where correct documentation is of critical importance, non-completed or incorrectly completed paperwork will be returned to students with ONE opportunity provided to correct the error. As this is a pass/fail assessment item, repeated errors may result in a fail of the assessment item.

The compulsory tutorial covers requirements for the Professional Behaviour Assessment (Assessment 4), as well as important induction and term information. It is compulsory that all students attend on MONDAY 10 MAR 2025 7.00PM AEST / 8.00PM AEDT.

This assessment also ties in with Assessment 4 - Professional Behaviour Assessment. You are required to complete Peer Feedback Forms before leaving at the end of each lab (as you would be required to complete documentation for each patient's scan before the end of a clinical shift). You must upload all required documentation for this assessment by the due date and time to obtain a 'pass'. Note that a Lapse in Professionalism may apply if documentation has not been completed correctly.

'Speed round' images will be taken in labs, based on what had been learned the week before. These will be taken under a time pressure to enhance your understanding of the difference between 'perfect', 'diagnostic' and 'non-diagnostic'. You will reflect on the images in writing each week to deepen your awareness of assessment requirements. 

This is a pass/fail assessment task in a pass/fail unit - a fail grade for any component of a pass/fail assessment task will result in a fail grade for the assessment task, and subsequently the entire unit.

To pass this assessment item you must:

• complete all paperwork accurately
• meaningfully reflect on progress and images
• save and upload each task in the format specified
• submit by the due date and time specified

Documentation in the clinical environment must be correctly issued, otherwise there can be dire consequences for patient and legal ramifications for the sonographer. Hence, in the lab, non-completed or incorrectly completed paperwork will be returned to students, with one opportunity provided to correct the error. Repeated errors may incur a fail of the assessment item due to requirements in Assessment 4 (see below). 

• There are FOUR quizzes for this unit which are each available to you over a two day period.
• The content of quizzes 1-3 will be sonographic anatomy, protocol and technique relevant to the respective module, and may include expected prior knowledge relevant to that module, asked in a multiple choice format. The purpose of these quizzes is to support your preparation prior to Assessment 1 - OSCE. Quizzes 1-3 are each worth 20% of this assessment task grade.
• Quiz 4 is an end of term quiz and covers all modules, asked in a short answer format, designed to test your critical thinking and clinical judgement in preparation for the OSCE assessment. Quiz 4 is worth 40% of this assessment task grade.
• Students must achieve a cumulative score of 70% across the four quizzes to pass this assessment.
• You are allowed ONE attempt at each quiz and once you have started the quiz, it cannot be paused or restarted.
• Time limit for Quizzes 1-3 is 10 minutes (10 questions). Once the time limit is reached any open questions will be automatically submitted.
• Time limit for Quiz 4 is 20 minutes (10 questions). Once the time limit is reached any open questions will be automatically submitted.
• These assessment tasks must be completed on or before the due dates listed.
• No late submissions are permitted after each quiz has closed so please ensure adequate time for completion. If you have computer / quiz access difficulties, you need to contact TaSAC as soon as possible for assistance, and the unit coordinator (after you've contacted TaSAC) if you cannot complete the quiz in the allocated time before the end of the quiz.
• In the event that you are unable to complete the quiz in the allocated time and have suitable documentation for exceptional circumstances, you need to notify the unit coordinator or apply online for an extension before the end of the quiz to be granted an extension to the quiz time.
• In the absence of an approved extension, or documented IT issues, there will be no opportunity to complete a quiz after it has closed.

Quiz weeks, topics (weightings) are as follows:

WEEK 4 Module 1 Carotid Doppler examination (20%)

WEEK 6 Module 2 Deep Venous Thrombosis examination (20%)

WEEK 9 Module 3 Transvaginal Female Pelvis examination (20%)

WEEK 11 Modules 1-3 End of term quiz (40%)

Quizzes 1-3: Multiple choice questions will either be correct or incorrect and tabulated by the unit's online Moodle system.

Quiz 4: Short answer questions will be marked by the Unit Coordinator.

Students must achieve a cumulative score of 70% across the four quizzes to pass this assessment.

As per Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework), in online quiz assessments where answers are released to students on completion, in the absence of an approved extension, there will be no opportunity to complete a quiz after it has closed. 

This is an open book quiz, so you have the opportunity to consult your notes, lecture slides, text books, and Moodle page. However, this assessment is to be undertaken as an individual, and is not approved as group work. As per the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure, colluding with other students on non-group work tasks is considered academic misconduct, and will be reported to the Academic Integrity Unit. 

Professionalism and professional behaviour are critical parts of any medically aligned profession, and encompass the manner in which we treat our colleagues, patients, and the professional settings and equipment provided to us. The purpose of this assessment is to ensure that students from the Medical Sonography course are well-equipped to embody the high standards of professionalism that are expected from CQUniversity students while on their upcoming clinical placements, and as graduate sonographers in their future careers. Developing your professionalism during this unit will prepare you for the next environment in which you will be expected to maintain professional behaviour whenever in your uniform and representing the university, placement site, and yourself. 

This assessment will require you to treat each of your lab sessions as a scheduled "work shift" and to exhibit professional attitudes to ensure you are prepared to enter the work force with the skills required to provide safe and professional patient care. As such, this assessment is based on assessment of student application and attendance during labs throughout the term. 

Expected behaviour and its relevance to the clinical environment is listed in the Professional Behaviour Assessment description. Additionally, please familiarise yourself with the CODE OF CONDUCT in the Lab Manual as well as the ASAR CODE OF CONDUCT and the CQU CODE OF CONDUCT so that you have a clear understanding of the rationale for, and importance of this assessment. All of these documents are posted on the unit Moodle site for your information. Professionalism extends to peers, colleagues, staff, patients, environment, and equipment. 

This is a pass/fail assessment. 

This assessment is marked against the Professional Behaviour Assessment (PBA) description and incorporates a process of warnings and feedback on expected behaviour of students when in the lab environment. This will commence in week 2 of the term, and apply to activities within the lab. A warning is known as a Lapse in Professionalism (LiP). Up to three LiPs can be received within the unit without adverse consequence. A fourth LiP however will result in the assessment being graded as a fail.

In the event that a LiP point is accrued, written documentation of the reason will be completed by the on-site lecturer or the unit coordinator, and provided to you as feedback. You will have the opportunity to seek further clarification from or discuss the circumstances of the LiP from the unit coordinator. 

If unprofessional attitude or behaviour is reported by fellow classmates and not witnessed by a staff member, an unofficial warning with formative feedback will be provided in writing detailing the allegation, and your response will be documented. 

There is a COMPULSORY Zoom session on MONDAY 10 MAR 2025 7.00PM AEST / 8.00PM AEDT regarding requirements for this assessment task.

This is a pass/fail assessment.

The LiP system is designed to provide a warning to students when they exhibit unprofessional behaviour, and hence up to three LiPs (official warnings) can be issued within the unit without adverse consequence. A fourth LiP however will result in the assessment being graded as a fail.

A maximum of three LiP points can be accrued to pass this assessment. As this is a pass/fail unit, a pass in all assessment items is required to pass this unit.