B.S. in Cardiovascular Sonography Curriculum
Raise your potential to new heights and increase your skills as you earn credentials in echocardiography and vascular sonography. Sonographers know how valuable they are in the diagnosis of heart and vascular disease, and they also realize that obtaining a bachelor's degree is important in this competitive field. Join us to earn your Bachelor of Science in Cardiovascular Sonography.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BHS 3000 | Improving of Healthcare through Interprofessional Collaboration The purpose of this course is to inform students of the steps for advancing patient safety, quality of care while minimizing cost through interprofessional practice. The course will explore health care roles and relationships as they interact with other providers, patients and families within communities. |
3 |
| BHS 3150 | Principles in Leadership This course will provide an overview of numerous leadership theories to prepare the student for a leadership role in Health Care. The course will critically analyze the differences between leadership and management. |
3 |
| BHS 3151 | Health Services Management This course will provide an overview of health care and general management to prepare the student for a managerial role in Health Care administration. Course topics include human resource issues and policy, personnel planning, staffing, development, coaching and training of employees. |
3 |
| BHS 4000 | Cultural Competency in Health Care The purpose of this course is to develop competency and better understanding when confronted with issues related to culture, diversity and ethnically based customs, rituals, alternative health care choices, folk medicine, cultural structure and viewpoints and the practitioner's delivery of health care. |
3 |
| BHS 4100 | Academic and Professional Writing The purpose of this course is to strengthen the skills and thought processes students require for successful academic and professional writing. Proper sentence and paragraph structure, grammar, punctuation usage, formatting and bibliographic referencing will be discussed. Students will learn the five chapter model utilized in scholarly writing and be introduced to the fundamentals of APA formatting. |
3 |
| BHS 4110 | Health Care and Aging This course examines the psychosocial and cultural variations associated with maturing and aging. Topics covered will be an overview of life choices, living wills, and treatment, as well as cultural implications of senior care. |
3 |
| CVS 3000 |
Introduction to Cardiovascular Sonography Instruments This course is designed to introduce the students to the equipment used in cardiovascular ultrasound. The course will, therefore, be primarily taught in the ultrasound training laboratory in small groups, with supplemental online content and challenge-based learning assignments. The focus of the course will be to lead the students toward proficiency and competency in using all the tools available on the ultrasound equipment for the production of quality images, as well as proper ergonomics, patient handling, and care of the equipment. This course is the foundation for all the following core courses. |
3 |
| CVS 3001 |
Correlative Imaging & Cross-sectional Anatomy This course will meet twice a week for a nominal 16-week semester. The course will consist of dynamic guided exercises combined with instructor-led case study and image analysis. The student will learn detailed normal anatomy of the heart and vascular system. Learning will be weighted towards normal structures which are sonographically visible. Structures will be described according to relative location, proportionality, and sonographic characteristics, and compared and contrasted in appearance to other medical imaging modalities. Anatomy will be identified in both gross-anatomy and cross-sectional views in the imaging planes used during ultrasound examinations and in other medical imaging methods. Anatomic and image correlation areas of study will include; intracranial, cervical, thoracic, cardiac, abdomen, pelvis, and all extremities. Imaging modalities explored as correlational to sonography will include; Sonography, MRI/MRA, CT/CTA, Nuclear Medicine, PET scan, plain film Radiography and Angiography. |
4 |
| CVS 3010 | Echocardiography I/Lab This course is a basic study of two-dimensional, M-mode, Doppler echocardiography and left ventricular systolic function. There will be discussion of various pathologies to include congestive heart failure, pericardial diseases, cardiomyopathies, and cardiac masses. The course will emphasize the understanding of echocardiographic findings and treatment. The lab will include an introduction to basic scanning protocol, proper patient positioning and correct ergonomics. In addition basic M-mode and Doppler echocardiography are presented. Imaging planes and windows are explained and demonstrated. |
5 |
| CVS 3020 | Echocardiography II/Lab This is an intermediate course and continuation of Echocardiography I. It is a study of acquired and congenital pathologies of the cardiovascular system and associated echocardiography findings. It is also, a discussion of echocardiographic findings with arrhythmias, cardiac transplantation, heart sounds and murmurs and correlation of other modalities with echocardiography. Pediatric echocardiography is briefly introduced. A lab is provided with this class to teach intermediate scanning skills necessary to succeed in the clinical setting. There will be two course assignments required prior to completion of course. The lab will include advance measurement techniques are demonstrated including continuity equation, pressure half-time, ejection fraction, wall motion analysis, and calculation of right ventricular systolic pressure. |
5 |
| CVS 3040 | Ultrasound Physics I/Lab This course is designed to introduce the student to the fundamental principles of sound and ultrasound. Initially, the student will review the basic principles of graphs and the metric system. Student will learn how sound generated, transmitted and reflected in soft tissue. They will then learn how to technically define sound waves as it relates to ultrasound physics. The course will then focus on ultrasound beams, axial and lateral resolution and how the image is changed by various controls. The student will learn the basic construction of the ultrasound transducers and how different technologies affect images. This course will prepare the student for Doppler and color Doppler in Physics II. |
4 |
| CVS 3050 | Ultrasound Physics Review This course is a continuation of Physics I and focuses on hemodynamics, Doppler and color Doppler imaging. The student will learn how the Doppler shift is generated and analyzed, and how it affects image quality. Subjects on artifacts, harmonics quality assurance and bio-effects will be addressed. The student will learn the basic operation of imaging and Doppler controls and the proper set up and storage of images and videos. |
2 |
| CVS 3060 | Cerebrovascular Testing/Lab This course will review the cerebrovascular anatomy and physiology associated with cerebrovascular disease. The student will learn the scanning protocols for extra and intracranial cerebrovascular testing and the diagnostic criteria for assessing disease. The student will also review various diagnostic and treatment options for the patient. |
3 |
| CVS 3071 | Peripheral Vascular Testing/Lab This course will review the peripheral arterial anatomy and physiology associated with peripheral arterial system. The student will learn the scanning protocols for upper and lower extremity arterial testing and the diagnostic criteria for assessing disease. The student will also review various diagnostic and treatment options for the patient. |
4 |
| CVS 3080 | Peripheral Vascular Testing/Lab This course will review the venous anatomy and physiology associated with venous disease. The student will learn the scanning protocols for deep and superficial venous testing and the diagnostic criteria for assessing disease. The student will also review various diagnostic and treatment options for the patient. |
4 |
| CVS 3090 | Abdominal Vascular Testing/Lab This course will review the abdominal anatomy and physiology associated with visceral vascular disease. The student will learn the scanning protocols for abdominal vascular testing and the diagnostic criteria for assessing disease. The student will also review various diagnostic and treatment options for the patient. |
4 |
| CVS 4500 | Clinical Externship I The first clinical externship is designed to introduce the student to the vascular laboratory and health care environment. The student will be expected to prepare patients for examination, complete normal studies under direct supervision of the clinical instructor and write technical impressions on the studies performed. Students will complete competency based assessment reports each week to the clinical instructor and clinical coordinator. |
12 |
| CVS 4600 | Clinical Externship II This segment of the externship is designed to transition the student into less directly supervised vascular testing and more independent scanning. The student will be expected to complete normal and abnormal studies and write technical impressions on the studies performed and present and document findings of the study. Students will continue complete competency based assessment reports each week to the clinical instructor and clinical coordinator. |
12 |
| CVS 4700 | Clinical Externship III The final clinical externship is designed to ensure the student has gained a level of competency with both normal and abnormal studies with greater technical expertise. The student will be expected to complete abnormal studies independently, present cases to the technical and medical director, and write technical impressions on the studies performed. Students will continue to complete competency-based assessment reports each week to the clinical instructor and clinical coordinator. |
12 |
TOTAL CREDITS: 92