General Medical Ultrasound in Practice

This course is offered at Level 3 (Degree) and Masters level and is delivered at our Glenside Campus.

The course will enable you to explore the efficiency and efficacy of ultrasound practice in general medical ultrasound with professional practice forming an integral part of the course. It will provide you with an academic foundation to enable you to undertake the practice of medical ultrasound in a professional manner within an ethical and legal framework. It also includes interpersonal skills and the principles of verbal and written reporting concurrent with approaches to decision making and accurate record keeping.

Course content includes:

• General content:
  • Applied anatomy, physiology and pathology related to general medical ultrasound practice; role of ultrasound as a screening procedure
  • Interpretation of biochemical and other invasive or non-invasive screening/diagnostic tests, issues relating to the holistic preparation and care of the patient
  • Role of ultrasound in the overall management of the patient.
  • Ultrasound appearances of normal and abnormal anatomy, to include anatomical variants.
  • Range of ultrasound techniques for external and intra-cavity procedures
  • Doppler studies
  • Contrast agents
  • Complementary and/or alternative imaging techniques
  • 4D Scanning Interpretation and recording of examination data
  • Safety guidelines, protocols and legislation
  • Contemporary research and developments in ultrasound
  • Techniques related to ultrasound imaging of abdominal and pelvic contents
  • Genito-urinary system
  • Hepato-biliary system
  • Pancreas
  • Lymphatic system
  • Peritoneum
  • Vascular
  • Digestive system
  • Male and female reproductive systems
  • Normal and abnormal appearances of the female pelvis
  • Techniques related to ultrasound imaging of non-abdominal superficial structures
  • Thyroid; breast; soft-tissues; musculo-skeletal; vascular; testes; salivary glands.
• Paediatric ultrasound techniques:
  • Ultrasound of the thorax
  • Pleural and pericardial effusions.
• Legal and ethical issues:
  • General legal and ethical principles relating to the practice of General Medical Ultrasound.
• Professional and employment issues relating to General Medical Ultrasound practice:
  • Professionalism and professionalisation.
  • Work related upper limb disorders.
  • Ergonomics.
• Communication:
  • Importance of effective communication, listening skills, verbal/non verbal communication and self-awareness.
  • Issues of confidentiality and counselling models.
• Reporting:
  • Principles of verbal and written reporting, approaches to decision making, record keeping Influences of information technology on database development and use of information
  • Work related upper limb disorders.

Delivery:

Scheduled learning: constitutes 112 hours of the overall course total and includes lectures (delivered by the course team and external clinical specialists), seminars, tutorials, demonstrations, practical classes and workshops, external visits, work based learning and supervised practice time in a scanning room.

Independent learning: includes a minimum of 188 hours engaged in activities such as essential reading, case study preparation, assignment preparation and completion, computer assisted learning; simulator scanning, reflection on learning.

Placement learning: includes clinical practice placements that are negotiated and organised by you and include a minimum of 15 hours a week of supervised scanning for the duration of the module.

Funding maybe available to support your learning. Please contact your Trust Education Lead. If you work in the Private, Independent and Voluntary Sector please contact your employer, who will advise you.