Program Learning Outcomes
B.S. Cardiovascular Sonography

Revised March 2017

1. Professional Competencies

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates achieve professional competencies as currently defined by their respective profession.

Objectives: SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate appropriate content knowledge as required by either entry-level or post-professional practice
  2. Demonstrate clinical, research and/or technical skills necessary for successful performance in the chosen discipline

Program Outcomes:

  1. Perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data for interpretation by a physician;
  2. Record, analyze, and process diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician

2. Professionalism

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates exhibit professional behaviors such as cultural sensitivity, integrity, respect, compassion, and altruism, and demonstrate excellence in delivery of service and a commitment to their profession.

Objectives: SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Exhibit professional behaviors in all interactions
  2. Exhibit a commitment to their profession through professional membership or participation in professional activities, and by interrelating with other professionals
  3. Identify and evaluate the impact of culture and diversity on health beliefs, practices, and actions
  4. Apply and/or demonstrate leadership principles and strategies in organization or professional settings

Program Outcomes:

  1. Interact, communicate and function effectively in their role as a member of the professional health care team.
  2. Perform well on the national registry credentialing examinations as offered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers or Cardiovascular Credentialing International.
  3. Demonstrate understanding and respect for diversity and the observances of cultural beliefs, practices and decisions commensurate with their role in providing effective diagnostic and patient care services.
  4. Demonstrate understanding of the role of the sonographer in non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostic department and its management.

3. Communication

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates effectively communicate in oral, written, and technical formats.

Objectives: SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Express concepts in writing using proper grammar and stylistic guidelines
  2. Appropriately document health information according to professional standards
  3. Demonstrate critical thinking by synthesizing, organizing, presenting, and/or disseminating information following established guidelines at a level appropriate for the target audience
  4. Adapt appropriate interactions and/or strategies in order to accommodate diverse audiences

Program Outcomes:

  1. Record, analyze, and process diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician.
  2. Collate above data into a preliminary technical finding report for presentation to the interpreting physician.
  3. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills with patients and professional colleagues.

4. Collaboration

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates collaborate with health care team members and other stakeholders to facilitate the attainment of common goals.

Objectives: Within their scope of practice, SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify roles and responsibilities of team members in the provision of patient/client/community care
  2. Identify opportunities and/or participate with others to set and achieve goals

Program Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills with patients and colleagues.
  2. Act in a professional and ethical manner
  3. Establish values and attitudes congruent with professional standards and ethics
  4. Demonstrate awareness of and operate within the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer’s scope of practice

5. Ethics and Jurisprudence

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates identify, critically evaluate, and practice professional, ethical and legal decision-making.

Objectives: Within their scope of practice, SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Maintain and/or adhere to professional ethics and legal requirements
  2. Articulate ethical and legal decision making practices (process by which an ethical/legal decision was made)
  3. Apply ethical and legal principles to Identify breaches of professional ethics or legal requirements

Program Outcomes:

  1. Act in a professional and ethical manner
  2. Establish values and attitudes congruent with professional standards and ethics
  3. Demonstrate awareness of and operate within the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer’s scope of practice.

6. Education

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates incorporate educational strategies into their roles.

Objectives: Within the scope of their profession, SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify relevant educational content for a target audience
  2. Plan, implement and/or evaluate an educational program appropriate for a target audiences

Program Outcomes:

  1. Research and write case studies for presentation in a quality assurance-style conference setting
  2. Plan, implement and participate in educational case study presentations and quality assurance conferences.

7. Scholarship

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates apply methods of scientific inquiry and disseminate findings.

Objectives: SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Propose a problem/topic and appropriate methods to investigate it
  2. Use systematic search techniques to find and critically appraise research and other sources of evidence
  3. Summarize and disseminate findings to appropriate audiences

Program Outcomes:

  1. Research topics of cardiovascular anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology using library and literature search methods.
  2. Use literature search methods to identify and select appropriate data and references for research topics.
  3. Write and present a term paper using APA style and formatting.

8. Problem-Solving

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates identify, critically analyze, and solve a variety of challenges.

Objectives: SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Recognize and respond appropriately to various situations within their discipline regarding clinical, cultural, psychosocial, quality improvement and/or administrative problems
  2. Design and/or implement solutions using best evidence and/or practice guidelines
  3. Assess outcomes

Program Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills with patients and colleagues
  2. Act in a professional and ethical manner
  3. Establish values and attitudes congruent with professional standards and ethics
  4. Demonstrate awareness of and operate within the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer’s scope of practice
  5. Exercise discretion and judgment in the performance of sonographic and/or other noninvasive diagnostic services
  6. Understand and recognize the importance of adaptability
  7. Implement and perform diagnostic procedures adhering to acceptable departmental, institutional, governmental and professional standards
  8. Obtain, review, and integrate pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results
  9. Perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data for interpretation by a physician
  10. Record, analyze, and process diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician

9. Information Management

Schoolwide Outcome:

Graduates effectively access, manage and use scientific, health care and/or patient/client information while respecting the ownership and privacy of sources.

Objectives: SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify and access sources of evidence/information to inform the decision making process for scholarship or patient care
  2. Analyze evidence/information for quality, economic, legal, and social implications
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in information privacy regulations, e.g. HIPPA and PHI
  4. Adapt to changing technology in their field

Program Outcomes:

  1. Integrate medical history, previous studies, & current symptoms to determine the appropriate diagnostic protocol & customized approach.
  2. Use professional judgment, when necessary, to optimize examination or procedure images, findings, or results.
  3. Follows facility protocol or consults with the supervising physician to determine strategies to enhance image quality or obtain additional diagnostic information.
  4. Demonstrates knowledge of venipuncture, intravenous line insertion, & administration of appropriate agent(s) to enhance image quality or obtain additional diagnostic information.
  5. Administers other medications related to the examination or procedure via enteral or parenteral routes, as prescribed by a physician or other legally authorized healthcare provider.

10. Safety

Schoolwide Outcome:

SHP graduates create a safe practice environment for themselves and their patients.

Objectives: Within their scope of practice, SHP graduates will be able to:

  1. Recognize medical, behavioral, and public health emergencies
  2. Demonstrate skills to create safe environments and respond to health emergencies

Program Outcomes:

  1. Recognize medical, behavioral, and public health emergencies
  2. Demonstrate skills to create safe environments and respond to health emergencies
  3. Demonstrate awareness of and operate within the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer’s scope of practice.
  4. Exercise discretion and judgement in the performance of sonographic and/or other noninvasive diagnostic services.