Meeting & Agendas

Janet Barlow called meeting to order.

Janet Barlow welcomed members present at meeting. • Each attendee introduced themselves and their affiliation (place of employment) with the Program.

Remarks: • The December 2014 graduating class completed with 100% pass rate on the registry exam. • Four are continuing in the Vascular Program. • There are currently 8 DCS Students due to graduate in Dec. 2015 (all have shown interest in the ESC-VT) • Our Cardiac Sonography Program “wish list” entails: another ergonomic work station, dedicated Cardiovascular Equipment, TEE probe/attachment/more case studies for our Simulator and to expand our lab space • Thank you to all of our Cardiovascular Sites for your continued efforts and time spent in helping to prepare our students for success in the Sonography workplace

Remarks: • The ACC Curriculum Committee has accepted the new Cardiovascular Sonography curriculum that was proposed in Fall 2014. This new curriculum will be adopted beginning Fall 2016. Vascular instruction will now be included in the Program and all students applying will receive this instruction. • The 6 semester plan would include both the AAS degree in Cardiac Sonography and the Advanced Technical Certificate in Vascular Technology. • Students will graduate with the ability to take both the Echo and Vascular Registry Exams. • Texas State legislation has mandated the decrease in Credit hours from a maximum of 72 to 60 credit hours for Associates Degree Plans (AS/AAS). • The Southern Association of Colleges (SAC) requires a minimum of 60 credit hours. • The Sonography Programs of the State of Texas requested an exemption from the THECB (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) to a cap of 65 credit hours; response expected Feb. 27, 2015. • The use of Clinical Practicum courses will be added to increase the clinical hours in Echo. • The new curriculum will meet the State requirements by having 64 cardiac dedicated hours and 21 vascular dedicated hours to equal 85 total credit hours. • We will also be meeting the needs of the employers and the needs of the students as has been discussed in previous advisory committee meetings. • The new curriculum will be published in the 2015-2016 Catalog • The current 2015 applicants will still be under the current program curriculum. • The new curriculum is currently on the Sonography Website for viewing. • The required AAS degree plan basic Pre-requisite courses include math and science (all courses required must be within 5years of applying). • One of the pre-requisite courses is a new Applied Physics (1410) which is algebra based • “Cardiovascular concepts” is a new foundational course that was added. • Gina presented a PP example of the new Degree Plan Outline with a focus on the Cardiac/Vascular Clinical rotations through each semester. • The Clinical rotation would have one semester where Jr. and Sr. students overlapped and that there would be 3 possibly 4 clinical days a week that would include both some cardiac and vascular instruction • Janet stated that having less students in the rotation for placement and breaks in between semesters would help the burden of the rotation on those cardiovascular sites. • All of the CI’s present agreed that would relieve some of the burden. • Gina spoke about the strict requirements for clinical placement as far as one on one instruction/equipment/ workspace, the credentials of the CI’s and the length of time the CI has worked in the field. • The vascular program struggled this last Semester when trying to place the 21 students accepted into the vascular program at Vascular rotation sites. • Thus active vascular sites will definitely be a limiting factor in future “student acceptance” into the programs.

Power Point slide presented the following information concerning the “Challenges” currently faced: • Clinical Placements Too busy Not busy enough Training new hires Learning new equipment and transfer to database/ new computer system Dr.’s don’t want students to slow down the Sonographers (i.e. no work-in availability) • Students not able to scan during the Clinical rotation day Too busy Training new hires • Communication with Clinical Instructors Non-compliance with Student Handbook and Syllabus rules/guidelines Inappropriate communication with patient’s/ staff/ Dr.’s Attendance- tardy/leaving early Open discussion ensued: • Pat Recek stated that she had just gone to a meeting and was informed that there will be new “training modules” for the students on “Modeling Behaviors” here at ACC to improve professionalism at the clinical site.

Remarks: • There were 7 Graduates of the Vascular Program last May. • There were 21 students (all students that applied from both the Medical and Cardiac Programs) that were accepted into the Vascular “Enhanced Skill Certificate” Program this last Summer. • Currently there are 13 enrolled. The rest have started work and left the program. • Robin reiterated that having the students in a program where they didn’t have the option of dropping after the AAS degree was a needed change. Right now they are being offered jobs and dropping out because the employer is offering the vascular education while on the job. • Robin stated that she had spoken to CI’s in the field and they have stated that they can tell if a Sonographer has completed the vascular program or if they were “on the job trained” to do vascular exams.

Remarks: • All present were in agreement with all changes in the degree plan • Pat Recek stated that she was glad to be present and be informed that there was a “Space Need” for the Round Rock Campus Sonography Lab. She informed us the proposition was approved by ACC In-District voters that included funding for expansion of several of the ACC campuses, RRC included. She said that there was hopefully going to be another building built here on the ACC RRC to house non Health Science classes that were currently being held in the Health Sciences building. With the removal of those classes the Health Sciences programs would be able to expand. Her comments were followed by applause. • Gabby Cardenas asked about the future number of students that would be accepted each year. Gina responded that it would have to decrease for the time being due to the vascular site placement limitations.