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Module - Breast Ultrasound

This module will equip you with skills and knowledge you need for a successful career in breast ultrasound. Tuition is given by leading experts in the field. For those already in possession of a CASE accredited ultrasound qualification (PGCert or above) who wish to expand their scope of practice this module can be taken as a single module for continuing professional development.

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Course Overview

The overall aim of this module is to enable you to develop a thorough knowledge and understanding complex anatomy and physiology relating to breast ultrasound and the theoretical principles and applications of the more complex imaging techniques and associated pathology applied to this area.

Please note optional module choices are made by the placement and not you the student, and these are based fundamentally on patient caseload availability, mentor support and service need.

On this course you will...

Ensure students have a comprehensive understanding of Breast Ultrasound, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their areas of professional practice.
Develop the students’ enthusiasm for, and knowledge and understanding of, the continually expanding field of medical ultrasound by developing the transferable skills expected of the postgraduate student in health care who is able to recognise the interface between academic and applied clinical working and is able to manage and adapt to the rapidly changing technological, medico-legal and ethical frameworks of the National Health Service.
Ensure the students are both safe and proficient for first post competence (both in a subject specific way and having the evidence based techniques in their grasp to practice into the future as lifelong learners) in three or four clinical specialisms.

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Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
Course LocationDistance Learning
Institute Institute of Health
Delivery StyleTeaching and learning takes place through blended learning, with substantial online engagement, to meet the needs of learners in a range of contexts.
Course Duration Part-time: 1 Year
Course Start PointJune
AwardModule
Open DaysAll

Minimum entry requirements

1st or 2nd class honours degree in a science or healthcare subject.

Honours degree

Tuition Fees Policy

Course Structure

What you will learn

The course will allow students to develop the knowledge and skills required to become a competent sonographer in Breast Ultrasound and is accredited by the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE) ensuring they meet national standards commensurate with similar/equivalent courses across the United Kingdom (UK). The programme team are respected nationally in their field and are currently research active. The team are actively involved in the development and maintenance of ultrasound education at a national level. The academic components for this course shares some modules with the medical imaging (ultrasound) programme. The medical imaging (ultrasound) programme is taught by a team of experienced ultrasound practitioners both in the university and clinical setting.

Modules

On successful completion, you will be able to:

Demonstrate detailed knowledge and systematic critical understanding of the causes of sickness absence and the financial implications at organisational and national levels, with reference to primary research and national survey data.
Have a detailed knowledge and critical understanding of the key processes used to manage sickness absence including the case management approach and the pivotal role of occupational health (OH) in managing these processes, highlighting where professional or ethical dilemmas could occur.
Demonstrate knowledge and application of professional standards when undertaking a sickness absence review in the context of a complex assessment.
Critically examine the evidence base on which OH advice is provided to managers in relation to a common cause of sickness absence, using a range of published media.

Indicative core bibliography

Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development- www.cipd.co.uk
Health & Safety Executive - www.hse.gov.uk
Kloss, D. (2010) Occupational Health Law 6th Edition London: Wiley-Blackwell
Lewis, J. & Thornbory, G. (2010) Employment Law & Occupational Health Law 2nd Edition London: Wiley-Blackwell
Oakley, K. (2008) Occupational Health Nursing 3rd Edition London: Wiley-Blackwell
Thornbory, G & Everton S (2018) Contemporary Occupational Health Practice. London: Routledge

Journals:

Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine
Occupational Health
Occupational Health at Work
Personnel Today

Modules

Breast Ultrasound

HMSU7069 Breast Ultrasound (Theory)
HMSU9069 Breast Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

The programme and modules are structured to meet the needs of students and employers. Taught components of the academic modules on the programme are delivered in attendance blocks at the university followed by clinical learning blocks in the designated clinical placement. Students are supported on placement by experienced mentors who have been trained by the university. Students are also able to access UoC digital resources, library facilities, Pebblepad and Blackboard (VLE), whilst on placement. Students will also be supported by their personal tutor, who is a member of the academic team at the university. The clinical aspects of the programme are documented in the students’ clinical e-portfolio and it is a requirement of the programme that students take ownership of this portfolio throughout the programme in line with professional requirements to maintain lifelong learning and to monitor and ensure clinical progress and competence.

Learning is based within academic study and professional practice, and the programme team collaborates with experienced clinical ultrasound practitioners. These practitioners perform key roles in helping to maintain the currency and relevance of the programme through their involvement in curriculum planning and delivery as well as providing mentorship support for students during placement blocks.

How you will be assessed

Learning and assessment are considered as interrelated, as the assessments enable students to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the learning outcome of modules and the programme of study overall. Students are supported throughout the assessment process, and formative and summative assessment will be undertaken, and will be an integral part of the academic and clinical modules for ultrasound.

There are extensive opportunities within the clinical sphere, evidenced within the clinical portfolio in the form of reflective practice, for students to engage with inter-professional learning. Examples of how this might be achieved are: by following the patient pathway in a breast clinic, or through other imaging modalities/radiology reporting sessions within an imaging department or reflective practice based on working with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) on clinical placement.

A wide range of assessment methods are used which are clinically relevant and aligned to programme and module level learning outcomes.

Intellectual, professional and key transferable skills are central to learning opportunities and assessment. Successfully undertaking modules on this programme will enhance opportunities for students in their professional careers.

Overview

This module is only available for stand-alone study, where applicants can prove underpinning relevant previous study, such as an existing CASE accredited ultrasound award from this or another UK academic institution or successful APL against the minimum core modules for PGCert.

Selection Criteria

You must have organised and secured access to a suitable clinical placement, mentor and patient case load for a minimum of 15 hours per week, for the duration of the module. If your placement is terminated for any reason, the university cannot assist you in finding another placement. If a suitable clinical placement cannot be found in these circumstances, you will be required to withdraw from the course.
Applicants should be eligible for registration by their respective UK professional or regulatory body e.g. Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), Society of Breast Technologist (SVT). You will also need to provide one reference in support of your application, from the department offering a clinical placement who can confirm your suitability to train in ultrasound.
Overseas students can only be considered if they are able to secure a suitable placement in the UK or Ireland. Regretfully the university are unable to assist in this process.
You will be required to pass an element of pre-course assessment, carried out in the department sponsoring you. It is the sponsoring department’s responsibility to facilitate this assessment and this will be carried out to ensure that you show an aptitude for Ultrasonography. You will need to undertake a preliminary practical assessment to demonstrate the relevant psychomotor skills such as hand-eye co-ordination, pattern recognition and spatial awareness. The assessment will be of an informal nature, carried out by experienced practitioners in your clinical placement, who will then provide a written reference to confirm your suitability.
Before being accepted onto the course, all applicants will be interviewed, usually by telephone. Interviewers from the course team will, amongst other attributes, be looking for a commitment to further study, an understanding of content and standard of the course and interpersonal skills.
As part of the recruitment process, applicants may be assessed for their values using the core requirements set out in the Value Based Recruitment (VBR) Behaviour Framework as outlined in the NHS Constitution.

Contextual Admissions

Students with other qualifications may be admitted to the course, please contact the Enquiry Centre for further details. Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) may be considered for relevant prior learning at the same academic level.

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Module - Breast Ultrasound