Professional/Short course Ultrasound Guided Brachytherapy

Content

Potential areas for you to study must be negotiated with the Module Leader, and could include subspecialty of areas such as the following:

Obstetric Ultrasound
First-trimester anomaly scanning
Fetal echocardiography

Gynaecological Ultrasound
Fertility and sub-fertility scanning
Screening for ovarian cancer

General Medical Ultrasound
Paediatric
Musculo-skeletal
Superficial parts e.g. breast ultrasound

Vascular Ultrasound
Upper limb assessment

The content of the module will be defined following discussions between the module leader, you and the work-based manager, and will result in a Learning Contract being drawn up. This contract will specify exactly how the module learning outcomes will be achieved. Clinical assessment areas will also be defined as a result of discussions, and subject specific competencies must be demonstrated in all areas.

Subject specific topics
Normal anatomy & physiology; normal variants; normal ultrasound appearances; pathological processes; abnormal ultrasound appearances; scanning techniques; use in health screening; subject specific variations.

Legal and Ethical issues
General legal & ethical principles relating to the ultrasound practice of the area of subject specialty.

Professional and employment issues relating to the area of Negotiated Specialist Ultrasound practice:
These subjects will be covered as joint learning sessions with students studying other specialty areas, and will include professionalism and professionalisation, codes of conduct, occupational standards, departmental protocols, continuing professional development, clinical governance, Work related upper limb disorders. Ergonomics.

Communication Skills
Importance of effective communication, listening skills, verbal/non verbal communication and self-awareness.

Reporting of Ultrasound Images
Principles of verbal and written reporting, approaches to decision making, record keeping Influences of information technology on database development and use of information.

Action Learning
Action learning sets and research, quality improvement initiatives, exploring strategies for monitoring and evaluation, reflective practice.
The content of this module includes a variety of elements linked to studying within an action learning group:

Group Working
Group building and team dynamics (theories of collaboration), interprofessional working, power and decision-making, role boundaries, ground rules.

Project Management Skills
Contract learning, negotiation, time management and management of change, problem solving.

Enquiry Based Learning
Enquiry Based Learning involves working in small groups with a facilitator and uses triggers to provide the starting point for discussion and the acquisition of knowledge.

Learning and Teaching

Scheduled learning constitutes a minimum of 28 hours but will vary according to the subject specialty chosen to study. It will include lectures, seminars, tutorials, demonstrations, practical classes and workshops; external visits; work based learning; supervised practise time in scanning room.

Independent learning includes a minimum of 122 hours but will vary according to the subject specialty chosen to study. It will include activities such as essential reading, case study preparation, assignment preparation and completion, computer assisted learning; simulator scanning, reflection on learning.

Placement learning: clinical practice placements are negotiated and organised by the student, but should include a minimum of 15 hours a week of supervised scanning for the duration of the module.

A variety of approaches will be used which may include work-based; action and problem-centred learning; enquiry based learning; supervised clinical practice; negotiated learning contracts; facilitated learning in the work place; on-line learning; key lectures; debates; seminars; student presentations.

You will negotiate the sub-speciality to be studied, via a learning contract, with the module leader and the work-based manager.

A learning contract will be negotiated between you, a member of academic staff and the work based manager from which a programme of study will be agreed. This programme may include use of one or more of the following: self-directed learning; tutorials; seminars; study days; open or distance learning. The nature of the module enables the student to negotiate and learn with significant and relevant others as they see fit.

Distance Learning
You may choose to study the module as distance learning. Access to an electronic Blackboard will be available, where students will be able to view lectures and interact with on-line discussion boards. There is no specific timetable as this will be negotiated with the module leader, and any other partner in learning that the student selects who is prepared to contribute to the learning.

Action Learning Sets
Students attending timetabled sessions for this module will be allocated to an action learning set. The function of this group is to facilitate the achievement of each student's individual learning outcomes. The outcomes specific to your chosen speciality area will be negotiated as part of the learning contract. The action learning sets will provide opportunities for you to discuss the problems you face within their clinical areas, and help each other to find solutions.

Study time

Contact time may include any of the following activities:

Lectures; class discussions; synchronous on-line discussion boards; seminars; clinical placement visits; medical museum visit; laboratory hands-on clinical practice using a simulator and real-life models; VLE using e-Blackboard.

Lectures will be provided by the course team and by external visiting clinical specialists. Classroom sessions will also include hands-on scanning supervised sessions and review of cases. Discussion groups will be organised covering a range of relevant topics.