MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Revised: Summer 2014

 Sonography Program Student Handbook
Table of Contents Topics

Section 1 – General Information

Page 1: An Introduction to the Student
Page 2: Mission Statements
Page 2: Program Philosophy
Page 3 - 4: ARDMS Mission Statement
Page 5 - 6: Program Goals
Page 7: Accreditation, Curriculum Standards and Common Course Library
Page 8: Program Evaluation and Assessment Procedure
Page 9 - 13: Steps For Choosing Your Prerequisite (For Certification) & Charts
Page 14: SPI Exam Requirements
Page 15 – 16: Organizational Charts
Page 17 – 19: Faculty and Administrative Directory
Page 21: Forsyth Tech Academic Calendar for 2014-2015
Page 22 - 24: Forsyth Tech Program Catalog Pages – Medical Sonography A.A.S. Degree Program
Page 25 – 30: Required Textbooks
Page 31: Student Sonographers Association (SSA)
Page 32 – 35: By-Laws of Forsyth Tech Student Sonographers Association
Page: 36 - 37: Professional Ultrasound Organizations
Page 38: Professional Organization Student Letter
Page 39 - 41: Professionalism and Ethics, Code of Professional Conduct for Diagnostic Medical
Sonographers (SDMS)
Page 42 – 64: Academic Etiquette
Confidentiality, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Section 2 – Program Policies

Page 65 - 66: Attendance and Procedure for Making Up Missed Exams
Page 66 - 67: Tardiness
Page 67: Sleeping in Class and Inclement Weather
Page 68: Delayed Class Policy, Cell Phone & Electronic Device Usage, My Space and Facebook
Page 69: Pregnancy, Working, and Computer Lab
Page 70: Drugs, Progression, Academic Probation, Academic Problems, and Academic Assistance
Page 71 - 73: Accommodation for Disabilities & Academic Appeal
Page 73: Academic Review Committee & Disciplinary Procedure
Page 74: Readmission, Critical Requirements, and Exams
Page 75: Grading Scale & Honor Policy
Page 76: Field Trips, General Rules, Behavior in the Classroom & Student Records
Page 77: Student Health Forms, Faculty Availability, Classroom Attire, Policy Violations, A Death
in the Family, & Scan Lab Utilization
Page 78: Homework, Email & Dropping a Class
Page 79: Recording Lectures, Instructionsl Scanning Labs
Page 80: Practice Labs, Pre-Scanning Prep, Volunteer Patients & Lectures
Page 81: Children on Campus, Inclement Weather Guidelines Additional College and Clinical
Policies
Page 82 - 83: Academic Appeals, Academic Standing/Probation/Dismissal
Page 84: Summer Conversion Factor
Page 85 - 88: Services for Students
Section 3 – Signature Pages
These forms are to be signed and returned to the Sonography Program Coordinator:
Page 89: Forsyth Tech Community College Bioeffects Statement of Notification
Page 90: Student Confidentiality Agreement
Page 91: Sonography Program Honor System
Page 92: Critical Incident Report
Page 93: Medical Illness Excuses
Page 94: Physical Assessment Informed Consent
Page 95: Policy Violation Form Sample
Page 97: Signature Forms Check-off Sheet
Page 98: Student Manual Acknowledgment

These forms are to be completed only when each situation arises.

Forsyth Tech Community College Sonography Program Medical Illness Excuse
Forsyth Tech Community College Sonography Program Critical Incident Report
 An Introduction to the Student
Welcome to one of the most exciting professions in healthcare! Sonography is a rapidly
growing and evolving field with subspecialties in Abdominal Sonography,
Neurosonology (Brain), Vascular Sonography, Obstetrical-Gynecological Sonography,
Echocardiography (Cardiac), Musculoskeletal Sonography, Breast Sonography, and
Ophthalmic Sonography. Forsyth Technical Community College offers an Applied
Associate in Science Degree in Medical Sonography with concentrations in Abdominal
and OB/GYN sonography. Students also receive an introduction to Vascular
Sonography in this program.

Upon completion graduates may qualify to sit for the certifying exams offered by the
American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).

Congratulations on your selection into the Medical Sonography Program. Your choice
of sonography as a program of study carries with it many important responsibilities.

First, the sonography student must be committed to the profession. Being a

sonographer can be challenging physically, mentally and emotionally. One must be
prepared to perform to the best of his or her ability at all times.

Second, the sonography student must strive for excellence. The importance of
providing good health care is extremely important. When we, as health care providers
fail in our performance, the patient becomes the loser. While our primary goal is to
obtain high quality diagnostic images, we must strive to provide the best possible
patient care. Never forget that the patient lying on your scanning table is a human
being with fears, anxieties and concerns. Take care of the patient’s human needs first,
and then concern yourself with acquiring the best diagnostic images that you can
obtain.

Third, plan for your continuing educational growth. Sonography is an ever-changing

field of science. New imaging techniques and advances in technology require new
learning. Even after many years in the field there is still so much to learn. Some of the
more recent technological developments have been tissue Doppler, Elastography,
3D/4D, and B-flow. Most of these new modalities have been developed within the past
few years.

Once again, congratulations on your selection and we look forward to working with you
throughout the pursuit of your goals.

From the Medical Sonography Faculty

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 Medical Sonography Program
Mission Statement

The Medical Sonography Program meets the workforce need for providing competent
entry-level Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the cognitive, psychomotor, and
affective learning domains. This mission is accomplished through didactic, laboratory,
clinical education, and competency measures.

Health Technologies Division

Mission Statement

The Health Technologies Division is a comprehensive academic division for health

programs which offers vital learning opportunities for student success. The Health
Technologies faculty and staff partner with clinical and community agencies to meet the
demands of providing a qualified healthcare workforce.

Forsyth Technical Community College

Mission Statement

Forsyth Technical Community College provides students with exceptional technical

education and training as well as college transfer, adult basic education, and continuing
and corporate education programs to develop a globally competitive workforce. The
college responds to student, employer and community needs with innovative, flexible
programs and service delivery.

Program Philosophy
It is the educational philosophy of the Sonography Curriculums of Forsyth Technical
Community College that knowledge is best gained when the learner is actively involved
in the educational process. Furthermore, a variety of educational experiences should
be provided to insure that meaningful learning takes place.

Education is a continual process and the tools necessary for continued learning should
be strengthened and refined.

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 ARDMS Mission Statement

ARDMS (American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers) promotes quality

care and patient safety through the certification and continuing competency of
ultrasound professionals.

ARDMS...at a Glance

The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers® (ARDMS®),

incorporated in June 1975, is an independent, nonprofit organization that
administers examinations and awards credentials in the areas of diagnostic medical
sonography, diagnostic cardiac sonography, vascular technology, and ophthalmic
biometry.

ARDMS offers four different credentials:

• RDMS® Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer®

• RDCS® Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer®
• RVT® Registered Vascular Technologist®
• ROUB® Registered Ophthalmic Ultrasound Biometrist®

Specialty areas within the sonographer credentials include abdomen, breast,

neurosonology, obstetrics and gynecology, and ophthalmology (RDMS); adult and
pediatric echocardiography (RDCS); and noninvasive vascular technology (RVT).

Recognition of ARDMS practices in providing these credentials has earned ARDMS

Category A membership in the National Commission for Certifying Agencies
(NCCA). To date, ARDMS has certified more than 40,000 individuals. ARDMS has
become a recognized standard for ultrasound certification by many facility
accreditation programs.

ARDMS credentials document personal achievement of recognized professional

standards. Credentials awarded by ARDMS are widely accepted in the medical
community by ultrasound and vascular professional organizations, including:

• American College of Radiology

• American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
• American Society of Echocardiography
• Canadian Society for Vascular Technology
• Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
• International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery
• Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology
• Society for Vascular Surgery
• Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography

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 • Society for Vascular Ultrasound

ARDMS is governed by a Board of Directors composed of sonographers, vascular

technologists, physicians, research scientists, and a public member. The Board
creates the policies, defines the direction, and conducts continuous evaluations of
ARDMS programs.

The examinations are developed by Exam Development Task Forces (EDTFs). The
EDTFs survey job functions and practices in various specialties and develop test
questions based upon a blueprint of job tasks in ultrasound. EDTFs consist of
sonographers, vascular technologists, physicians, and scientists. The members of
each EDTF are knowledgeable in the subject area of the particular examination.

The only means of obtaining an ARDMS credential is by examination. Required

examination prerequisites must be met before an applicant can take an ARDMS
examination. Applicants are then required to pass two comprehensive examinations
to earn a credential: (1) a sonographic physical principles and instrumentation (SPI)
examination, and (2) at least one corresponding specialty examination.

An applicant may not use a credential offered by ARDMS until the credential has
been earned and the applicant has received official notification by ARDMS.
Additional credentials may be earned by successfully completing the appropriate
physical principles instrumentation and specialty examinations. Eligible candidates
may earn all four ARDMS credentials.

All of ARDMS' ongoing operations and program initiatives are governed by

ARDMS By-Laws and Standing Policies.

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 Program Goals
The stated goal of the program is to provide competent entry-level sonographers in the
areas of Abdominal and OB-GYN sonography.

Stated objectives for the program are:

1. The students graduating from the Medical Sonography Program will have
entry-level employment knowledge and skills and will be eligible to apply
for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)
certification examinations in Sonographic Physics and Instrumentation
(SPI), Abdomen and Superficial Structures (AB), and Obstetrical-
Gynecological (OB/GYN) specialties.

The faculty of this program believes that each student should be mentored on a
path toward educational maturity in their chosen career and challenged to
develop an appreciation for the profession of Health Care. The program will
present didactic information, both historical and current, to assist the student in
developing the respect, perspective and knowledge necessary for affective
growth in the profession. Paramount to the student’s continuous educational
growth will be a cognizant understanding for each subject, including but not
limited to, a developed appreciation and understanding for effective
communication, ethical behavior and professionalism, patient care, performance
of routine imaging procedures, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

2. The students graduating from the Sonography Programs will demonstrate

preparedness for employment. To determine preparedness, a
Programmatic Competency Challenge shall be expected of all students
seeking graduation. Post-graduation surveys will be periodically
distributed soliciting feedback from the graduates and their employers to
evaluate observed workplace performance.

The demonstration of psychomotor competency shall be hallmark in a

successful graduate through the progressive incorporation of didactic
material and laboratory instruction. This competency shall be assessed
through observation of performance within the patient care/patient examination
clinical facilities. Program faculty and professional adjuncts will function
cooperatively to measure student progress and achievement.

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The successful sonography graduate will:

a. Demonstrate the skills to assess patient condition, provide care for and
successfully perform common sonographic procedures in the medical imaging
departments, through appropriate equipment selection and implementation of
proper protocol as set forth by each clinical site.
b. Appropriately critique and make corrective changes, when necessary, for images
acquired during sonographic examinations for diagnostic quality, pertinent
anatomy and pathologic variants.
c. Demonstrate and employ problem solving and critical thinking skills as they apply
to routine procedures, as well as emergency, surgical and special procedures.
d. Demonstrate a caring and supportive attitude toward the patient while performing
medical sonography imaging services.
e. Promote empathy and ethical standards of health care practice.
f. Demonstrate the sonographers proper role in the health care team.
g. Refine thinking skills and independent judgment as evidenced in clinical practice.
h. Recognize merit for continued personal and professional growth.

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 Accreditation
The Medical Sonography Associate in Applied Science Degree is accredited by the
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
(CAAHEP) http://www.caahep.org/ according to the standards and guidelines as
outlined by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical
Sonography (JRC-DMS). http://www.jrcdms.org/
The program is reviewed annually for continued accreditation, with an intensive JRC-
DMS program review and site visit every 5 years. Accreditation is renewed for 5-year
terms. This program’s renewal date is January, 2016.
Students completing the accredited program may be eligible to take the ARDMS registry
exams in Sonographic Physics and Instrumentation (SPI), Abdominal Sonography, and
Obstetrical/Gynecological Sonography upon completion of the medical sonography
program. Qualification for A.A.S. degree graduates is under exam prerequisite #2.
Students who come into the program with a Bachelor’s degree in any field, or an
Associate’s degree in an allied health field will qualify to take the ARDMS registry exam
in vascular sonography under exam prerequisite #1 or 3A.
A copy of the exam prerequisites is available in this handbook.

Curriculum Standards
The state of North Carolina has set forth specific standards that all community colleges
must follow in order to continue operating their programs.
A copy of the curriculum standards for operating a Medical Sonography Program in the
North Carolina Community College System is available online
at http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Programs/curr_standard_45_health.htm

Common Course Library

The North Carolina Community College System has included all courses that may be
taught in a Medical Sonography Program in the Common Course Library.
The Common Course Library (CCL) is a complete listing of all Medical Sonography
courses, their prerequisites and co-requisites. Some of these courses are required (as
specified in the curriculum standard) while some are electives that a program
coordinator may choose to include in the program.
A copy of the CCL is available online
at: https://webadvisor.nccommunitycolleges.edu/WA/WebAdvisor?TOKENIDX=2362630
927&SS=4&APP=ST&CONSTITUENCY=WBFC

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 Program Evaluation and Assessment Procedure

The Sonography Programs utilize an assessment plan to monitor and evaluate the
success of the program and its graduates. Assessment is an ongoing activity with the
program goals and effectiveness of instruction being analyzed. Assessment reporting is
to Staff, Administrative officials, the State Board of Community Colleges, and the
Program Advisory Committee. The Program has consistently maintained a process of
evaluation to validate instruction and student success. The process is updated and
changed as needed to reflect student and program success and any remediation
required.
Analysis of all Program goals will be performed on a periodic basis. Satisfaction surveys
for each class will be required. These surveys are conducted both pre and post-
graduation.
All courses, instructors, and facilities are evaluated each semester through course
surveys.
The Medical Sonography Associate in Applied Science Program is a specialized
college program, which includes didactic and laboratory instruction as well as clinical
experience at affiliated medical sonography labs. The program is twenty-one (21)
months involving five (5) semesters of academic studies and coordinated practice in the
medical sonography departments/labs to complete requirements for achieving
professional certification.
Degree Awarded: Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Diagnostic Medical
Sonography.

Information Literacy at Forsyth Tech - Information Literacy means being able to

access critical information, knowing how to research the right amount and right quality
of information that fits the task, being able to evaluate and analyze that information
appropriately to solve a problem, and having the ability to communicate that
information to others. These are the skills that are necessary for continued success in
life, continued learning, career success and the ability to adapt in a changing world.
Forsyth Tech feels these skills are of vital importance for students in this Information
Age. To emphasize this, the slogan Information Literacy: Because We C.A.R.E. is
being used for its QEP campaign. The C.A.R.E. acronym
stands for the essential skills (Communicate, Access, Research, and Evaluate) that
are beneficial to students.

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 Steps for Choosing Your Prerequisite
For First-time applicants only. Re-applicants please reference page 8 of the application
booklet for requirements. Applicants, who previously applied for the Sonography
Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) examination under the SPI Examination
Requirement, must choose a prerequisite in order to apply for a specialty examination.

If you are applying for the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) examination
and are unable to meet the requirements of a prerequisite, please review the SPI
Examination Requirement.

• Visit the ARDMS website (www.ARDMS.org) to access the ARDMS Prerequisite

and Requirement Eligibility Program (PREP) at ARDMS.org/PREP which will
present you with a series of questions to guide you in choosing a prerequisite or
requirement.
If you choose not to use the online ARDMS Prerequisite Selection program,
please follow the steps below.
• Find your education level in the section labeled "Education."
• Ensure you have met the clinical experience requirement within that prerequisite.
• Assemble the required documentation under "Documentation Required with
Application" and submit with an online application form and appropriate fees.
• When you see a numbered term, please refer to "Notes About the
Prerequisites" on this page.

Please note that if you currently have only been approved to sit for the Physicians'
Vascular Interpretation (PVI) examination and wish to attain the RDMS, RDCS or RVT
credential(s), you are considered a first-time applicant and must meet all the
requirements of one of the following prerequisites in order to apply.

Eligibility will not be determined by telephone, fax or electronic transmission (e-mail).

Applicants must apply online, pay all fees and submit all of the required supporting
documentation in order for ARDMS to determine if they are eligible to sit for ARDMS
examinations.

Notes About the Prerequisites:

'A two-year allied health education program that is patient-care related is defined
as (1) 24 full-time consecutive calendar months or (2) 60 semester credits or (3) 84
quarter credits (4) and requiring a clinical internship/externship to complete the
program. Credit hours are based on U.S. equivalency in a post-secondary institution.
The program or school must be authorized by an accrediting agency to award semester
or quarter credits and the type of credits granted must be reflected on the transcript.
Transcripts reflecting clock hours must be converted to credit hours. If submitting a
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foreign degree, an original course by course foreign transcript evaluation must
accompany the application summary and indicate the aforementioned requirements.
2
Full-time is defined as 35 hours per week, at least 48 weeks per year. If working part
time, the requirements are prorated. Twenty hours per week would take approximately
two years.
3
Clinical ultrasound/vascular experience may be obtained one of two ways: (1)
being employed as an ultrasound/vascular sonographer in a clinical setting for a
minimum of 12 months, or (2) successfully completing a formal, full-time ultrasound
program that is a minimum of 12 months in length and includes appropriate clinical and
didactic hours. If the total length of the program exceeds 12 months, the applicant must
successfully complete the program in its entirety prior to using the program as
documentation of the required clinical ultrasound/vascular experience. It is
recommended that an applicant be directly involved in a minimum of 800 diagnostic
cases during his/her clinical experience in each specialty area for which he/she is
applying. Clinical diagnostic settings include hospitals, clinics and private practices.
ARDMS does not accept volunteer, instructorship, unpaid, barter or veterinarian
experience. The time frames in which the education and clinical requirements are met
cannot overlap. Clinical experience earned to document the education requirement
cannot also be used to support the clinical requirement.
4
The mandatory Prerequisite 2 Application letter, is valid for one year from the date
of graduation. If the application and appropriate supporting documentation are not
received after one year of successful completion of the program, the applicant will need
new documentation verifying successful program completion, and a current, completed,
original signed CV form for each applied-for specialty area will be required. An original
letter per student is required. First-time applicants applying under Prerequisite 2 must
apply for either the Sonography Principles 0& Instrumentation (SPI) examination or a
specialty area that is included within the programmatically accredited curriculum.
5
The mandatory Student Prerequisite 3B Application letter, is valid through the
expected graduation date. If the student chooses to apply after graduation, then the
Graduate Prerequisite 3B Application letter and a current, completed, original signed CV
form for each applied-for specialty area will be required. An original letter per student is
required.

Note: If the Bachelor's Degree Sonography/vascular technology program is also

programmatically accredited through one of the following: Council for Higher Education
Accreditation (CHEA), United States Department of Education (USDOE), or Canadian
Medical Association (CMA), and the students have graduated, then the Prerequisite 3B
students should apply under Prerequisite 2.

Apply online at www.ardms.org .

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 Faculty and Administration Directory

College President Medical Sonography Clinical Coordinator

Gary Green, EdD Tonya Howell, RDMS, BS
Office: ALL 445 Office: BGH Suite W226, Room W246
Email: ggreen@forsythtech.edu Email: thowell@forsythtech.edu
Phone: (336) 734-7201 Phone: (336) 757-3206

Vice President of Instructional Services Vascular Sonography Lead Instructor

Dr. Conley Winebarger Chessney Pharr, RDMS, RVT, BS
Office: TEC 501 Office: BGH Suite W226, Room W246
Email: cwinebarger@forsythtech.edu Email: cpharr@forsythtech.edu
Phone: (336) 757-3354

Medical Director – Diagnostic Medical Part-Time MS Instructor

Sonography Shelly Ingle
Joseph Contento, MD Phone: TBA
Forsyth Radiological Associates Email: TBA
Email: jcontento@forsythradiology.com
Phone: (336) 765-2702 Part-Time MS Instructor
Gail Allred
Dean of Health Technologies Community Care Clinic
Bonnie Pope, RN, PhD Phone: (336) 723-7904
Office: BGH Room 106 Email: gsallred@novanthealth.org
Email: bpope@forsythtech.edu
Phone: (336) 734-7412

Department Chair of Imaging

Debbie Taylor, MA, RT(R )(MR) (CT)
Office: BGH Room W240
Email: dtaylor@forsythtech.edu
Phone: (336) 734-7178

Medical Sonography Program Director

John B. Cassell, RTR, RDMS, RVT, BS
Office: BGH Suite W226, Room W236
Email: jcassell@forsythtech.edu
Phone: (336) 734-7430

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 HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES DIVISION
DR. BONNIE POPE, DEAN 734-7412
Vickie Cranford, STAFF ASSISTANT TO THE DEAN
Carrie Blaskowski, DIVISIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR (PT), Kerri Walters-RETENTION MANAGER
Debra Pitt, TEAS COORDINATOR (PT) ASHLEY WATTS-WORKSTUDY

NURSING: Linda Latham, Director 734-7582 IMAGING: Debbie Taylor, Director 734-7178
Beth Hyland, SECRETARY Joan Whittington, SECRETARY

CARDIOVASCULAR SONOGRAPHY- CVS

PRACTICAL NURSING - NUR
Sharon Moore, Program Chair 734-7569 David Wood, Program Coordinator 757-3313
Melissa Casey Chesney Pharr – Clinical Coordinator
Laura Galloway
Karen Harvell COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY - CAT
Angie Lundgren Cindy Smith, Program Coordinator 734-7560
Denise McSweeney-Stokes County Jason Lincoln, Clinical Coordinator
Serena Strain
INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR & VASCULAR
TECHNOLOGY - ICV
ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING - NUR Marti Feathers-Magee, Program Coordinator 734-7189
Wanda Douglas Program Chair 757-3327 Leann Handy, Clinical Coordinator
Vacant, Clinical Coordinator Keith Boles
Ellen Wyrick, Lab Coordinator
Kim Adams MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING - MRI
Susan Baker (9 mth) Debbie Taylor, Program Coordinator 734-7178
Renee Harrison Kate Latimer, Clinical Coordinator
Yolanda Hilton Melissa Smith (9 mth)
Ellen Hohf
Sherita Johnson-(Military Leave) MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY - SON
Terina Lineberry John Cassell, Program Coordinator 734-7430
June Martin Tonya Howell, Clinical Coordinator
Sue Ellen Miller
Caryl Morgan NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGY - NMT
Bernyce Pritchard Tammy Beck, Program Coordinator 757-3345
Johnetta Tate Teresa Smith, Clinical Coordinator
Dr. Marie Thomas (9 mth)
Sherry Troop RADIOGRAPHY - RAD
Amber Welborn Nancy Andrews-Hall, Interim Program Coord 734-7433
Stephanie Yoder Molly Long, Clinical Coordinator
Bonita Harmel
Tonya Oakley

RADIATION THERAPY TECHNOLOGY - RTT

Chris Gibson, Program Coordinator 734-7184
Sherry Strickland, Clinical Coordinator

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HEALTH SERVICES: Jean Middleswarth, Director 757-3288
Karen Clement, SECRETARY

RESPIRATORY THERAPY RCP

John Sherman, Program Coordinator 734-7427
Cindy Wiggins, Clinical Coordinator
Tina Lovings

DENTAL ASSISTING & DENTAL HYGIENE - DEN

Dr. Jannette Whisenhunt, Dental Education Department Chair/ Program Coordinator of Dental
Hygiene, 734-7414
Julie Rushing, Clinical Coordinator
Cindy Edwards, Program Coordinator Dental Assisting 757-3354
Kelly Diller, Clinical Coordinator
Annette Saylor, Traci Roscoe, Paula Bowling, (PT) Clinic Manager

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE - MTH

Kim Moore, Program Coordinator– Swisher 734-7916
Sandy Mason, Clinical Coordinator

PHARMACY TECHNOLOGY - PHM

Sarah Clement, Program Coordinator 757-3319
Heather Howell, Clinical Coordinator (9 mth)

MEDICAL ASSISTING - MED

Anna Hilton, Program Coordinator 734-7362
Jenifer Gibson, Clinical Coordinator

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Medical Sonography
Curriculum Description

The Medical Sonography curriculum provides knowledge and clinical skills in the application of high frequency sound
waves to image internal body structures.

Course work includes physics, cross-sectional anatomy, abdominal, introductory vascular and
obstetrical/gynecological sonography. Competencies are attained in identification of normal anatomy and pathological
processes, use of equipment, fetal growth and development, integration of related imaging, and patient interaction
skills.

Graduates of accredited programs may be eligible to take examinations in ultrasound physics and instrumentation
and specialty examinations administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and find
employment in clinics, physicians’ offices, mobile services, hospitals and educational institutions.

The following represents one way in which the program of study can be completed. Students who aren’t able to follow
this plan should consult their academic advisor to be sure that they take courses in the best order for their success.
Courses with the prefix of SON are only offered during the semesters listed below.

Associate in Applied Science

A45440 REVISED
NC CIP: 51.0910
Day

Course Course Title HOURS PER WEEK

Class Lab/ Clinical/ Credit
Shop Co-op

Fall Semester
BIO 163 Basic Anat & Physiology REVISED REQUISITE 4 2 0 5

MAT 171 Precalculus Algebra NEW VERSION 2014 3 2 0 4

PHY 110 Conceptual Physics REVISED REQUISITE 3 0 0 3

PHY 110A Conceptual Physics Lab REVISED REQUISITE 0 2 0 1

SON 110 Intro to Sonography 1 3 3 3

SON 112 Sonographic Terminology NEW 2014 1 0 0 1
SON 130 Abdominal Sonography I 2 3 0 3

14 12 3 20

Spring Semester
SON 111 Sonographic Physics 3 3 0 4
SON 120 SON Clinical Ed I 0 0 15 5
SON 131 Abdominal Sonography II 1 3 0 2

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SON 140 Gynecological Sonography 2 0 0 2
Select one:
COM 231 Public Speaking REVISED REQUISITE 3 0 0 3

OR
ENG 115 Oral Communication (3) (0) (0) (3)

9 6 15 16

Summer Term
ENG 111 Writing and Inquiry NEW VERSION 2014 3 0 0 3

SON 121 SON Clinical Ed II 0 0 15 5

SON 241 Obstetrical Sonography I 2 0 0 2
SON 272 Advanced Pathology 0 3 0 1

5 3 15 11

Fall Semester
SON 220 SON Clinical Ed III 0 0 24 8
SON 242 Obstetrical Sonography II 2 0 0 2
SON 250 Vascular Sonography 1 3 0 2
___ ___ Humanities/Fine Arts Elective ** ** 0 3

Select one:
PSY 118 Interpersonal Psychology (3) (0) (0) (3)
OR
PSY 150 General Psychology REVISED REQUISITE 3 0 0 3

6 3 24 18

Spring Semester
SON 221 SON Clinical Ed IV 0 0 24 8
SON 225 Case Studies 0 3 0 1
SON 289 Sonographic Topics 2 0 0 2

2 3 24 11

Total Credit Hours: 76

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Legend

• : Comprehensive Articulation Agreement - This course is recommended for students transferring to a four-
year university.

• : Local Requirement

• : Instructional Service Agreement

Additional Information

Additional admissions requirements:Biology, algebra and physics recommended.

1. Grade of C or better in all required related and program specific courses is mandatory for admission
and progression in the Medical Sonography program.

2. Completion of the Forsyth Tech Student Medical Form upon acceptance into the program.

Program Information
This program has limited enrollment. Students are chosen by a selective admissions process based on grades
earned in required related courses (i.e. biology, English, psychology, etc.) and completion of any training such as
certified nurse assistant I and II, emergency medical technician, paramedic or any diploma or degree in a health or
non-health field. The Admissions Office can provide additional information on the selection process. Readmission
may be possible but requires reapplying and approval by the college.

Humanities/Fine Arts Elective – Select one: ART 111, HUM 110, HUM 115, HUM 120, HUM 170, MUS 110, PHI 215,
PHI 240, REL 110, or REL 221. Consult an academic advisor concerning other possible electives.

Criminal Background Checks/Drug Screening

Clinical agencies require criminal background checks and/or drug screening for students assigned to their facility for
clinical education. In addition, national and/or state registry and/or licensure boards may prohibit eligibility for
registry or licensure based on criminal background records. Please refer to the Health Technologies section on
www.forsythtech.edu.

**Hours will vary depending on course selection.

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First Semester Textbooks & Materials

Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price

SON 110 Essentials of Sonography 3rd Craig 978-1-4377-3545-1
$67.95
and Patient Care Publisher: Elsevier

SON 110 Medical Terminology A 6th Chabner 978-1-4377-3440-9 $43.95

Short Course Publisher: Elsevier

SON 110 Medical Sonography Fall 2013 J. Cassell & T. FTCC Bookstore TBA
Student Handbook & Howell
Clinical Handbook

Forsyth Tech

Medical
Sonography
Program

Clinical Handbook
2013-2015

25 | P a g e
First Semester Textbooks & Materials Continued…

Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price

SON 130 Sonography Introduction 3rd Curry & 978-1-4160-5556-3 $130.95
to Normal Structure and Tempkin Publisher: Elsevier
Function

SON 130 Workbook and Lab Manual 3rd Curry & 978-1-4160-5555-6 $67.95
for Sonography Tempkin Publisher: Elsevier
Introduction to Normal
Structure and Function
(Paperback)

26 | P a g e
SON 130 Netter’s Atlas of Human 5th Netter 978-1-4377-0970-4 $132.00
Anatomy Publisher: Elsevier

SON 130 SON 130 Lab Manual N/A J.Cassell FTCC Bookstore TBA

SON 130 SON 130 Course Module N/A J.Cassell FTCC Bookstore or TBA
Provided in
Class/Online

Microsoft Office for Students and Teachers – Available in the Bookstore. $120.00

27 | P a g e
Second Semester Textbooks & Materials

Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price

SON 111 Ultrasound Physics and 4th Miele 978-1-933250-08-3 $150.00
Instrumentation w/CD-
ROM

SON 120 – No Textbooks Required

SON 131 Diagnostic Ultrasound 2 4th Rumack 978-0323053976 $380.00

Volume Set Publisher: Elsevier

SON 140 The Developing HUman 9th Moore and 978-1-4377-2002- $76.95
Persaud 0Publisher: Elsevier

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Third Semester Textbooks & Materials
There are no textbooks to purchase this semester

Fourth Semester Textbooks & Materials

SON 220 – No New Textbooks
SON 242 – No New Textbooks

Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price

SON 250 Techniques in Noninvasive 3rd Daigle 978-09720653-6-8 $79.95
Vascular Diagnosis

SON 250 Introduction to Vascular 3rd Ridgeway 978-0941022705 $65.95

Scanning Publisher: Davies
Publishing

29 | P a g e
Fifth Semester Textbooks & Materials
SON 221 – No New Textbooks
Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price
SON 225 General and Vascular 2nd Middleton 978-1416039891 $56.95
Ultrasound Case Review

Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price

SON 289 Registry Review – Burns Item #: 7701 $95.00
Abdominal Sonography Publisher: SDMS

Course Title Edition Author ISBN# Price

SON 289 Registry Review – Diane J. 941022595 $95.00
OB/GYN Sonography Youngs Davies Publishing

30 | P a g e
 Student Sonographers Association (SSA)
This club is currently inactive.

The SSA is an organization composed of student sonographers. The SSA will have a
president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. The advisor and overseer will be the
program director of the medical sonography program. The officers will be nominated
and elected by members of the club. The president will serve as the student
representative on the medical and cardiovascular sonography program advisory
committee and will represent the students at any school-related function. The VP will fill
in for the president at functions when the president is unable to attend. The secretary
will record the minutes of each SSA meeting and read old and new business notes at
the beginning of each meeting. The treasurer will be responsible for collecting,
managing and dispersing any funds that are collected from fund raisers held by the
association. The club will meet no less than one day each month.

Constitution of
Forsyth Technical Community College
Student Sonographers Association

ARTICLE I: Name

The name of this organization shall be Forsyth Technical Community College Student
Sonographers Association.

ARTICLE II: Objectives

The objectives of this society shall be to cultivate, promote and sustain the art and
science of Diagnostic Medical and Cardiovascular Sonography and to safeguard the
common interest of the members of the Sonography profession.

ARTICLE III: Organization

Section I: Membership

The membership shall consist of any part-time or full-time Sonography student of good
moral character and good academic standing.

31 | P a g e
Section II: Officers

The elective officers of this society shall be:

1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer

Amendment Spring 2013: President will be elected from the Senior Class.
Vice President will be elected from the Junior Class.
Secretary and Treasurer may be elected from either class.

Section III: Meetings

Meetings shall be called by the President with the date, time and place being voted upon
by the membership. A faculty member must be present at all meetings.

Section IV: Dues

The dues of the Society shall be decided upon by the prospective membership during
the first meeting of the academic year and shall be so recorded in the By-laws.

ARTICLE IV: Amendments

This constitution may be amended by a majority affirmative vote for the membership
provided that the proposed amendment or revision shall have been presented in writing
to the officers and advisor not less than one week prior to the voting.

ARTICLE V: By-laws
By-Laws may be established or altered by a majority affirmative vote of the membership
with oral or written consent of the advisor.

32 | P a g e
 By-Laws
of
Forsyth Technical Community College
Student Sonographers Association

CHAPTER I: Membership

Any part-time or full-time Sonography student of good moral character and good
academic standing may have membership in the Society. The membership shall
terminate at graduation.

CHAPTER II: Officers

Section I: Number and Title

The officers of Forsyth Technical Community College Student Sonographers Association
shall be four: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

Section II: Qualifications

The president will be elected from the senior class. The vice president will be elected
from the junior class. Secretary and treasurer may be elected from either class.

Section III: Nominations and Elections

The officers shall be elected at the first meeting in the Fall Semester. Nominations may
be made from the floor. Election shall be held by a secret ballot.

Section IV: Vacancies

In the event of a vacancy in one of the offices of vice president, secretary, or treasurer, a
special election shall be held. The vice president will fill the role of president if that office
becomes vacant. If both vice president and president offices are vacant, then new
officers will be elected for these offices.

Section V: Tenure of Office

The officers shall serve a term of one year.

Section VI: Duties

A. President
1. Preside over all meetings.
2. Call all meetings
3. Serve as student representative in the Sonography Advisory Board.
4. Represent the Association at any school related function as
requested by the club sponsor.

33 | P a g e
B. Vice President
1. Preside over all meetings in the absence of the President
2. Serve as parliamentarian as required during meetings

C. Secretary
1. Maintain an official register of all members
2. Take all minutes of the meetings and distribute to the club sponsor.
3. Conduct official correspondence

D. Treasurer
1. Maintain accurate records of the financial status of the Society.
2. Endorse each expenditure of the Society.
3. Collect, manage and distribute funds for all club related events.

34 | P a g e
 CHAPTER III: Meetings

Section I: Regular Meetings

Meetings shall be held at least once each month.

Section II: Special Meetings

The president may call special meetings with one week notice to all members and the
advisor.

Section III: Quorum

A quorum shall consist of ½ the membership plus one.

Section IV: Order of Business

A. Call to order
B. Roll call of membership
C. Reading of Minutes
D. Treasurer’s report
E. Old Business
F. New Business
G. Adjournment

Section V: Advisor

The advisor shall be the Sonography Program Director or a designated member of the
faculty of Forsyth Technical Community College and shall be present at all meetings.

CHAPTER IV: Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended by a majority affirmative vote of the quorum.

35 | P a g e
 Professional Ultrasound Organizations
The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SDMS) is the national society
representing Sonographers. Its primary purposes are to advance the science of
ultrasound technology, to establish and maintain high standards of education and
training, and to promote, advance and educate its members and the medical community
in the science of Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound.

Membership in this society is greatly encouraged by the faculty at Forsyth Technical

Community College. Student membership is available at a discount rate.

SDMS
2745 Dallas Pkwy, Ste 350
Plano, TX 75093-4706
Phone: (800) 229-9506
Fax: (214) 473-8563
Web: www.sdms.org

The North Carolina Ultrasound Society (NCUS) is a state society representing

sonographers. Its primary purposes are like the SDMS in that it advances the
development of personnel involved in the diagnostic application of ultrasound in health
care by “providing an opportunity for continuing education to personnel involved in the
diagnostic application of ultrasound in health care and operates exclusively for
education and scientific purposes as a non-profit society@.

NCUS
Central Office
P.O. Box 335
Colfax, NC 27235
Phone: (336) 310-3975
Fax: (336) 996-9409
Web: www.ncus.org

The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), is a

multidisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing the art and science of
ultrasound in medicine and research through its educational, scientific, literary
and professional activities.

American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine(AIUM)

14750 Sweitzer Lane, Suite 100
Laurel, MD 20707-5906
Phone: (800) 638-5352
Fax: (301) 498-4450
Web: www.aium.org

36 | P a g e
Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU) represents vascular technologists, vascular
surgeons, vascular lab managers, nurses, and other allied medical ultrasound
professionals. Since it’s founding in 1977, SVU has been dedicated to the
advancement of noninvasive vascular technology used in the diagnosis of vascular
disease, through education programs, publications, and certification.

Society for Vascular Ultrasound

4601 President’s Drive, Ste 260
Lanham, MD 20706-4831
Phone: (301) 459-7550
Fax: (301) 459-5651
Web: www.svunet.org

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To Whom It May Concern:

__________________________ is a full-time student enrolled in the sonography program at

Forsyth Technical Community College. Please accept their application for student membership.

The student is scheduled to graduate on the following date:

Month:___________ Day:________ Year:_________

If there are any questions regarding this, then please feel free to contact me using the information
below.

Cordially yours,

John B. Cassell, RTR, RDMS, RVT, A.A.S.

Medical Sonography and Cardiovascular Sonography Program Coordinator
Forsyth Technical Community College
2100 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Phone: (336) 734-7430
Email: jcassell@forsythtech.edu

38 | P a g e
 Professionalism and Ethics
Each student has an obligation to conduct and presentation which honors the
profession of Sonography in both their personal and professional activities. Through
adherence to moral standards and ethical practices the student will make their greatest
contribution to society, the profession and to their fellow members within the profession.

Code of Professional Conduct

For Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
This includes all professions of sonography (Cardiac, Vascular, OB/GYN, and
Abdominal).

The code of Professional Conduct of the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography

(SDMS) is a statement of the high standards of conduct toward which sonographers are
committed to strive. Sonographers, as members of a health care profession,
acknowledge their responsibilities to their parents, to other health care professionals,
and to each other.

I. Sonographers shall act in the best interests of the patient.

II. Sonographers shall provide sonographic services with compassion, respect for
human dignity, honesty, and integrity.
III. Sonographers shall respect the patient’s right to privacy, safeguarding
confidential information within the constraints of the law.
IV. Sonographers shall maintain competence in their field.
V. Sonographers shall assume responsibility for their actions.

39 | P a g e
 Code of Ethics for the Profession of Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Approved by SDMS Board of Directors, September 29, 2004

PREAMBLE

The goal of this code of ethics is to promote excellence in patient care by fostering
responsibility and accountability among diagnostic medical sonographers. In so doing,
the integrity of the profession of diagnostic medical sonography will be maintained.

OBJECTIVES

To create and encourage an environment where professional and ethical issues are
discussed and addressed. To help the individual practitioner identify ethical issues. To
provide guidelines for individual practitioners regarding ethical behavior.

PRINCIPLES

Principle I: In order to promote patient well-being, the diagnostic medical

sonographer shall:

A. Provide information to the patient about the purpose, risks, and benefits of the
ultrasound procedure and respond to the patient's questions and concerns.

B. Respect the patient's autonomy and the right to refuse the procedure.

C. Recognize the patient's individuality and provide care in a non-judgmental and non-
discriminatory manner.

D. Promote the privacy, dignity and comfort of the patient (relatives and significant
others) by thoroughly explaining procedure protocols and implementing proper draping
techniques.

E. Protect confidentiality of acquired patient information.

F. Strive to ensure patient safety.

Principle II: To promote the highest level of competent practice, diagnostic

medical sonographers shall:

A. Obtain appropriate ultrasound education and clinical skills to ensure competence.

B. Achieve and maintain specialty specific ultrasound credentials. Ultrasound

credentials must be awarded by a national sonography credentialing body recognized
by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) Board of Directors.

40 | P a g e
C. Uphold professional standards by adhering to defined technical protocols and
diagnostic criteria established by peer review.

D. Acknowledge personal and legal limits, practice within the defined scope of practice,
and assume responsibility for his/her actions.

E. Maintain continued competence through continuing education and/or recertification.

F. Perform only medically indicated studies, ordered by a physician or their designated

health care provider.

G. Protect patients and/or study subjects by adhering to oversight and approval of

investigational procedures, including documented informed consent.

H. Refrain from the use of any substances that may alter judgment or skill and thereby
compromise patient care.

I. Be accountable and participate in regular assessment and review of equipment,

procedures, protocols, and results.

Principle III: To promote professional integrity and public trust, the diagnostic
medical sonographer shall:
A. Be truthful and promote appropriate and timely communications with patients,
colleagues, and the public.

B. Respect the rights of patients, colleagues, the public and yourself.

C. Avoid conflicts of interest and situations that exploit others or misrepresent

information.

D. Accurately represent his/her level of competence, education and certification.

E. Promote equitable care.

F. Collaborate with professional colleagues to create an environment that promotes

communication and respect.

G. Recognize that well-intentioned healthcare providers can find themselves in ethical

dilemmas; communicate and collaborate with others in resolving ethical practice. Report
deviations from the SDMS Code of Ethics for the Profession of Diagnostic Medical
Sonography to supervisors, so that they may be addressed according to local policy and
procedures.

H. Engage in ethical billing practices.

I. Engage only in legal arrangements in the medical industry.

41 | P a g e
 Academic Etiquette
or,

The Medical Sonography Student’s Guide to

Surviving the Classroom
or,

How Not to Annoy Your Instructors So They

Won't Silently Curse You in Their Hearts

or,

Let's Play "Whose Cellphone is Going Off

Now?"
Academic Etiquette: (ak' a dem' ik et' i ket') n. phr. 1. Nearly archaic. Accepted
conventions for appropriate conduct in a classroom. Examples of usage: "Whatever
happened to academic etiquette?" "You mean, like, wasn't that a New Wave alternative
band in the 80s?" Serious efforts to reintroduce students to this basic concept are
underway.

In the last decade, classroom etiquette has been harder to find than bipartisan
healthcare reform. It's not a problem confined to Forsyth Tech. Students in colleges all
across the nation often cannot identify basic breaches of classroom and academic
etiquette even when given quizzes about it. Attitudes toward learning and the classroom
have been changing. Given these problems, teachers say enough is enough.
The time has come to explain some basic expectations in our classes and the reasons
for those expectations. Besides, if bell-bottom jeans and tie-dye t-shirts can make
comebacks from the days of yesteryear, so can that old concept, "academic etiquette."

Academic etiquette is similar to social etiquette (i.e., politeness), but it goes beyond
saying "thank you" and "please," and calling your instructor "Mister or Miss" rather than
"Dude.". Reading this will prepare you for situations you may be finding yourself in for
the first time, but situations with which teachers have a great deal of experience. Sad to
say, much of that experience has been negative in recent years. These techniques and
42 | P a g e
guidelines are designed to make our mutual encounters as pleasant and productive as
possible. After all, we teachers and students will be spending a lot of time together in
the next two years. It will benefit us both not to waste that time
on rancor and ill feeling.

Like Miss Manners, that queen of custom, this guidebook uses question-and-answer
format under general topic headings. You can sort through them and locate the sort of
questions you are most likely to need answered.

Class Attendance:
Q: Because of some personal problems, I've missed three practicum (clinical) days
early in the semester. Things are better and now I'm back, but when I asked the
instructor what I missed, he told me that he has a course absence policy that only
allows two absences and I'm already "over the limit," and thus I can't receive a passing
grade for the course. He says he put this in the course syllabus, but I don't remember it.
And isn't the college's policy that I can continue with my classes as long as I haven’t
missed more than 3 practicum days.

A: Forsyth Tech’s attendance policy is as follows:

Forsyth Tech regards class lectures, demonstrations and other in-class experiences as
vital ingredients of the educational process. For this reason, students are expected to
attend and arrive on time to all class, laboratory, shop, practicum, cooperative education
worksites and clinical experience sessions. Students are responsible for accounting to
their instructors for any absence and should report to their instructors following any
absence to determine if and when work may be made up. Habitual tardiness may, at
the discretion of the instructor, be considered in computing attendance.

Students must satisfy the instructor that they should be permitted to remain in a course
and attend classes after incurring absences in excess of the following:

1. five hours of class,

2. three practicum (shop, laboratory or clinical experience) sessions that meet for
two or more hours, or
3. three hours of class and one practicum (shop, laboratory or clinical experience)
session that meets for two or more hours.

When students are absent from a class and a practicum (shop, laboratory, clinical
experience) session that meets consecutively, each session missed will be counted as
an absence.

Special attendance rules, different from those listed above, must be noted in the
instructor’s attendance policy included on the course syllabus. Students with
questions or concerns should consult with their instructor.

This clause “special attendance rules different from those listed above…must be
included in the course syllabus” allows instructors to tailor attendance requirements to

43 | P a g e
their individual courses. Instructors may (and often do) have stringent requirements.
For instance, a teacher might choose to automatically fail a student in the class for
exceeding a set number of absences.

Q: I promised not to miss any more classes, but the instructor doesn't seem to care.
What's it to her anyway? After all, I'm paying for the class whether I'm there or not.
Since I'm paying the money, shouldn't attendance be my decision and not hers? If I can
do the work, what difference does it make whether I'm there or not?

A: You are an adult, and, yes, the decision to attend class is yours. Teachers know that
emergencies crop up. They crop up for teachers as well. Such emergencies sometimes
require us to cancel a class--or even two--in a single year. Yet the fact that courses cost
money and someone has to pay does not give you the right to perform outside the
accepted classroom norms on a regular basis. (Just because you pay for a
plane ticket doesn't mean it's your right to ask the stewardesses to open the hatch so
you can jump out of a 747 in the middle of a flight, after all.)

Keeping attendance involves time-consuming clerking. It produces exactly what

teachers don't want to mess with--excuses and unpleasant penalties. It would be far
easier for us simply not to deal with the issue. But when we don't have an attendance
policy, class attendance goes down. Clearly you can't learn what the teacher covers if
you aren't in class. An attendance policy forces you to come to class, and it
forces you to learn more. Therefore, teachers use attendance policies. A school isn't
like a McDonalds restaurant, and teachers aren't like fast food. College isn't a place in
which you are customers buying food, and you can choose whether or not you want to
eat it. While it may make no difference to fast food workers whether or not you eat the
provided food (they get paid either way, and don't care about you or your success in
life), it makes a real difference to teachers. We aren't paid just to provide an education
you can ignore; we are paid to make sure you actually are educated, that you actually
are mastering classroom materials to enrich you intellectually. If we didn't care about
that, we wouldn't go through the hassle of attendance.

Q: "But I can get notes from other students if I miss class, and I can read the materials
on my own time! Why do teachers throw a snit over one missing student at a lecture?"

A: In an emergency, having someone take notes during your absence is better than
nothing. Intelligent students take the time to introduce themselves to one or two
students in the class and swap phone numbers, so that if an emergency happens, they
have a partner or two to take notes for them or turn in
assignments, pick up copies of handouts, and so on. This technique isn't a cure-all,
unfortunately. First, you are depending on a friend or acquaintance to take good notes
and not miss any important details. That is not always a smart idea. Second, no set of
notes, no matter how exhaustive, can duplicate the classroom experience. The best
learning takes place in the space between teacher and students. (Otherwise, colleges
would simply require students to pay $20,000 for a library card and not worry about
having classes at all.)

44 | P a g e
Third, most of our classes are not just lecture. In-class assignments, visual
demonstrations, and small group discussions cannot be duplicated. Fourth, you and the
other students are necessary; you make the intellectual juices flow. You raise pertinent
points and respond to other students' ideas. If you don't attend class, not only have you
missed out on all the ideas other students bring up, but your classmates have
missed out too. They have been robbed of your potentially good ideas and questions.
That isn't fair to them.

If you are not in class, we assume that you made that choice. (Again, we understand
that sometimes you are forced not to come to class because of circumstances beyond
your control.) We assume that somewhere in the early part of the morning, you--
perhaps a bit sleepy, tired, depressed, stuffed up, or whatever--said to yourself or your
roommate: "I am not going to go to class today." We know this because we overhear
students saying this sentence to their friends literally every day in the hallways and
parking lots. (One colleague of mine claimed he heard the phrase three times in the
space of walking from the third floor of Green Hall to the Allman Building.)

If you are a student making that choice, you should accept the repercussions. Do not
offer a lie, a distorted fact, or any other fabrication thinking that it will (1) lessen the
standard penalties or (2) lessen our disappointment.

As far as we are concerned, almost no excuse is valid (except actual medical

emergencies) for missing a class. You can make appointments at some other time, you
can meet with friends or family at other times, you can shop at some other time, you can
register at some other time. All of this goes back to the implicit contract between us. We
promise to be in class; so do you. You should keep Woody Allen's quotation in
mind: "Ninety percent of success in life is just showing up."

Punctuality
Q: I'm just about fed up. I live in Concord, and I have to commute for an hour drive to
get on campus. By the time I arrive, there are no parking spots by the building, and I
have to park on the other side of campus, and that always makes me late for class.
Lately, my instructor has been giving me displeased looks when
I walk in. Why is he blaming me for being late? It's not my fault it's such a long drive to
campus.

A. Yes, commutes are bedeviling, aren't they? Driving can be a sincere pain. We
imagine though, that your instructor is giving you displeased looks because he's
wondering the same thing we're wondering: if you know the commute is
long and that parking is difficult, why not leave earlier? If you are late once (maybe
twice?) over the course of a term, sometimes that can't be helped. The polite way to
handle this faux pas is to slip in as quietly and quickly as possible, taking the seat
nearest to the door, and apologize after class is over. Such politeness, however, loses
its impact if it happens several times over the course of the semester. Then, the
apology takes on a different cast; it looks smarmy and insincere. Being late regularly
signals to the instructor that you don't treat the class as seriously as whatever it is that

45 | P a g e
you were doing that made you late. It suggests that whatever you were doing is worth
regularly interrupting his class. You don’t want to create that impression. Leave twenty
minutes earlier and you will arrive on time, and your teachers will smile upon you.

Q. But wait! I'm not just watching Jerry Springer re-runs; I'm coming in from work. I can't
just leave twenty minutes earlier! I'll lose my job. Surely that's different!

A. In response, we would ask you a question: if you knew you couldn't get to class on
time, why did you sign up for it? For that matter, why did you sign up for a program
when you knew that driving distance or work hours could become an issue?"I thought I
could," you say, "it's the parking/traffic jam/road block/etc. I didn't figure on." When you
do arrive late, if the classroom door is locked DO NOT KNOCK ON THE DOOR! This
interrupts the class. First when you knock on the door, the instructor gets distracted
then someone has to stop what they are doing, walk over to the door and open it. Then
we have to listen to you rustling around with your coat, unzipping your bags, etc. Very
annoying! For this reason, you should wait until the next available break to enter the
classroom. This may require you to remain quietly outside in the hallway.

Classroom attendance habits are a good predictor for how a student will behave as an
employee. Students who are routinely late, or who miss classes regularly tend to
exhibit the same behavior when they become employed. Did you know that potential
employers ask us about your attendance and tardies? Your professionalism as a
student will only help you out later on when you start applying for jobs.

Similar logic applies, by the way, to leaving the class while it is in session. We
understand that sometimes nature calls at awkward times--that sometimes you must
leave class and obey your bladder. Sometimes, even illness might overtake you.
However, we think of these as unusual occurrences. Cigarette "emergencies" do not
count. Once or twice a semester, you might be brought up short and have to leave.
Fair enough. We understand. And we appreciate your efforts not to disrupt class when
you go. We notice how you leave, and how careful you are to shut the door gently and
avoid blocking other students' view of the blackboard or overheads. We notice every
time you leave. We notice how long you're gone. We notice if you're carrying food. (Yes,
we will note if students leave "to go to the bathroom" and return with sandwiches from
Subway.) And we're not the only ones who notice. Other students actually complain to
us in private and/or make disparaging remarks about those "slackers" who regularly
skip out and distract them.

Furthermore, if you're leaving during class every week, whether we say anything or not,
we are not happy about it. In fact, most of us probably don't say anything to you
because to do so would disrupt the class even more. But ask yourself, how many times
has your professor excused herself in the middle of class? Our longest classes are two-
and-three hours long. Some teachers may provide a break in the middle of those long
classes, but not all of us do. Unless you have a medical condition that requires
precisely timed medication, we suggest that part of a responsible student's class
preparation is taking care of physical needs before class begins (especially on

46 | P a g e
examination days). Then, get as comfortable as you can in that little desk and tough it
out. We might not actually thank you for it. We might not even notice
this invisible sacrifice your bladder has made for the classroom's tranquility. We can,
however, assure you that you won't be subject to disapproving stares and sniggering
student comments.

Q: One professor told his class never to bring cell phones to class--even if they are
turned off. Why are cell phones forbidden? Why can't I just set them to "vibrate" rather
than "ring" and take the phone call quietly in the back of the room?

A: Some people have never heard that carrying cell phones into classes (or churches,
or theaters) is a breach of good manners. Cell phones ringing in class is another faux
pas. Perhaps you feel you need an exception to this rule. (Say, your child is at home
with a fever; you told the babysitter to call if it goes above 101°.) If so, tell us. Ask if it
would be acceptable to leave the phone on. Beyond such emergencies,
few good reasons require bringing a cell-phone to class. Calls from your last hot date,
your stockbroker, agent, or bookie don't count as emergencies. Even "vibrate" can be
distracting when that student on the third row suddenly leaps up in response to the
unseen buzz. And that silent "vibrate" mode isn't so silent when the cell phone is resting
against materials in a backpack or against the side of a metal furniture bar.
Finally, human beings make mistakes. You might intend to set it to vibrate, or you might
even intend to turn it off before you enter the classroom. In spite of those intentions,
students sometimes forget. Then the phone rings. Then class is disrupted. Then
etiquette is broken. It's far better not to bring the devices at all.
If you normally carry a cell phone for roadside emergencies, lock it in the dashboard of
your car at the beginning of the school day. That way, you will still have it for the
emergency, but you won't violate rules of etiquette.

Rose By Any Other Name:

Q: I saw Bonnie Pope (Dean of Health Technologies) in the elevator, and she was
dressed really well. I told her, "Hey Bonnie! Aren't you 'Miss Thang' all dressed up!" She
turned up her nose and said, "That's 'Dr. Thang' to you, young lady." She was joking a
bit, but I think she was also a little bit offended. What's up with that, Doc? I'm just trying
to be friendly.

A: In the infamous words of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies, "That's Doctor Evil. I
didn't go to Evil School for eight years to be called Mister Evil." After spending four
years in undergraduate school, two years earning a M.A., and five to eight more years
earning a Ph.D., many instructors treasure those academic titles. For whatever reason,
many female instructors have a particularly hard time getting students to use the right
titles in reference to them. One of the small perks of academic occupations is the
right to use and insist upon respectful use of our academic designation, so we do.

In a democratic society, differences in rank are easy to overlook--especially for students

fresh out of high school who are in the habit of referring to all their instructors as "Mrs.
so-and-so," or "Coach so-and-so."

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That doesn't prepare students for distinguishing between "Dr. so-and-so" and "Professor
so-and-so." Taking the time to learn the distinctions in academic rank, and using the
right title is not only respectful, it suggests a degree of intelligence on any particular
student's part since she is familiar with such conventions.

The academic world has a variety of ranks beyond the B.A., the M.F.A., the M.A., and
the Ph.D. Your teacher may hold the rank of instructor, lecturer, assistant professor,
associate professor, professor, or professor emeritus in addition to the general title of
"doctor." The correct title is "doctor" if your teacher has a Ph.D., or "professor" if your
teacher has any academic rank above the level of "instructor." Teachers who hold an
MFA degree or who have the rank of lecturer or instructor are politely referred to as
"Mr." or "Mrs." or "Ms." as they indicate in class, though it is permissible to refer to them
generically by the courtesy title of "professor," especially if you are uncertain about a
teacher's rank. It's better to compliment a person by using the more formal term than it
is to insult someone accidentally. The same holds true for nicknames like "doc" or
"prof." It is ill mannered to assume a level of familiarity that might make another
uncomfortable, and it leads to a chummy attitude that is off-putting for some instructors.

Some teachers like the informality of being on a first-name basis with their students.
That informality, however, is not the default setting for your discourse. Assume you
should use the formal title until the instructor specifically requests that you use his or her
first name.

Class Preparation
Q: I'm not the smartest student who ever lived, but I always work hard and I always try
to be prepared for class. Sometimes I'm up in the middle of the night getting the
homework done. Last week, when I was getting some coffee before my morning class,
another student told me I looked like a zombie. When I told her I had been up until 3:00
a.m. working, she laughed at me. She told me she waits for the instructor to go over the
answers, then just writes them down on the homework assignment. She always comes
to class and takes careful notes, but she just doesn't talk in class when she hasn't done
the homework. She figures the professor will go over the parts she hasn't read, and
she's able to save herself time and stress this way. I have to admit, she makes sense.
Why shouldn't I follow her lead? What does it matter if I've fallen behind or skip a
reading or two?

A: We'll be taking the moral high ground here, thank you very much. For us, one of the
most difficult aspects of teaching is when students clearly have not prepared for the
class. First, it has a profound impact on our courses. Haven't you sat through classes
where every remark or question the professor makes is greeted with stony silence?
Does it make you uncomfortable? Does it make the class boring? For you?
For all the other students? Now put yourself in the teacher's shoes, and imagine asking
questions to which no one responds. If you asked a teacher a question and wanted an
answer, wouldn't you find it rude if she just ignored you? If the teacher merely looked
embarrassed and said, "I didn't do the reading for today, so I can't answer that"?

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As teachers, we know that not all classes will be perfect ones. We know that some days
we are "on" and doing a great job with the lecture, and some days we are "off" and the
class is stumbling. (Heck, we've sat in some classes ourselves where we thought the
professor was lucky she didn't have to face anything worse than silence.) We don't
always blame bad classes on students. Even when we do realize that lack of
preparation on your part has sunk a particular class, we're experienced enough to put a
class's reactions in perspective. But if you assume that teachers don't care, you
misjudge our commitment to your education and to the material we teach. We want you
to learn, and failure to read and complete assignments does not help learning.

So when your friend argues that we will explain the important bits of the assignment
anyway if she doesn't have time to read them, we have to wonder if she understands
what we all (both teachers and students) are trying to do in a class. We wonder if she
considers what effect her decision will have on the class in terms of discussion and
ideas.

First of all, reading sonography textbooks is sort of like "wrestling" with a text. This
phrase means that extracting knowledge and understanding from it is hard work. It calls
for flat-out effort. Many of you have told us reading this material and interpreting it
doesn't come easily for you. In spite of our experience, neither does it come easily for
us. We struggle just as you do. Think of the number of times you've seen us working out
some interpretive angle we haven't prepared for--some idea a student raises
that we didn't even imagine before entering the class. These moments, while exciting,
often mean a lot of spontaneous brainwork--which we have to articulate on the spot
without preparation. We stumble. We misspeak. We start over. We don't always come
up with the perfect comment or bon mot. Some of our ideas may lead to dead ends.
Some of our observations and interpretations remain half-formed or
unresolved when class ends. We don't always quite arrive where wanted. We don't
always say what needs to be said. Given our mutual struggles as well as the average
time in a single class or semester, we are lucky to succeed at our interpretive wrestling
at all. The more students have read this material and thought about it, the more brains
we have working on the problem. The more brains we have working on the problem, the
more likely it is that one of us (and not necessarily the teacher) will come up with that
bon mot, that witty insight, that clever interpretation that dazzles the entire room. The
more you are prepared, the more the class as a whole (and not just you) will enjoy and
engage the material. The more you enjoy the material, the more you learn. The more
you learn, the more value you will get for your tuition. It becomes more likely the class
will matter to you, rather than turn into fifty minutes of stammering and silence.

Working with texts is not easy. We have little time, and even with the time we have, we
might not get all the work done. That is why we require and insist that you prepare for
class. It is also why those of you who don't prepare never get the point, never make the
literature yours by putting your own original twist on it, and never really understand the
magic. At best, you might understand it in a distant, general, and theoretical sense
because we teachers have described our struggle, our wrestling, our interpretation of
the literature. But that isn't your struggle; it is ours alone. If it isn't yours, you won't get

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the point.. Letting us tell you about the text is like having someone else learn a foreign
language for you. It's the easy way to go about it, but it can't compare with learning it
yourself and speaking face-to-face without an interpreter.

Whether you are really in class to learn or not, we have to proceed on the assumption
that you are there to learn--and you can't learn from the readings if you aren't actually
reading.

Meeting with the Professor (Part I)

Q: I'm having some trouble in Sonographic Physics, and Professor Cassell told me he
would meet with me to give me some help. But every time I go to his office, he's not
there. I'm in class during all ten of his posted office hours. Surely he's in his office more
often than that. I'm not sure what to do.

A: Have you told him you can't make his office hours? Have you tried to set up a time
that's agreeable to both of you? You're right; most of us do more work than our office
hours indicate, but often our work involves research in the library, photocopying
materials, having discussions with colleagues, attending meetings, and so on. We post
office hours so you will be guaranteed a time to find us when we aren't
wandering elsewhere on campus on various errands.

We might have to cancel office hours if we are called to a conference with the
department head, a faculty convocation, or for other legitimate reasons (we usually post
a notice on the door to indicate what's keeping us elsewhere, where we are so you can
find us, or when we will return). If you come by during office hours, and we aren't in,
leave a message saying that you were there and that you will return at a
certain time, or that you will phone us, or e-mail us, or see us in class. None of us
makes a habit of skipping our office hours. Even if we weren't motivated by the hope
that an actual student will come in to chat, we would be motivated by our department
chair's rebuke if we abandoned our office regularly!

That point being noted, remember that we may be off campus on those days when we
don't teach. It is a bit unfair to blame us for not being in our offices on days when we
don't teach or have posted office hours. It would be like us blaming you for not being at
school when you are on vacation. If you really can't find us outside of class, corner us in
class and pin us down for a meeting time. You know we'll be there.

Meeting with a Professor (Part II)

Q: I was absent on Thursday, and I missed getting an assignment in Professor Howell’s
Obstetrical Sonography class. I like to get to work on these assignments immediately,
so I called her office Friday afternoon to find out what the assignment was. I got her
voicemail and left a message asking her to call me back and read the assignment to me
over the phone or meet me later in the day to get me a hardcopy.
She didn't. How am I supposed to know what to do if she won't tell me?

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A: Gentle reader, we will tell you right now that Professor Howell will not call you and
dictate the entire assignment to you over the phone, no more than she will arrange to
drive by your apartment and personally drop off a copy to you. Nor, if you had called me
with such a request, would I call you back as a matter of principle. Why not?

You are calling to ask for a favor. She did not fail to show up in class and fail to pass out
the paper to the class. You failed to show up and get it. She doesn't need anything from
you. You need something from her. Intelligent students understand that power dynamic;
the situation indicates it is your responsibility to go out of your way and get in touch with
her. She should not have to go out of her way to track you down just so she can do you
a favor. This applies not simply to missed assignments, of course, or simply to
Professor Howell. All of us receive notes and voicemails asking us to call students who
wish to get into a closed class, from students who need a deadline extended and want
us to call them and arrange it, from
students who need some information that only we can provide, but who think they
should not have to show up on campus and find our offices or go out of their way in the
least to get it. We simply do not understand this logic. It's pretty darn nervy.

As a contrast, suppose you ask your friend Joey in Knoxville to loan you some money.
Would you subsequently ask that same friend to drive down to Forsyth Tech to hand
deliver it to you at eight o'clock at night because you don't want to go to trouble of
driving up there? Would you ask him to handle all the arrangements to get the money to
you and track you down on his own time? By all the bright stars in heaven, no! If you
had the nerve to ask the friend for money, you would probably go out of your way
to drive up there yourself, ask him in person, and make it as convenient as possible for
that kind soul. He's the one doing you the favor, so you should make it easy for him, not
the other way around. The same general principle applies to students when they ask
teachers for a favor. That's good manners. Track down Ms. Howell at her office during
her office hours. Don't expect her to track you down, much less take a half hour to
dictate an assignment to you over the phone.

We do understand, though, that sometimes your schedule and ours don't mesh well.
Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts to contact us, you can't reach us. It happens. I
know one professor has a rule. If a student has made a good faith effort to reach her--
which she even defines as three phone calls or a combination of phone and e-mail
messages--she will indeed call back. Some of us even like to get this business out of
the way and will call back without such prompting. But here's the rule of etiquette. When
you call, state what it is that you need and indicate that you will try again to reach the
professor, but if (please note the emphasis on if) the professor would like to contact you
herself, she can reach you at the following phone number. That's covering all the bases
and being polite at the same time.

E-mail should theoretically make some of these issues moot. Just don't be so rude as to
demand an immediate response. Likewise, intelligent students trade their own names
and e-mail addresses/phone numbers with one or two other students in each class, and
arrange to copy handouts or assignments from the other students' materials in a pinch.

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If you do that, you will only need to rely on the teacher for clarification. (And again,
observe the rules stated above.)

The Workload
Q:. This semester, I'm taking Professor Pharr’s Vascular Sonography course and two
other senior-level courses, --and I'm dying. I can't believe how much material there is to
cover in those three classes! I can't believe how tough the Exams are and the scanning
labs are just murder! I can’t believe how long it takes to read and study the materials
for these courses. I constantly have papers or projects due, so I'm always in the library.
If I'm not there, I'm at home reading. If I'm not reading, I'm writing. Between those
classes and my fulltime job at Ruby Tuesday's, I barely have time to sleep or eat. Don't
you professors realize that your class is not the only class we're taking? How can you all
require so much work and expect us to do it well?

A: We hear frequent complaints about the work our courses demand--even from those
students who take what we consider manageable loads. Complaining about the
workload is nothing new. We did it when we were students--though we rarely (or never)
mentioned it aloud to our professors. Do we discuss the amount of work we ask you to
do with other teachers and supervisors? Yes. Do we adjust the amount
of work that we ask you to do as a result of these discussions? Sometimes. Are we
flexible in setting due dates? Usually. Actually, if you must know, according to education
studies of colleges across America, during the past four decades we have reduced the
amount of work you do.

We know that you are busy. How could you not be? We know that most of you are
juggling college and a job. In the days of yesteryear, the faculty here also had part-time
jobs while they went to school. (Yes, we know that some of you work full-time; we are
concerned about that fact.) Despite our common experience, we feel that standard
priorities have reversed themselves. Many students today no longer live
on campus, nor do they work on campus, so they don't center their lives on being here.
Instead, many must drive an hour to get here and, as soon as classes are over, they
drive back to where a job is. Students then must work (hard) at that job until the next
morning when they drive down again.

What we are getting at here is that we know students (usually) are not lazy slackers. We
know that many of you have heavy responsibilities in the outside world; we believe that
you usually make every effort to meet our assignments and deadlines. Yet we hear a
constant litany of lamentation concerning the workload. That complaint results from two
incompatible goals: you want to get out of here with a respectable degree as soon as
you can so you can work at a high-paying job. We want you to graduate with a
respectable degree as soon as you have finished the work. You focus on yourself as a
future worker. We focus on you as a current student.

We will continue to push you to work hard because that is the nature of our job. To be
honest, I admit it is also our delight. Teachers like setting the bar high and see students
grow and rise to the challenge. That is not going to change. When faced with

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unchanging circumstances, wise students put up with hardship by smiling and getting
on with the work, which isn't going away.

Academic Advising
Q: I had an advising appointment with Professor Cassell and I just totally forgot about it.
When I saw him in class the next day, I asked him if he would meet me after class, but
he said he couldn't; he had a departmental meeting. I'm supposed to register tomorrow
morning and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to take, and I'm afraid the stuff I
need will fill up and be closed if I don't get in now.

A: O glorious day! You managed to address two of our most basic complaints about the
etiquette of academic advising in one fell swoop! These are (1) students who do not
show up for appointments and (2) students who are not prepared for advising sessions.

The first point would be self-explanatory. We are annoyed when students make
appointments and then don't show up. It is good manners to call and let us know that
you are not going to make it. That prevents us from sitting around for a half-hour waiting
for you. It also opens a scheduling slot where we can fit in other students if we know
you can't make the meeting. If you are unable to cancel in advance, at least
have the good grace to send us a brief personal or written apology and pretend to be
sheepish about the offense. (The key word is an apology--not an excuse justifying the
cancellation.) We do care if you keep appointments. Don't you?

The second complaint is more serious. While we are happy to say that most of you
come in with well-planned schedules, knowing exactly what you need to take to
graduate, and simply wish to double-check it with us and get our signatures, we are still
surprised at the number of you who are completely unprepared for meeting with an
advisor. Too many students, in our opinion, are unaware of the college requirements.
We are always a bit startled by this because you (or your parents, or some scholarship
committee) spent considerable funding for this education. Would you, for example,
spend $20,000 on a car without bothering to check out the various deals, the available
factory options, and safety features of that car? Would you in good conscience make
such a purchase without making sure it was suitable for your needs? I suspect that
some of students weigh their options far more carefully when spending $50 on
CDs, groceries, or clothes than they do on "buying" or selecting courses over a
semester.

The college requires a good deal of clerking, i.e., filling out forms and paperwork.
Advising students has more than its share of this onerous burden. It is the student's
responsibility to make sure that the forms are completed, to verify that transfer courses
meet college requirements, to check off those Gen Ed requirements, and to see that all
grades are listed correctly in the college records. In other words, you must do a large
chunk of academic planning on your own. We are here to answer questions, to give
advice, to offer alternatives, to smooth the way, to open doors, to negotiate with the
administration, or to let you vent when events run awry. But advisors are not your

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clerks, your servants, or your guarantee that you will graduate. It would be foolish to
behave as if we were.

Academic Honesty

Q: I was taking a mid-term last week--I had studied hard for it--and as I took a break
from writing an essay, I noticed a guy in front of me getting answers from his next-door
neighbor. Cheating, I thought, is a bad thing to do. But then I got to thinking. We're
taught to question authority, aren't we? Okay, Dr. Authority Figure, explain what's wrong
with taking a quick peek during a test when you have a temporary
brain cramp? And while you're on the subject, tell me why faculty members have such
tantrums about plagiarism?

A: Cheating and plagiarism equal stealing. You absolutely need to understand that.
What's wrong with stealing in an academic setting? To begin, let us suggest that there is
a kind of implicit contract in a teacher/student relationship. The instructor's side of the
contract reads: "When you enroll in this course, I promise to teach you the following
things: [the teacher inserts a list of facts, ideas, or skills appropriate to that particular
class here]." The student's side of the contract reads: "When I enroll in this course, I
promise to complete all of the required work, to read all the assigned materials, to
attend all the classes, to participate in class [and so on]." Both sides assume that what
information you get in the course will either be the teacher's own or will be identified as
coming from someone else, and the student's work will be the student's own or it will be
identified as someone else's.

Cheating on a test or plagiarizing in an essay breaks this agreement. The teacher has
agreed to look at your work, to evaluate your ideas, not recycled garbage from
www.schoolstinks.com. In the same way, Doctor Wood cannot bring in a random janitor
to class and have him give the lectures. That would be neglecting his responsibility in
the contract. He's agreed to be the one teaching you. In the same way, you've agreed to
do the assignments.

Certain questions and comments arise time and again when we discuss plagiarism:
• "I understand I have to quote something an author said, but do I have to insert citation
for an idea?"
• "I found this on the Internet. Do I have to quote it?"
• "I read a lot of books for this paper. I can't remember exactly where I found this idea."
• "Wheeler makes us quote everything and add a Works Cited page but Drewitz –
Crocket isn't as concerned about a Works Cited page if the homework is written in
response to a single essay without secondary sources."

Here's the quick response: keep track of your sources and give proper citation for direct
quotations, putting those direct quotations in quotation marks or indented block format if
the quotation is four or more lines long. If you quote somebody who is quoting
somebody else, add a note explaining that the material is an indirect quotation. If you
borrow somebody else's ideas, summarize somebody else's

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argument, or paraphrase an idea by stating it differently than the author did, you don't
need quotation marks or block quotations, but you do have to include a citation in
parentheses clearly showing where the material came from, and you do need a Works
Cited page. At all times, the reader should be able to see what ideas are yours and
what ideas are someone else's. For the long answer, read the MLA Handbook for
Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition, or review Writing at Carson-Newman. You
know you have done an adequate job of citing something if a stranger could pick up
your paper, read the citation and the Works Cited page, and go the library or website
and immediately find the exact quotation or citation, flipping to the exact book or journal
and the exact page number. If a stranger couldn't do that, you are missing information
you need to provide.

By the way, plagiarism is based on a strange (and incorrect) assumption about

teachers. It assumes that teachers don't read the books and articles available in the
library, that we don't have notes on them or remember them, that we never go online
and examine those websites offering "free" papers to students, that we don't know how
to use Google to search for phrases that appear in stolen papers, and that we can't
distinguish between a scholar's writing style and a student's writing style. It also
assumes that we don't remember your previous papers to compare with the one we're
grading now. Those are mighty dangerous assumptions, pilgrim.

The saddest aspect of all this is that plagiarism is a trap. Even assuming students get
away with it (and many no doubt do), those students will spend hours finding and
constructing a plagiarized paper rather than taking the same time to write it themselves.
Some are so desperate that they spend money buying an Internet paper rather than
working with us to write their own. Each time they do that, they miss an
opportunity to work on their own writing and improve. This is the real danger. Desperate
students know their writing skills are imperfect, and they fear getting a C or D or F on
their papers, so, they try plagiarizing. If they get away with it once, they are encouraged
to try it again. After two or three years of plagiarized papers, the lack of writing causes
whatever grammatical skills they initially had to fade away.
Their ability to use verbal logic diminishes. Their skills at eloquence and rhetoric
gradually evaporate. Meanwhile, other honest F or D or C students are doing their own
writing, and they are getting better at it. They might not be experts getting A grades, but
each paper they write helps them improve a little bit more. After two or three years of
writing and working, they finally grow competent in their own abilities,
even if they fail one or two classes initially. The honest student blossoms all the
brighter. The plagiarist wilts all the worse. It's a crippling cycle for the plagiarist both
psychologically and academically.

Skillful writing can be a painful process, as we know. It's time-consuming, as we know.

But it's a worthwhile process and one that you will not master through stealing or other
shortcuts. Work hard on your essays, and do not fail to cite properly any information
taken from any source other than your own head.

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Plagiarism is destructive to student potential. It is violation of trust between student and
teacher. It forces teachers to fail and/or prosecute students who violate academic
ethics. That, gentle reader, is why faculty members have such tantrums about the
cheating. We don't want to see you throw your potential away. Also, keep in mind that
plagiarism applies not only to written papers, but to any project or presentation in which
you are presenting information that is not your original work.

Deadlines
Q: I'm a little ticked off! I work hard to make the money I spend on my courses. (Yes,
mom and dad kick in a chunk of change too, but it's my major, my classes, and it's
gonna be my diploma.) As you know, on top of work stress, school is pretty darn
stressful too. Sometimes with my busy schedule, and with the necessary sanity time to
live a little on the weekends, it can be hard to finish assignments the exact
nanosecond my teachers want them done. I do my assignments, don't get me wrong,
but sometimes I need a little extra time--just a day or so. Why do the teachers act like
it's some favor when they accept late assignments? Why do some not accept them at
all, even if it sends my grade in the toilet?

A: Aha! So you are trying to have a life outside of school! That's your problem right
there. Kidding aside, we understand that sometimes it's hard to get things in when
they're due despite your diligence. Again, we know life can be unpredictable. Cars break
down. Hard drives crash. Children grow ill. Bosses demand overtime. We know these
things happen. Believe us, we hear a fairly constant litany of excuses good and bad
each week. What can we say? Deadlines are a fact of life; all of us have them.
What do we say? That depends upon the teacher's policies and when and how you
present your particular deadline dilemma. But before we get to that, a little about what
the deadlines mean to us.

The faculty insists on deadlines because papers, assignments, and tests "mark off" the
term's work. Our responsibility is to see that students have achieved a certain level of
knowledge and experience in the course. Papers, assignments. And tests reveal that
level. Students also can use papers, assignments, and tests to see how much they've
learned and whether they need to increase their efforts or alter their strategies.

Most of us set deadlines for the class but can be convinced--when the facts warrant it--
to extend the deadline for individuals. (We often need "extensions" ourselves when it
comes to grading that work. We get behind, too.) The problems arise when students
take advantage of such generosity. An extension of a deadline is not--contrary to
popular student mythology--normal or an inherent God-given right. Because
a particular teacher is merciful once and gives you an extension does not mean that
another teacher must, or even that the same teacher who gave you an extension before
will do so again in a later class. If you take an extension for granted or assume it is
coming, teachers feel used and taken advantage of. We feel that we gave you a
kindness, and now you've come to expect such things like Christmas presents. The
proper way to get an extension is to ask us in advance--say two or three days--for extra
time to complete the work. Asking for an extension on the day an assignment is due or

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the day before is blatantly admitting that you haven't worked on it (or even thought
about it) much before. That does not make us supportive.

Doubtlessly, the worst and rudest way is to slip a paper under our doors an hour (or a
week) late, or to show up a few class periods after the paper is due and then ask to turn
it in. That is a dead giveaway that you don't have a legitimate reason for an extension or
that you feel it's your "right" to turn it in late. Such behavior also does not make us feel
supportive.

We want to be fair about all of this, but we also must be fair to the students who do get
their work in on time. That's our number one concern. Our number two concern is
personal. In the case of our own work, if students don't turn in papers on time, it makes
it hard for us to schedule our own grading load, and it could theoretically make us late
for submitting progress reports and/or mid-term grades to our own supervisors. That
gets us into trouble. Why should we look kindly on your request if fulfilling it is going
to make our lives more difficult? Keep these points in mind and ask politely for
extensions the next time you have a good reason for one. We will try to be
understanding, but don't assume all teachers will give you one automatically (or even at
all).

Lies, Deceptions, and Depravity

Q: I am so furious! I was waiting for the Introduction to Sonography class to start when I
heard another student, who is also in the class with me, bragging about the fact that the
instructor had "bought" some bogus story about why he hadn't turned in the last paper.
Ms. Howell was handing them back and he went up to collect his, claiming he had
turned it in when it was due. She said she'd look for it, but he needed to print out
another copy. He was really proud at his cleverness. It just burns me up that he got
away with this. I'm half tempted to rat him out.

A: Alas, the impermissible Big Lie. We're not surprised you're angry. Such moral
depravity also infuriates us. Why, the sheer number of illnesses, dead relatives, and
court appearances we hear about every week would convince us we were all living in
some corner of Dante's Purgatory if we didn't believe at least some of these excuses
were fabricated. (One particularly uncreative student at another college told
me she had to attend her paternal grandmother's funeral . . . three different times . . . on
three different dates.) If you lack moral fiber and engage in deception, you had better
make sure your teachers don't find out, given that such deceit is listed under the College
Code of Conduct as prohibited behavior requiring disciplinary action.

In this case, the deception you recount is particularly galling because it puts the
professor at fault. Not only that, it might cause the professor to actually spend an hour
or so of her time looking for the nonexistent paper--time that might she might have
spent helping another student or preparing for class. The perpetrator has stolen a small
chunk of the teacher's life and prevented her from devoting that time to
other students--all merely to cover up his own vice. That is why it's impermissible.

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That being said, we'd actually urge against ratting this guy out. Interestingly, this type of
lie is the one most often found out, for several reasons. First, the offender, when
showing up to collect his missing paper, does not seem overly bothered by the fact it's
missing. He accepts the news that we don't seem to have it with nary a frown or a look
of panic. He also either misses the next class or attends and does not show up with the
paper, offering some story about not being able to find the disk or his computer's hard
drive crashing. Normally, students who have already finished the work look horrified and
surprised by the news we don't have the paper, and they rush immediately back to their
dorms, print out a new copy, and make sure it's in our hands in fifteen minutes. People
who have finished the work feel a sense of urgency in such a situation. Why? Because
they really did the work and they feel they deserve a grade for it, just like everyone else
who turned the paper in on time. Most of the folks who tell this lie are simply too
casual and slow about getting the work in. The principle is simple: lying is easy; writing
is hard. The liar has bought some time, but not much time. In fact, that paper often isn't
turned in until days after telling the initial lie. This is pretty much a sure giveaway.

Particularly foolish students--like the one you describe--brag about their misdeeds. Just
as Saint Augustine describes in the Confessions, some villains take pride in their vice
and boast as if were a virtue. Trust us, word does get around from other students as
well even if you don't want to be the one to rat him out. The teacher might not handle
the problem publicly and overtly, but the guilty party will suffer the consequences
eventually. One Shakespeare teacher I knew at West Texas A & M University would
never accuse a student of lying to his face--even if she had firm evidence. Instead, she
made a special point of, as she put it, "grading the hell out that student's papers and
tests," i.e., taking extra time to mark off points for i's that weren't dotted and t's that
weren't crossed, and often ensuring he would fail the class if the restof his work wasn't
near-perfect. Unfair? Possibly. Indirect and sneaky? Certainly. But so is lying.

The Sacred Syllabus

Q: I'm so confused. Professor Cassell handed out a syllabus at the beginning of the
semester, but in the past couple of weeks, he keeps changing it. He took off one test
story and added another. He changed a couple of due dates, too. He is giving us
warning a week in advance, and I haven't actually started any of the readings that got
changed, but it still makes me nervous. Why do professors hand out syllabi if they're
not going to follow them?

A: Actually, while some singular masculine Latin words ending in -us switch to an -i in
the plural, the word syllabus is from the Greek sittybos. If we wanted to get nitpicky, the
plural should be syllabuses rather than syllabi even though that variant now appears in
most dictionaries . . . but enough about that. The problem is a misunderstanding of
what a syllabus is. Many individuals argue that it has divine or legal status. The word,
however, only means "a brief tentative outline about the main points to be

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covered," as Webster's Dictionary puts it. The word doesn't mean "legal contract of
things to do at specific times." No one doubts that a syllabus is a helpful document, but
the faculty members know they are simply a tentative guideline, and there may be
inevitable changes as the course progresses.

Students often want to treat them as binding documents and use them against teachers
when it suits their purposes. If we don't mention x in the syllabus, they argue that we
cannot add x in the middle of the term. (For some reason, they don't complain about
those times teachers choose to remove an assignment or reading. Go figure it.) The
students will then go to administrators, claiming that this is "unfair." The insistence that
every requirement and in-class exercise be listed at the beginning of a course would
produce some strange results. What a syllabus is, then, is an inflexible flexible guideline
of absolutely-must-be-covered tentative assignments. Think about this, gentle reader.
Occasionally, a class needs extra time to master a concept before moving on, so the
teacher needs to juggle assignments to provide that time. Perhaps a spring snowfall
might cancel a day's classes. In other situations, a class might master something with
unusual speed, and the teacher then needs to move on to new material rather than
letting the class sit and stare at each other for a day or two. We might clearly need to
change a syllabus in the middle of a term when our plans don't work, but, on the other
hand, students want to list every possible contingency before the term starts. See the
problem?

Keep in mind that a syllabus is a general class outline, not a set of commandments
carved in stone by the finger of God. Teachers do, can, and should change them if
necessary.

Breaking Bread
Q: I have three classes in a row on MWF. I'm not hungry when I walk into my 9:55, but
by the time I get out of my third class at 1:50, I get so hungry I can't concentrate.
Between classes, I often grab a quick hotdog and chips and bring them to class.
Someone told me though this is rude. What's the policy on such matters?

A: Traditionally, eating in the classroom has been frowned upon. The idea is that, if a
speaker is going to all the trouble to prepare a lecture or a lesson, the polite thing for the
audience to do is give her its full attention. (This is also why it's rude to get up and throw
stuff away or sharpen your pencil in the middle of a class rather than at the end or at the
beginning.) Likewise, many professors feel that any sort of eating distracts from your
purpose. Thus, if you need a good breakfast, eat it before you get to class. Sometimes,
classes will pack up and go on field trips to the library, and food becomes a real
nuisance then. Other classes might meet in the computer lab, and then every drop of
soda pop and every crumb of bread potentially could damage the school's computers.
The Medical Sonography Program has not yet had a student destroy one of our $1,500
dollar computers by spilling food on it (to my knowledge). If you are the first to demolish
one of our machines in this way, it will be a
source of great shame.

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On the other hand, not all professors are bothered by food in a traditional classroom.
They know that busy days mean missing meals, that low blood sugar can play havoc
with your mental capacity, and that hunger might actually distract you while you're trying
to learn. These rare professors who don't mind snacks, however, usually draw the line
at full meals, snacks wrapped up in crinkling plastic, food that requires
distracting preparation, and anything that's overly noisy. Slurping on a straw is
downright distracting, and many students don't seem to realize how the rest of their
classmates are giving them dirty looks when they can't hear the lecture because of the
noise. The best course of action is to ask your teachers what their preferences are.

Personally, I prefer a no-food rule with one exception. When students enroll in an 8:00
a.m. class or a Late afternoon-class with me, I provide them with a special dispensation
to drink caffeinated beverages in class, as long as they are discrete about it. Not all
teachers, of course, agree with such a policy.

We do all agree, however, that civilized people clean up after themselves. We've all
walked into classrooms littered with empty cups, soda pop cans, and food wrappers.
Such items are relics of barbarism rather than academic virtue.

End of the Term

Q: I didn't say too much in Professor Cassell’s Sonographic Pathology class. I didn't do
too well on the early tests either, but I think I really figured out a good argument for my
final essay and my Powerpoint project, and I worked really hard on them. I was dying to
know what my grade was, so I left Professor Cassell a voicemail, but he didn't respond.
I know he'll see a big difference between this work and my
earlier efforts. I would think he would appreciate my desire to do well and take the time
to send me an e-mail message, wouldn't you?

A: Frankly, no. It always comes as a surprise when students who have never said much
in class demand their papers, returned and their rewrites graded as the last hours of the
term pass by. One of my colleagues at another school was plagued by a student's
request for her final grade point average the evening of the same day she took her final.
Students should be (and usually are) concerned about their grades, but asking
the question won't make them be graded any faster. If the grades are done, students
will get them the same time the rest of the class does. If they aren't done, asking won't
magically make them done.

Speaking for myself only, I don't mind students being curious about their grades early in
the course. I even don't mind (too much) when students send in dozens of inquiries
during the final week while I'm struggling to finish up the grading. I'm an exception,
however. In general, it's considered rude to ask about final grades unless you think
there is some sort of error involved. (Teachers are human, and we do make
errors.) If you have to ask, ask about them after they have been submitted to the
college. This is usually

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five to seven days after the last day of final examinations. It is most considerate to set
up an appointment and ask in person. (It shows you're taking time out of your schedule
to make the request, even as the professor is taking time out of his schedule to answer
it.) It is somewhat less polite (but still acceptable) to ask via email, which gives the
professor time to flip through his records and double-check the math.
Demanding grades by phone or via voicemail, in which you expect the teacher to drop
all the other students' work and grade yours, and calculate your average on the spot, is
simply darned inconsiderate.

The other problem we experience at the semester's end is a flood of past work--
incompletes, rewrites, make-up examinations, and so on--all which has to be graded in
the last few days or hours. We are partly to blame for bringing the problem on ourselves
if we don't set earlier deadlines and force you to do the work earlier. Do keep in mind
that landslide of work we are managing at the end of the term and get your
work in on time. At the very least, remember it is boorish to demand a rewrite assigned
a month ago and which you only turned in yesterday now be graded and returned so
you can calculate your GPA. Surely you have better and more enjoyable things to do
with your time. After all, the semester's over. Your GPA isn't going anywhere. Relax.
The quality of the work you've finished will determine your grade, so a
responsible student like you--one who has already brought in a couple of rough drafts
and worked with the teacher to fix problems in advance--should have nothing to worry
about.

Incompletes
Q: I'm beginning to empathize with Job, Oedipus, and Homer Simpson. This semester
has been one disaster after another. My car broke down the first week of the semester
and I missed several classes because I couldn't get to school. Next, my boss changed
my work schedule so I no longer had quality time for my homework. Then, near the end
of the semester, I had fights with my girlfriend and I couldn't put in my best effort, and I
missed the last week of class. Trouble is, when I went to a professor and explained
this, and asked for an incomplete for the course, she said no! I tried to explain that over
the summer, when things settle down, I will surely do much better work. But she was
adamant. What's up?

A: It is not surprising that the professor is unyielding. "Incompletes" are to be assigned,

according to Forsyth Tech’s policy, when "the student has failed to complete the course
in the allowed time due to illness or some justifiable delay." That doesn't sound like the
case here. Your situation is unfortunate, but it doesn't fit the requirements. If a student
has missed a substantial part of a course, he or she should officially withdraw following
the required college procedures. If it is too late to withdraw, the student should expect a
disappointing grade. Incompletes are designed to give breathing room to students in
exceptional circumstances--such as they need heart surgery, or they are eight months
pregnant and the doctor orders bed rest, or they have documentation showing they just
contracted mononucleosis and leprosy simultaneously. Those are good reasons for an
incomplete. Incompletes are not granted simply because a student could not put forth
his or her best effort.

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Class Presence:
Q: A friend and I were strolling around the Student Activities Center the other day when
she spotted Professor Pharr. My friend's a Sonography major too, and she needed to
ask her a question about carotid ultrasound. As they talked, she remembered to
introduce me to her. "Ho, ho," said Professor Pharr, "So I finally meet a student who
likes to read Zwieble”." How did she know that obscure tidbit about my
artistic tastes? I never took any classes with her. Up until that meeting, I wasn't sure if I
knew what she looked like. I had confused her with professor Howell.

A: How did Professor Pharr know about your secret indulgence in Zwieble? Probably
one of the other faculty told her (although it could have been another student). When
you spend two years in and out of our classes, we get to know you. Forsyth Tech is too
small for us not to. Over time, you each develop a "class presence," a kind of public or
class reputation. This reputation can be positive or negative. For example, suppose
there is a student who tends to fall asleep in English 301 in Professor Millsaps's class.
Professor Millsaps might ask Professor Collins if that same student fell asleep in her
201 course. Let's suppose the answer is "yes." That student is at risk of being
nicknamed "Rip Van Wrinkle," "Morpheus," or "the sleeper." Someone else's class
identity might be that he tries to leave class a little early each day by prematurely
packing up his books, or that she always raises her hand to answer questions first, or
that he's the one who never mastered MLA format.

A class presence can be negative or positive (neutral as well, although in this context,
neutral is probably closer to negative). Good students develop positive class identities
by contributing ideas in class discussion or writing well or having perfect attendance
records (or all three ways).

"Argh!" you cry, "don't hold my shyness or lack of experience against me! I don't
respond to in-class discussions because I don't want to look foolish in front of everybody
else." All we can answer is that part of learning involves taking chances, trying on new
ideas for size, trusting that they are being tested by like-minded people. Being
intellectually and socially alive means taking intellectual and social risks.

Probably the trait that creates the biggest negative impression is behavior that interferes
with other students' ability to learn. Whispering with a classmate--even quietly in the
back of the class—prevents other students from hearing a lecture and taking notes.
Wearing a large hat prevents people who sit behind you from being able to see the
board and copy down information. (The custom that polite people take off
hats when indoors originates in this visual blockage, and in the fact that rude students
use their hats as a "shield" to hide themselves from participation and eye-contact.)
Some students even get up in the midst of a lecture and walk in front of the teacher or
the blackboard, thoughtlessly blocking the view for other students. They crumple up
paper noisily and throw it away, or slurp noisily on a drink, preventing other
students from hearing. One wonders how they are so oblivious to their peers squirming
and frowning

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behind them. To paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy, "Didn't your mama teach you better'n
that?"

Remember how a neutral presence usually equates with a negative presence? Students
who don't participate in class discussion may appear apathetic or unintelligent--even if
they are immensely enjoying the course and are actually quite bright. Take the time to
speak up occasionally and participate to show us your excitement and insight. If you
make an effort occasionally to draw eye contact and smile, so will your teacher. Don't
hide behind baseball caps and sunglasses or stick an iPod in your ears. Don't skulk on
the back row of the classroom when there are twenty empty desks closer to the front of
the room. If the class takes a trip to the computer lab, refrain from checking any e-mail
or web browsing until class ends. Not only do such actions create the impression you
don't wish to join the intellectual community, it is disrespectful to a lecturer. Likewise,
don't rush out when class is done as if you can't stand to sit another nanosecond in the
course, and refrain from packing up all your books and notes five minutes before class
is due to end. It doesn't create a good impression. All these rules hold doubly (or even
triply) true for guest lecturers or presentations in the library, where we expect you to be
on your best behavior as a courtesy to the speakers.

How you listen is also part of what creates a polite classroom presence. When the
teacher is addressing the class, refrain from clipping your fingernails, or getting up and
walking around, or looking out the window longingly, or reading coursework for another
class. Refrain even from "resting your eyes" and listening with eyes closed, or laying
your head down on your desk. Leave your iPod unplugged from your ears and your
sunglasses off of your eyes. Such activities not only distract other students who want to
listen, they establish--correctly or incorrectly--an impression in the teacher's mind about
how committed you are to the class.

Finally:
Remember that nothing in this document should be viewed as an attack on any specific
person or an expression of unhappiness with you, our noble pupils. Au contraire, we are
proud of your creativity, your achievements, your hard work, and the plethora of ways
you have found to express yourselves. You are a special group, and we will always be
grateful for the opportunity to instruct you.

However, we would be disrespectful to ourselves and to you, gentle reader, if we

remained silent. Whenever the possibilities for learning decrease in our classrooms,
teachers are obligated to speak out. Those possibilities are being lessened by the
concerns addressed in this document. We suspect you will appreciate being told about
our expectations of you; we know that if we were in your positions, we would
too.

This etiquette guide is based on a handout, Classroom Etiquette, 2nd edition for 2001,
written by Tom Kinsella,

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Debby Gussman, Lisa Honaker, and Ken Tompkins. Professor Kinsella offered it online
for teachers on theCHAUCERNET e-mail discussion list to adapt to their own
classrooms. My thanks go to Professor Kinsella for his generosity with the material. The
spirit and humor of this treatise originate with these earlier authors; minor changes
and Forsyth Tech examples come from me. --JC

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 Program Policies
These policies are program-specific policies. See your college handbook and college
catalog for college policies. Some course policies written in course syllabi may
override these handbook policies. These policies refer to lecture and lab components.
See the clinical handbook for policies on clinical issues.
Classroom (Didactic) Attendance
Students are allowed to have two absences for any reason. These are called free days.
Students are not required to call the instructor unless absent on an exam (or clinical) day.
Be aware that missed labs cannot be made up, and that missed clinical days must be made
up.

If a student exceeds the two allowed absences (or hours totaling up to the
equivalent of two days of absences) or is absent on the day of an
exam then he/she will be required to complete a policy violation form and a
conference with the program coordinator will be required before the absence will
be excused. Generally some type of official documentation is required to be
considered for an excused absence. Written documentation includes, but is not
limited to, doctor’s excuse for student or dependent illness, jury summons for jury
duty, a dated court document for court, etc. If you are absent on an exam day
due to your child’s illness then proof of a doctor visit for the child is required in
order for the absence to be excused. Routine doctor or dental appointments are not legitimate
reasons for an absence and will not be accepted when documentation is required. Official
documentation does not guarantee an excused absence, but it will be taken into consideration
when the final decision is made. If not approved, the absence will be marked as unexcused
and the missed exam from that day will receive a grade of zero.

Missing an exam is serious, so mark all exam days from your lecture schedule on your
calendar and make a backup plan on those days for child care, car trouble, etc. Plan ahead
for these types of incidents. Don’t get caught unprepared.

All make-up exams from all SON courses require the approval of the program
director. If not approved, the absence will be marked as unexcused and the missed exam
from that day will receive a grade of zero.

Procedure for Making up a Missed Exam:

1. You must send an email or leave a voice message with an explanation for your
absence on the day of the test. The email and/or phone call will not be returned. It only
serves to let the instructor know why you are missing the exam. Absences cannot be
approved over the phone. Failure to notify your instructor by 5pm on the day of the test
will result in an unexcused absence. (Please do not have your spouse, parents, or
friends to call for you unless you are completely incapacitated.) You are responsible for
reporting your own absences.

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2. Complete a policy violation form when you return to class (ask for one after class).
3. Schedule an appointment to meet with your instructor and program coordinator.
You must provide your completed policy violation form and supporting documentation
(doctor’s excuse, jury summons, obituary, etc.) at the scheduled meeting.
4. If excused, then a make-up exam can be scheduled, and the documentation will be kept
on file in your file. Make-up exams may be held in the ILC or in the computer lab in BGH
W121.
Failure to complete all of these steps will result in not being allowed to retake the missed
exam and a grade of zero will be issued for the grade.
If an absence is approved prior to an exam, then this procedure is not necessary.
Students who miss an excess of the number of absences that are allowed in a course and who
fail to produce the required documentation will receive an unexcused absence and any exams
or assignments that are due that day will receive a grade of zero. Students who exceed the
allowed number of absences must convince the instructor to allow them to remain in the
program. Cases will be evaluated on an individual basis.
Each student is responsible for all material covered during any class session in which he or
she is absent. Students are encouraged to discuss work missed with instructors.

If a student has a contagious disease (severe cold, etc.) noted by the student, instructor or
physician, then the student will be expected to refrain from attending classes and will be
expected to seek prompt medical attention and follow-up medical care. If the student has
already missed the maximum number of allowable days prior to the illness, then he or she
must present a written doctor’s excuse upon returning to class.

It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements prior to an illness to have a plan for
medical treatment for illness for themselves and their dependents. Students should also have
a plan for child care in the event of a dependent’s illness. It is best to have these plans in
place before an illness occurs to prevent problems later on.

Special attendance rules may be required for separate courses. The student will be notified in
writing of these requirements at the first class session for the semester. Attendance
requirements for each class are listed on each course syllabus.

Tardiness
Tardy is defined as arriving at the classroom one minute or more after the
official start time for that class. Classroom doors will be closed and locked precisely at the
beginning of the class. Students who are tardy may not be allowed entry into the
classroom until the next available break. Students who are more than one-hour late (or fail to
enter the classroom upon the next available break) will be counted absent for that day. The
official absence will be recorded on the day that the tardiness occurred.
Each hour of tardiness will be calculated into the allowed number of missed contact hours.

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Excessive tardiness can result in a loss of free days. Being tardy on the day of an exam
may result in loss of time on the exam.
Be on time. Punctuality is a trait of professionalism. Being habitually late shows a lack of
responsibility and will reflect poorly on you.

If you have an extenuating circumstance that could cause you to be late for class on a
regular basis then please let the instructor know immediately. If the situation is deemed to be
valid then any penalties normally imposed may be temporarily suspended for the class until the
circumstance is resolved. This is at the discretion of the instructor.

Sleeping in Class
On the first offense, the student will receive an oral warning and will be sent home for that day.
On the second offense, a written warning will be issued, the student will be sent home for the
day and will be required to schedule an appointment with the counseling center. The missed
day will be unexcused . The student will receive a zero on any graded work that is due that
day. Any offense beyond the second will result in the student being dropped from the course.

Clinical Attendance
See the Clinical Handbook for all clinical policies.

Inclement Weather
During the winter months, it is not uncommon for classes at Forsyth Technical Community
College to be cancelled due to inclement weather. When listening on the radio or television for
the announcements, keep in mind the classes are only cancelled if it specifically states that
“Forsyth Technical Community College classes are cancelled.” FTCC is not included with
Forsyth County Schools. So if Forsyth County Schools are cancelled, it does not mean that
FTCC’s classes are cancelled. The college does have a recorded announcement that
students can call for class cancellations or delays. Just call (336) 723-0371 and listen to the
recording. Most closings are posted by 7:00am. During inclement weather, the line may be
tied up due to heavy calling. If this is the case, then students should listen to radio stations or
television news broadcasts that announce closings for the Forsyth county area.

Whenever classes are cancelled, the missed class time must be made up in one of the
following ways.

1. The class may be rescheduled for another day or time. Saturdays and/or weeknights
may in some rare instances, be used to make up the missed class time.

2. If the class time is not made up, the college requires instructors to give an outside
assignment for students to complete in lieu of the class time that was missed.

The college requires instructors to provide an alternative assignment for classes that are
cancelled for any reason. Even if classes are cancelled for a college function, students will
receive an alternative assignment for the missed class time.

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Due to the limited number of class days in each semester, exam dates may not be changed or
postponed unless the day missed due to snow is an exam day. So, if there is a chance of
inclement weather, then students are strongly advised to read the materials on their own to
prepare for any upcoming exam.

Delayed Class
If the college is on a delay due to inclement weather and if two or more hours of a class are
missed due to this delay, then that class will not be held and the students will be given an
alternative assignment for that day, or the class will be rescheduled for another day and time.
(This applies only to lectures and labs, not to clinical.) See the lecture and homework schedule
for the assignment. If an instructor is late for a lecture, students should wait for at least 15
minutes. If an instructor has not arrived within 15 minutes, and the students have not received
instructions from another Forsyth Tech employee, then the students may leave. Some
instructors may require students to complete a sign-in sheet and place it under the instructor’s
door. Refer to individual course syllabi policies to see if your instructor requires this.
Whenever possible, instructors will have a note placed on the classroom door announcing
delays or class cancellations.

Cell Phones & Electronic Devices

*Approved by the President’s Cabinet on 3/6/06

Policy Statement:
Forsyth Tech considers the use of cell phones to be disruptive to the classroom setting.
Therefore, students are asked to turn off all cell phones and other electronic devices (such as
PDA’s, Laptops, iPods, etc.) while attending class or participating in class-related activities
(i.e., labs, clinical, etc.). Even vibrate mode is annoying so turn it off! Students who do not
comply will be considered in violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and appropriate
disciplinary action will be taken.

Cell phones should not be carried inside clinical sites. Leave cell phones in your car. No
exceptions!

My Space and Facebook Pages

Change your settings to private.
Why? Here are some reasons:

• Professionalism – as a professional, you need to think about what image you want to
project about yourself because your clients, instructors, potential employers, clinical site
employees, and colleagues can easily see the content of your pages unless they are
private.

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 • What is on your page not only reflects on you, but on the profession of sonography and
on Forsyth Tech’s sonography programs. Whether or not you care about what people
think of you, we care very much about the integrity and professionalism of our students.
• Dr. Green, President of Forsyth Tech, periodically checks out MySpace and Facebook
pages of students. So, be sure to leave a good impression.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We will be re-checking both
MySpace and Facebook pages periodically. Thank you for your cooperation.

Pregnancy
If pregnancy occurs while a student is enrolled we will work with the student in every way
possible to help meet their goals. Students who are pregnant may attend classes, labs and
clinical as long as their physician recommends it. Late term pregnancies may be require a
note from the student’s physician stating that they may continue in the program up until a
specified date. Pregnancies with complications may require the student to withdraw from the
program and apply for readmission the following year. The student has the option to withdraw
from classes at any point during the pregnancy and a spot will be reserved for them in the
program the following year so that they may complete the program. In some cases, students
may be required to withdraw from clinical courses, but may be allowed to complete didactic
courses. This is determined on an individual basis according to physician recommendations.
Students who become pregnant are not permitted to scan themselves nor are other students
permitted to scan pregnant classmates due to possible bioeffects that could result. Scanning
of this nature may only be performed under the supervision of a Forsyth Tech instructor with
close monitoring and a written waiver must be signed by the student prior to any scanning
activity.

Working While Enrolled

While most adult students do not have the luxury of not working while attending school, we
recommend that they do not work more than 20 hours each week. The Sonography Program
will, in itself become a full-time commitment for the student. It has been our experience that
most students who attempt to work over 20 hours per week perform poorly and do not
graduate from the program.

The sonography student may not work at a clinical site during scheduled clinical hours. A
student may be hired to work for a clinical site outside scheduled clinical and class times,
however the college takes no responsibility for the student in these conditions and the clinical
site employer is hiring the student at his/her own risk. The student’s malpractice insurance
does not cover them to perform ultrasound exams outside scheduled clinical hours.

Computer Labs
Food and drinks are not allowed near computer equipment. To prevent viruses,
removable media such as thumb drives, DVD’s, and CD-ROMs that are used
should be designated for use only on school computers. All internet surfing
should be education-related and students should not open attachments from
personal email on the computers. Students should never install software on the
computers. Only instructors are allowed to install software.
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Drug & Alcohol Use
While on the main campus or at any school related event off campus, students who are
suspected of intoxication from drugs or alcohol may be asked to have a drug and/or alcohol
test. Refusal to take the test on the day and time of the incident will result in automatic
dismissal from the program. Students who test positive for drug and/or alcohol use or admit to
intoxication will be referred for counseling and may be considered for readmission after
completion of a drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation program and successful response to therapy.

While at the clinical site, students who are suspected of alcohol or drug intoxication will be
required to follow the policy of the clinical site where they are assigned. The student will fall
under the same disciplinary procedure as that of the staff sonographers at that site. If the
clinical site requires the student to have drug or alcohol testing, then the student must comply
or be dropped from the program without consideration for readmission. If the student admits to
intoxication or agrees to take the drug and alcohol tests and tests positive then they will be
referred to counseling and may be considered for readmission after completion of a drug
and/or alcohol rehabilitation program and successful response to therapy. Clinical sites reserve
the right to dismiss a student for any type of inappropriate behavior, regardless of whether or
not alcohol and drugs are involved.

Progression Policy and Academic Probation

Due to the no-D policy of the Sonography programs, in order to proceed in the program,
students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in all curriculum courses and students must score a
minimum grade of C in all courses in the Sonography Curriculum. This includes related
general education courses that are part of the Sonography programs. Students must also
maintain an overall college GPA of at least 2.0. Students whose curriculum or overall GPA
drops below a 2.0 will be placed on academic probation, provided that the student has scored
at least a C in every course in the Sonography curriculum. Students on academic probation
must have a 2.0 GPA by the end of the following semester to proceed in the program.
Students who score less than a C in a course in the Sonography curriculum will not be allowed
to continue in the program, even if the overall or curriculum GPA is 2.0 or higher.

Academic Problems
A student experiencing academic difficulty should schedule an appointment with the instructor.
Early attention to this matter is essential. Steps will be taken to identify difficulties and assist
the student toward a successful solution to the situation.

Academic Assistance
Course instructors, advisors, college counselors and student services provide academic
assistance. Program faculty and College staff will assist the student in identifying problems and
solutions. A variety of learning labs and study skills instruction are available to all students.
While tutoring may not be available for all sonography courses, the student may seek
assistance with improving study skills with the retention specialist or counseling center.

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Accommodation of Disabilities
Forsyth Tech is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to students with
disabilities. If you would like to request accommodations for a physical or learning disability,
you must register with the Disabilities Services Office (DSO), located in the Allman Center,
Room 148 (336-734-7155). You will be required to provide current (3 years or less), *official
documentation of your disability. The Disability Services office will work with you to determine
your classroom needs.
It is important that you register early with the DSO as the office needs adequate time to
arrange the appropriate accommodations. With proper documentation, most accommodations
can be completed within a minimum of (5) business days.

Official Documentation must be completed by a licensed Physician, Psychologist, Psychiatrist,

or other relevantly trained Medical Practitioner or Diagnostician. Please keep in mind
scheduling an appointment with a practitioner may take up to 2-4 weeks. Please stop by the
Disability Services Office to pick up forms to take to your appointment.

Academic Appeal Policy and Procedure

Whenever a situation arises in which a student has a disagreement with an instructor on an
issue that he or she wishes to have resolved, then the chain of command must be followed.
Any appeal of a course grade should begin with a scheduled conference between the student
and instructor by the first day of a new semester. Since most of our students are legal adults,
we prefer to deal directly with the student and not with the student’s parents, spouse or family
members. So, they may not attend the meeting . The only exception for this is if the student
us under 18 years of age. If the appeal is not resolved at this level, the student should contact
and arrange for a conference with the Program Coordinator (John Cassell). If still unresolved,
the student should contact and arrange for a conference with the Director of Imaging (Debbie
Taylor). The student has the responsibility of providing the Director of Imaging with a written
letter of appeal by the third class day of the new semester in order for the appeal to be
considered. After conferencing with the student, if the issue is still not resolved, the Director of
Imaging will notify the Dean of Health Technologies (within 2 workdays) , who will review the
case. If the Dean deems the appeal to be valid, then the Dean will convene a committee
(within 3 workdays) to hear the appeal. This committee will hear the appeal and make a final
decision (within 3 workdays), which will be reported to the Dean. Within 24 hours of receiving
the information, the dean will mail the committee’s decision to the student, the instructor, and
the Department Chair.

The student’s letter of appeal must include:

1. Date, student’s name, signature, and telephone number.
2. Prefix and number of course grade being appealed.
3. Instructor’s name issuing the grade.
4. Brief factual explanation of why the student feels the grade is incorrect and what the
student feels the correction of the grade should be.
5. Any supporting documentation the student feels is needed to better explain the
student’s questions as to grade determination.

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For an appeal to be considered, the Director of Imaging must receive the letter of appeal no
later than the third class day of the new semester.

If the appeal committee rules in the student’s favor, the department will provide an opportunity
for the student to make up the missed clinical time, without cost and in a timely manner, so that
the student may progress to graduate.

Process:
1. The committee will consist of five full-time faculty from the division, and where the
program is large enough, will include one faculty member from the department/program
involved in the appeal. The faculty member(s) involved in the appeal will not serve on
the committee. The dean will appoint faculty members and the appeals committee
chair. The dean will replace any member who feels they are not able to render an
impartial vote or are objected to by the student.

2. The dean will provide copies of the student’s letter of appeal and any supporting
documentation to all committee members.

3. The dean will arrange the time and location of the appeal and notify the student, the
faculty member(s) involved in the appeal and the committee members.

4. The committee’s charge is limited to consideration of the questions brought to the

committee in the appeal letter.

5. The decision of the committee will be reached by simple majority vote of the five
members of the committee either in favor or not in favor of the appeal. The decision of
the committee is final.

6. When there are multiple appeals for a course involving the same instructor each
student’s appeal will be heard and decided upon individually.

7. Confidentiality of the appeals hearing proceedings and decision is essential.

8. The chair will report the committee’s decision, which will be final, to the dean in writing.

9. The dean will notify the student, instructor(s) and department chair in writing.
Notification will be mailed within 24 hours of the committee’s decision. The dean will
take all action needed to implement the committee’s decision.

Divisional Academic Appeals Committee: Responsibilities of the Chair

The chair of the Divisional Academic Appeals Committee will assume the following
responsibilities:

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 1. Be knowledgeable of the appeals process.

2. At the time of the hearing, inform committee, student and the instructor(s) of the process
and guidelines to be followed such as:
a. Purpose of the committee (decision to the dean).
b. Introduction of all present and ask concerning reasons for dismissal of any
members.
c. Charge to group to keep discussions and decisions confidential.
d. Student and instructor(s) will both be present during all presentations to the
committee.
e. Allow student and instructor time to discuss the appeal.
f. Allow for committee questioning of student and instructor.
g. Conduct discussions and vote after presentation of information. (Keep students
and instructor available for additional questions until after voting.)
h. Collect and destroy all written materials used in the appeal.
i. Submit written report of the committee’s decision to the dean including the
names of committee members and course identification.

3. Prior to the hearing, briefly discuss the process to be followed at the hearing with both
the student and instructor. Also, determine if the student or faculty will bring a witness,
attorney, etc.
4. Attorneys present need to be informed that this is not a courtroom and that they are
attending only to observe and advise the student.

Academic Review Committee 651-Revised 8/11/2000

Process:
At the end of each semester, each Department Academic Review Committee meets to review
student’s academic standing. If a student’s standing is changed in any way, other than
removal from probation, the student will be notified in writing by the appropriate division dean.

Appeal:
If a student planning to register for the next semester wishes to appeal the decision of the
Department Academic Review Committee, the student must make the appeal in writing to the
appropriate division dean within twenty-four hours after formal notification of the committee’s
decision. The dean will convene the Divisional Academic Appeal Committee to hear the
appeal and make a decision. The dean will notify the student, the department chair, and the
student’s advisor in writing of the decision.

Students who fail a sonography course or a required general education course will not be
personally notified by the instructor. The student will receive an official letter from the
college indicating that they have failed the course and that they have been dropped from the
program.
Disciplinary Procedure Policy

The disciplinary action taken with a student depends upon the nature, severity and/or
frequency of the behavior or rule violation. The normal procedure is as follows:

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 First Offense: Verbal Warning
Second Offense: Written Reprimand and counseling.
Third Offense: Dismissal

Some behaviors and rule violations, depending upon their severity, may result in immediate
dismissal without receiving a verbal or written warning. Some examples are:

1. Failing a sonography course.

2. Cheating
3. Destruction or misuse of college or clinical properties.
4. Inappropriate behavior in the clinical area.
5. Showing disrespect for a patient, staff member, instructor or fellow student.
6. Failure to meet attendance requirements.
7. Theft, gambling, drug or alcohol use or any illegal activity.
8. Falsification of any document or record.
9. HIPPA violations (breech of patient confidentiality).

Readmission Policy
Students, who fail academically or withdraw, may apply for readmission to the program for
another academic year. Students will be placed back in the applicant pool and will compete
for admission with other applicants. Students who are granted readmission into the program
will fall under the catalog requirements for the year in which they are readmitted, and they
must complete those courses to proceed to graduation. Due to the nature of this program,
dropped students cannot re-enter the program and just pick up where they left off. Extensive
re-training will be necessary in order to safely place the student back in a clinical environment.
Students will be readmitted (and treated) as a new student and will therefore be required to
retake all courses up to the semester from which they were dropped (or withdrawn).

Critical Requirement Policy

Critical requirements are those assignments made for a course, which although may not be
calculated into the grade for the course, must be completed to the satisfaction of the instructor
in order to pass the course. Students failing to complete a critical requirement for a course will
either receive a grade of Incomplete until the requirement has been completed, or they may at
the discretion of the instructor receive an F for the course. In order to receive a grade of
Incomplete, the student must satisfy the instructor with an acceptable reason for failure to
complete the assignment.

See individual syllabi for these requirements. Not all courses will have critical requirements.

Examinations
During exams students must clear everything off of their desks except for any materials that
are specifically allowed by the instructor to be there. Sit with at least one empty seat between
yourself and the students next to you on exam days. Students who fail to comply with this
policy, or who are caught with any unapproved materials out during an exam shall be found

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guilty of cheating and will receive an F on the exam, and will be required to meet with the
program coordinator. Pending the result of the meeting, the student may be dismissed from
the program or may be allowed to continue under a probationary status where conditions will
be specified by the program coordinator.

Graded exams will be handed back to students within one week after grading for reviewing and
shall then be returned to the instructor. Students may not keep exams. Students may make
notes on the subject content that was missed on the exam, but they are not allowed to keep
the exams or take them out of the classroom. Students may review their exams at any time by
scheduling an appointment with their instructor. Students must be supervised by a Forsyth
Tech faculty member while reviewing their exams. Student exams are kept in student files
located in the instructor’s or program director’s office. Students should take a restroom break
prior to taking an exam. While the exam is in progress, the student will not be allowed to leave
until they have turned their exam in for grading. Students who have a medical condition which
precludes their ability to abide by this policy must present a doctor’s excuse stating such prior
to the first exam period. Once an exam has been turned in, the student will not be allowed to
see the exam again until it has been graded. Students should be sure to make any corrections
on their exam prior to turning it in. For security reasons, some instructors prefer not to email
grades to students. This will be left up to the discretion of each individual instructor.

Grading Scale
The Sonography Program grades on the college grading scale. The Sonography programs
have a no-D policy. This means that a student will be dropped from the program if a grade of
D (or F) is scored in any curriculum or general education course that is required in the
Sonography Program.

Grading Scale: 94 – 100: A

86 – 93: B
78 – 85: C
70 – 77: D
Below 70: F

In most cases, final exams will not count more than 20% of the overall grade.

Final grades may not be given out over the phone or by email (depending upon the instructor).
In this case students must wait until they receive their end-of-semester grade report from the
college. If a grade of less than “C” appears on any curriculum course on the report then the
student does not qualify to return the following semester and will be dropped from the program
due to the no-D policy.

Honor Policy
Any student caught cheating on any exam will receive a grade of zero on that assignment.
The student will be required to report to the counseling center for a counseling session. With
the recommendation of the counselor one of two things will occur:

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 1. The student will be dismissed from the program.

2. The student will be allowed to continue in the program under a probationary status. If
caught cheating a second time, the student will be automatically dismissed from the
program.

Field Trips
During the month of March and October of each year, the North Carolina Ultrasound Society
holds an annual ultrasound conference. The conference runs on one weekend from Friday
through Sunday. Students are strongly encouraged to attend the Friday session for the
sonographic physics review course. Friday’s class will be cancelled on main campus to allow
students and faculty to attend the conference. Students are also encouraged to present
scientific exhibits at the meeting. Students who join the society as student members will get a
discount on the tuition for the meeting. Students are responsible for their own transportation to
and from the meeting.

Field trips other than this will be listed on each course syllabus as it applies to the course.

General
Students should always bring their designated textbook(s) to class lectures and their lab
manuals to laboratory exercises. All books are not necessary, just those designated by the
instructor.

Submit all written materials in a neat and legible form on time or by the due date. Each day of
lateness can at the discretion of the instructor, be used to reduce the letter grade of the
material. The general rule will be to reduce the grade one letter grade for each day of
lateness.

Students are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and orderly appearance of the
classrooms and labs.

Behavior in the Classroom

• Do not have conversations with others while instructors are lecturing.

• Do not disrespect other students and instructors by answering questions that are clearly
directed at the instructor from another student in the class.
• Pay attention!
• See the Classroom Etiquette Document in this handbook for more tips.

Student Records
Student records are kept in a locked file cabinet. Each file contains, OSHA, HIPPA and CPR
completion documentation, Forsyth Tech grade transcripts, academic warning letters, exams
and assignments, clinical attendance, competency and exam logs, along with many other

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miscellaneous items. Students may view their file by scheduling an appointment with the
clinical coordinator. Individual course files are maintained by the instructors of those courses.

Student Health Forms

Graduates who wish to have a copy of their vaccination and/or health forms are encouraged to
make themselves a copy of all medical forms prior to turning them in so that they will have
them for future reference. Student records are only maintained for 3 to 5 years at which point
all documents in those files are shredded.

Faculty Availability
The faculty of Forsyth Tech strives to make themselves available to students at every possible
opportunity. Due to heavy class preparation and administrative duties, it is difficult for faculty
members to accommodate students who show up unexpectedly. For this reason, every
instructor has posted office hours outside their office door. See the faculty organization sheet
or individual course syllabi for methods of contacting the faculty members.

Classroom Attire
Students should dress casually for lectures. Students who wear clothing that is too revealing
(i.e. low waist jeans which reveal too much “gluteus maximus”) may be asked to go home and
change clothes.

Students should wear scrubs to all scanning labs. Scrubs allow for easy access to the
abdomen. Gel and powder from gloves can ruin expensive clothing, but it washes out easily
from scrubs and lab coats. Wearing a white lab coat is optional, but recommended for cooler
seasons.

Policy Violations
If a student violates any policy in the student handbook a conference will be held with the
program coordinator and the student. The conference will be documented on a Policy
Violation Form and a copy of the form will be placed in the student file.
Students who receive three or more policy violations in a semester will be subject for dismissal
from the program. (See the appendix for a sample of this form.)

A Death In The Family

If a student has a death in their immediate family (mother, father, brother, sister, child,
spouse, grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or legal guardian) then the student will be
given one-week off from all classes if they provide proof (obituary or funeral flyer). The student
will have until the end of the semester to make up any work missed during this one-week
absence. This only applies to immediate family members as defined above.

Scan Lab Utilization

Students cannot use the scan labs unless one of the sonography faculty is present in the
building.
Only the sonography faculty can approve your use of the lab and unlock the door for
you. Other instructors and secretaries cannot accept responsibility for this. They do not know
who you are...anyone off the street could come into the building and claim to be a student in

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our program wanting access to the lab, and then rob us blind. So technically we are not
allowed to unlock classroom or laboratory doors for students from other programs.

Outside of clinical, we DO NOT scan for the purpose of finding pathology on our volunteer
patients. We only document anatomy in our scan labs. Our disclaimer specifically states this.
So bringing in family members and friends for the express purpose of diagnosing and/or
finding pathology is prohibited.

You have to get a consent/waiver form signed and turn it in to one of the sonography faculty
BEFORE you can scan a volunteer patient. This is to ensure that you are not scanning minors
or children in the lab, and to ensure that your patient realizes that the scan IS NOT A
DIAGNOSTIC SCAN. If none of the sonography faculty are here, then we can't receive the
waiver and give our approval. Thus you cannot scan.

Any student who attempts to get access to a classroom or scan lab while the sonography
faculty are not here by asking someone other than a sonography faculty member to unlock the
door is in violation of this policy. Campus security will be called and the student will detained
until a sonography faculty member arrives to deal with the situation.

When you do use the lab, be sure to clean up after yourself and return the lab in the same
state that it was in when before you used it.

Homework:
You should complete assigned reading assignments BEFORE attending
the lectures. Lectures are meant to reinforce and enhance the information that you have
already read and studied from the homework reading assignments. It is a good time for
questions and answers. Ideally, lecture day should not be the first time that you have been
exposed to the material. Lectures should be used to supplement the notes that the student
has taken from the reading assignments. Review guides should be completed prior to each
lab session. Study groups are highly recommended!

Email:
Students must send all email correspondence from their TechLink email account. Email sent
from personal email addresses will no longer be answered. Check your email every evening
before going to bed and in the morning before coming in to class. Don’t miss last-minute
announcements about class due to not checking your school (TechLink) email. Also be aware
that email communications (even between students) may be monitored by the college
administration so use discretion with your messages.

Dropping Class (Electronic Drop Procedure):

If you need to drop this class for any reason, then you should follow this drop procedure:
Signing In: Go to: http://coursedrop.forsythtech.edu
Enter your TechLink ID and Password
Click “Login”
You will be presented with a list of courses you are currently enrolled in for the active
semester. Chose the courses you wish to drop by clicking the "Select" box. Chose the

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reason(s) for dropping the selected course(s). Click the green "Submit" button. You will be
directed to the confirmation page.
Confirm Selection: Review your selections. Click the green "Confirm" button to submit your
request to drop the listed courses. Confirmation: You will see a confirmation page indicating
the courses you wish to be dropped from, along with a Form ID. This Form ID can be used to
track the progress of the drop request.
You may log out by clicking the red "Logout" button in the top right of the screen.
You will receive a confirmation letter to your student email inbox.
You will also receive additional emails informing you of your drop request and when the
request has been processed and completed.

If you need to drop this class, it is to your benefit to do it as soon as possible because your
official drop date is the date you submit the drop form, not the date you stopped coming to
class. The official drop date will determine whether you receive a W or a WP or WF.

Recording Lectures
Students are welcome to bring recorders to record the lectures. Sometimes listening to the
lecture again after class helps to reinforce the information.

Students should bring the following items to scanning and practice labs each week:
1. One Sheet (any size will work but twin sheets fit the stretchers best).
2. One Pillowcase
3. Two Bath-Sized Towels
4. Two Wash Cloths or Hand Towels
5. A plastic bag to carry wet/gelled linen back home
6. A volunteer patient that has been NPO for at least 6 hours prior to the scan lab.

Students who fail to bring items 1-5 to lab will be considered “out-of-uniform” and will be
sent home to retrieve them. The student will be counted absent for the missed lab time.
Students who fail to bring a volunteer patient to scan will only be able to observe the other
students scan if no other volunteer patient is available. This will be detrimental to your
scanning skills, so always bring someone to scan. Prepare in advance and have a second
backup person that you can call if your first volunteer can’t come to the lab.

There are two types of labs in this program: Instructional Labs and Practice Labs

Instructional Labs:
This is the official lab in which sonographic anatomy of the organ system that is being
covered that week is initially demonstrated. You are given a hands-on opportunity to
reproduce the required images. These are instructor led.

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Practice Labs:
Students will practice what they have learned in the scanning labs to further reinforce their
scanning skills. An instructor may not always be available in these labs, but students will be
able to practice on their own during the specified practice lab times. Whenever possible an
instructor will be in the lab. Days and times for practice labs will vary and will be announced at
the beginning of each semester. Students must sign up to reserve scanners for evening
practice labs. The online sign-up link will be provided in the classroom at the beginning of
each semester.

Pre-Scanning Prep:
Unless otherwise specified, NPO (Nothing by mouth) after midnight for 8am scanning labs,
and NPO for at least 5 hours for afternoon labs or evening labs. This means
no food, water, chewing gum or cigarettes (absolutely nothing in the mouth prior to the labs).
Also make sure to tell the volunteer to avoid spicy foods and carbonated beverages the day
Before and the day of the scan. This is to minimize bowel gas, which can prevent
visualization of organs on ultrasound. Some labs may not require the NPO status (i.e.
knobology, abdominal wall, and kidneys.)
Diabetics: Do not choose volunteer patients who you know are diabetic. Going for long
periods without eating can adversely affect them. Choose patients that can remain NPO until
the end of your scheduled lab time without raising any health issues.
Other medical conditions: If your patient has a health condition that requires him or her to
take medication each morning, then tell him/her to go ahead and take the medication with 8
ounces of water, but nothing else.

Volunteer Patients
Bring someone that you know (family member, friend, or classmate from another lab section
or program). All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Do not pull someone off the
street that you don’t know or pay money to a stranger to be your volunteer patient. Doing
this creates an unsafe environment for our students and faculty. A waiver/consent form
must be on file for all volunteer patients. One form is good for the duration of the program.
Volunteer patients must follow the same rules as students, so please ask your volunteers not
to bring cell phones into the lab. Volunteers are not allowed to remain in the lab when they
are not being scanned. A waiting area has been designated in room W310 for all volunteers.

Remain Seated In The Classroom During Lectures:

Once lectures begin, you are to remain in your seats until the next available break.
You are not allowed to leave the classroom during a lecture unless it is an emergency, and
you may be refused re-entry if you choose to do so. Distractions in the classroom must be
kept to a minimum. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from sitting for 50-
minute periods then you must notify the instructor, and you will need to sit in the back of the
classroom so that it won’t disrupt class if you need to stand up for short periods during the
lectures. Labs are less formal. We have no official breaks in lab so you may leave for a
restroom break at any time during a scanning lab. Just don’t leave for an extended period
(more than 10-15 minutes).

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Children on Campus
Children are not allowed in classrooms, labs or office areas for any reason. If you need to see
an instructor in his/her office, please provide alternative care for your children and come to the
office when you can come alone. Children are a distraction in the classroom, and they can
damage expensive equipment or be injured by heavy equipment in classrooms and labs. The
college does not allow children in these areas.

Inclement Weather Guidelines

To aid faculty and students in determining when classes will be held during inclement weather
conditions, the following guidelines have been established.
Scenario A
College Announcement: “The college will be opening at 10 am due to weather conditions.”
Guideline: Classes would resume at 10 am and the class schedule for the remainder of the
day would be unchanged. Classes scheduled to meet prior to 10 am which would extend
beyond 10 am would meet at 10 am. For example, a class which normally meets from 9:30
am to 11 am would meet beginning at 10 am.
Scenario B
(The college began the day as usual; however, snow started falling during the morning and
the college made the following announcement at approximately 2 pm.)
College Announcement: “The college will be closing at 5 pm today, evening classes are
cancelled.”
Guideline: All classes currently in session would end at 5 pm. Those classes scheduled to
meet at 5 pm, or later, would not meet on this day. For example, a class which normally meets
from 4:30 pm to 6 pm would end at 5 pm.
Scenario C
(Because of icy roads, the college made an early morning announcement that day classes
would be cancelled. At approximately 2 pm, the college made the following announcement.)
College Announcement: “The college will be open for evening classes.”
Guideline: Classes would resume at 5 pm and the class schedule for the remainder of the day
would be unchanged. Classes scheduled to meet prior to 5 pm which would extend beyond 5
pm would meet at 5 pm. For example, a class which normally meets from 4:30 pm to 6 pm
would meet beginning at 5 pm.
Notes:
The announcements regarding inclement weather apply to all campus sites in both Forsyth
and Stokes counties.

Any variation from the above guidelines would need to be approved by the appropriate dean.
All college credit classes missed due to inclement weather will require the faculty member to
complete an Alternative Instruction Form for that class.

For Additional Policies:

Read the College Handbook for college policies and the student Code of Conduct
Read the Clinical Handbook for an extensive list of clinical policies and procedures.

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 Academic Appeals
(Concerning a grade)
652 Academic Appeal - Revised 10/20/04
Any appeal of a course grade should begin with a scheduled conference between student and
instructor by the first day of a new semester. If the appeal is not resolved at this level, the
student should contact and arrange for a conference with the appropriate department chair.
The student has the responsibility of providing the department chair with a written letter of
appeal by the third class day of the new semester in order for the appeal to be considered.
After conferencing with the department chair, if the issue is still not resolved, the student will
notify the dean in writing (within two workdays of the conference) of the need for a divisional
academic appeals committee. The department chair should forward the letter of appeal and
supporting documentation to the dean. The dean will convene a committee (within three
workdays) to hear the appeal. This committee will hear the appeal and make a final decision
(within three workdays) which will be reported to the dean. Within 24 hours of receiving the
information, the dean will mail the committee’s decision to the student, the instructor and the
department chair. The decision of the committee is final.

The letter of appeal must include:

Date, student’s 1. name, signature and telephone number.
2. Prefix and number of course grade being appealed.
3. Instructor’s name issuing the grade.
4. Brief factual explanation of why the student feels the grade is incorrect.
5. Any supporting documentation the student feels is needed to better explain
student’s questions as to grade determination.
For an appeal to be considered, the appropriate department chair must receive the letter of
appeal no later than the third class day of the new semester.

Academic Standing/Probation/Dismissal
To be in good academic standing, students must have earned a cumulative grade point
average (GPA) of 2.0 in courses required in their program of study by the end of their first
semester at Forsyth Tech. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 within their program of study must be
maintained thereafter to remain in good standing. Students who do not maintain the required
2.0 cumulative GPA in courses required in their program of study will be placed on academic
probation for the following semester. All students who do not earn the required GPA in the next
semester will have their academic records reviewed by their respective division’s academic
review committee, which meets at the end of each semester. The committee may (a) reduce
the number of credit hours the student will be allowed to carry, (b) require the student to repeat
courses in which a low grade was earned or (c) dismiss the student from the program. The
student will be notified in writing of the committee’s decision, and copies of the notice will be
sent to the Records Office, the division dean and the student’s faculty advisor. The following
options are available to students who are dismissed from their current program of study:
• A student who is dismissed from a program of study is encouraged to see a counselor to
discuss possible educational alternatives.
• A student who is dismissed from a program of study may be eligible to apply for and be
admitted into another credit program of study offered by the college.

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• A student who is dismissed from a program of study may re-apply for admission to that
program.
• A student who has been dismissed from a program of study for academic reasons may not
be eligible to continue to receive financial aid, depending upon the conditions of financial aid
eligibility.

Appeals Process for Academic Standing/Probation/Dismissal

A student may appeal the decision of division academic review committees by:
1. Submitting a written request to the appropriate division dean within 24 hours after formal
notification of the committee’s decision.
2. The dean will convene the division academic appeals committee.
3. The division academic appeals committee will make the final decision on the matter.
4. The dean will send written notification to the student, the department chairperson and the
student’s academic advisor.

During an appeals process, students who are appealing a failing clinical course grade
will be temporarily suspended from their clinical rotations until the verdict on the appeal
is delivered. Students may however, attend lectures and labs during the appeals
process.

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 Summer Conversion Factor

Courses at Forsyth Tech are based on a 16-week semester. Summer semesters are
only 10 weeks long. This means that we must “squeeze” all the hours from a 16-week
course into a 10-week time period.

Example:

SON 121 & CVS 162 has 15 contact hours each week in a 16-week semester.
Total contact hours = weekly contact hours x 16.
Total contact hours = 15 x 16 = 240 hours.

If this course were offered in the summer, whereby it would then be a 10-week course,
we would have to “squeeze” 240 hours into 10 weeks. This comes out to be 24 contact
hours each week (roughly three 8-hour days).

This is why students must attend three days of clinical in the summer, even though the
course only has 15 contact hours.

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 Services and Information for Students
Online Job Search – Each year Career Services receives job listings from area and
regional employers. Students and alumni who register with Career Services may have
access to these listings. The department's staff assists registrants in seeking full-time,
permanent employment upon graduation and part-time, temporary employment while
attending classes. It is the responsibility of students, alumni and recent graduates to
make direct application to employers.

Internet Access

The Counseling, Career and Disability Services Center, located in Room 148 of the
Allman Center on the school’s Main Campus, provides a computer for students to
access job listings, company information, career and job search information, job market
trends and resume posting sites on the Internet. Internet access is also available in
sonography classrooms/labs, and on the first floor of Bob Green Hall in the computer
lab.

Employability Skills

One of our most important roles is to teach students skills that will help them throughout
their working lives. To that end, employability skills presentations on the following topics
are conducted for Forsyth Tech classes and other on- and off-campus groups:

• Tips on Completing Employment Applications

• Resumes That Lead to Interviews
• Cover and Follow-up Letters: Writing Techniques That Bring Results
• How to Handle Tough Questions and Other Interview Strategies

For information on attending an employability skills presentation, call 336.734.7343.

Individual Assistance

Students and alumni may schedule appointments to receive individual assistance with
various employment concerns including résumé and cover letter writing and interview
preparation. To schedule an appointment, call 336.734.7343.

On-Campus Recruitment

Area businesses conduct on-campus recruitment sessions during each semester of the
academic year. Information is posted in Career Services for interested students. Faculty
and staff are notified when recruitment is for students in their department.

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Job Fairs and Career Days

An annual campus-wide job fair sponsored by Career Services offers an excellent

setting for students and employers to discuss employment opportunities.

Career Services arranges Career Days for students to provide them the opportunity to
exchange information with individuals who are employed in their future fields of study.

Job Search Tips and Guidelines

To be successful, job seekers must prepare for employment opportunities before they
come along. The Career Services staff has developed and maintains detailed job
search guidelines for interested job seekers. Handouts covering resumes, cover letters,
interviews and applications are available in Career Services and for download in PDF or
PowerPoint format on our TechLink site.

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 FORSYTH TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Bioeffects Statement of Notification

The following statement was issued in September 1988 by the American Institute of
Ultrasound in Medicine. It was prepared by the Bioeffects Committee of the AIUM. One
purpose of the statement is for the student to have been informed of the biohazards that are
felt to be associated with the use of diagnostic ultrasound. At this time, no biohazards have
been found at the diagnostic levels which are used in medicine today. However, each student
is required to read this statement and sign the informed consent form on the last page.

J Ultrasound Med 7:S1-S38, September, 1988 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine

Bioeffects Report, S5

Table 1.6: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Official Statement on Safety in

Training and Research. approved March 1983; Revised and Approved March
1988.

Diagnostic ultrasound has been in use since the late 1950s. No confirmed adverse biological
effects on patients resulting from this usage have ever been reported. Although no hazard has
been identified that would preclude the prudent and conservative use of diagnostic ultrasound
in education and research, experience from normal diagnostic practice may or may not be
relevant to extended exposure times and altered exposure conditions. It is therefore
considered appropriate to make the following recommendation:

In those special situations in which examinations are to be carried out for

purposes other than direct medical benefit to the individual being examined, the
subject should be informed of the anticipated exposure conditions, and of how
these compare with conditions for normal diagnostic practice.

The ultrasound scanners used at Forsyth Tech use the same output limits that are used at the
local hospitals and clinics (100mW/cm2 Output Intensity).

If you have any questions or concerns about bioeffects please direct them to the program
director. Do not sign this form until you have had all of your questions answered.

I, , have read this document and understand the

A.I.U.M. statement on safety in training and research. I realize that being a volunteer patient
for ultrasound labs is not required, but that I will be expected to provide a volunteer patient to
be scanned in my place if I choose not to be scanned.

Signed:__________________________________________

Date:____________________________________________

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 FORSYTH TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM

STUDENT CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

Patient confidentiality at the facilities used by the Forsyth Technical Community College
Sonography Programs is considered to be of primary importance. In addition to each facility policy, a
federal law called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires patient health
information to be kept confidential. Additionally, patients and their families have a right to deal with their
issues in a private and secure manner, trusting that their privacy will be maintained. In order to protect this
right to confidentiality and to comply with federal and state laws, students must agree to hold all
information (including, but not limited to, patient names, their medical information, and relevant agency
information) gained through their clinical assignments at any facility used by the Forsyth Technical
Community College Sonography Programs in strictest confidence. Confidentiality includes, but is not
limited to, not discussing patients or their medical conditions with persons who do not have a need to
know and not removing any documents with individually identifiable patient data from the facility.

I understand that I have a legal responsibility to report to my immediate supervisor any adult or
child abuse or neglect which I may observe or suspect.

I also understand the terms of this Student Confidentiality Agreement, and I agree to abide by the
above confidentiality requirements. I further understand that any breach of a patient's confidentiality may
result in disciplinary action against me and my removal from the clinical site to which I have been
assigned.

Printed Student Name

Student Signature

Date

Forsyth Technical Community College Student Confidentiality Statement (Revised July 2008)
2100 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103 07/18/2008

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 Forsyth Technical Community College

Sonography Program Honor System

I,________________________________, agree to uphold the honor system of the

sonography programs at Forsyth Tech by refusing to accept or use unauthorized
information on a test, quiz, project or assignment. Unauthorized information will be
defined as:

1. Obtaining or attempting to obtain exams from previous students in the program.

2. Looking for information on posters, wall charts, etc. when taking an exam.

3. Using other student’s case studies that were not prepared by you.

4. Using hidden notes to gain information on an exam.

5. Falsifying information on any document.

6. Giving information to another student during an exam or quiz.

7. Opening a textbook or notebook during an exam.

8. Having unapproved materials out during an exam.

9. Using a programmable calculator on a physics exam.

I understand that if found guilty of cheating, I will be subject to dismissal from the
program.

__________________________________ ________________________
(Student Signature) (Date)

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 FORSYTH TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM
Critical Incident Report
Student Sonographers are required to report any incident they are involved in that results in possible or actual adverse outcomes to patients
or themselves. Some examples of Critical Incidents are: accidental needle sticks, exposure to blood or body fluids, possible exposure to
TB or HIV, seizure, sudden onset of illness, serious equipment failure, damage or dysfunction caused by the student, patient injury or
death.

This form should be completed within 24 hours of the event and submitted to the Program Director for review.
Date Report Received by Program: ____________________

Please type or print clearly.

Student’s Name: Date and Time of Incident:
Clinical Facility: Clinical Preceptor:
Supervising Sonographer: Forsyth Tech Clinical Instructor:

Briefly describe the incident and the extent of student involvement: use additional pages if necessary

Follow-up:

Is any additional follow-up planned? If so, describe.

List the names and titles of anyone else involved:

Student Signature Date

Program Evaluation/Action
To be completed by Program Director or Designee
Mark all that apply
Notified by
Clinical Coordinator Notified by Student Other: ________________________________________

Date: __________ ___________ ____________

Discussed with
Student Faculty/Advisor Clinical Coordinator Other: _________________________________

Date: __________ ____________ _______________

Copy of Report
Secure Administrative File Secure Student File
College Public Safety Office: Mail FAX
Additional Follow-up:

John Cassell, RTR,, RDMS, RVT, BS Date

Program Director

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Medical Illness Excuse:

Doctor’s excuses whether for the student or their dependent, must be written on official
physician pad paper or official stationary from the medical facility and must include the
cause for absence, dates that student must be out of school, and physician signature.

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 Forsyth Technical Community College
Division of Health Technologies
Physical Assessment Informed Consent

I _____________________________ understand that in class/laboratory/clinical experiences

certain physical examination techniques and assessments will be necessary. It is expected that
all contact made during these experiences will be done in a professional and respectful manner.

I understand that being a scan model is voluntary for all students and much of the lab scanning is
performed on volunteers in the program. While this is voluntary I also understand that if I am
unable or unwilling to be scanned I will need to provide a volunteer to be scanned in my place.

Student Signature Date

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Sample Policy Violation Form:

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 Signature Forms Check Off Sheet
Name: _________________________

 Student Confidentiality Agreement

 Sonography Program Honor System

 Physical Assessment Informed Consent

Bioeffects Statement

 Student Manual Acknowledgment

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 Signature Forms Check Off Sheet
Name: _________________________

 Student Confidentiality Agreement

 Sonography Program Honor System

 Physical Assessment Informed Consent

Bioeffects Statement

 Student Manual Acknowledgment

Medical Sonography
Program

Clinical Handbook
 Sonography Program Student Handbook
Table of Contents Topics

Section 1 – Clinical Policies and Procedures

Page 1 - 2: Clinical Attendance
Page 2: Tardy/Lateness
Page 2: Clinical Attendance Sheets
Page 3: Conduct
Page 3: Malpractice/Liability Insurance
Page 4: Student Health Insurance, Death in the Family, Dismissal from a Clinical Site
Page 4 - 6: Dress Code
Page 7: Clothing Contamination, Transportation, Incidence Reports, Injury during a Clinical
Rotation, Rules for Clinical Evaluations
Page 8: Invasive Procedures, Treatment of Patients, Gloving, Endovaginal and Endorectal Policy
Page 9 -10: Professionalism Regarding Clinical Sites, Students at Clinical During Unscheduled Hours,
General Behavior Guidelines
Page 11 - 12: Clinical Makeup days, Patient Identification, Limitation of Patient Care / Scope of
Practice
Page 12 - 13: Job description of a Sonographer
Page 14: Clinical Chain of Command
Page 15: Supervision During Clinical Hours, Portable Exam Policy, Patient Transportation Policy
Page 16: Infectious Disease Policy, Reporting of Communicable Diseases, Patients on Respiratory
Isolation.
Page 17: Pre-Clinical Requirements, CPR Courses
Page: 18: Clinical Course Evaluation Methods, Clinical Course Syllabi
Page 19 - 21: Clinical Site Contact Information
Page 22: Directions to Alamance Medical Center and Carolina Medical Center.
Page 23: Directions to Carolina Medical Center – Copperfield, Community Care Clinic, and
Cornerstone Imaging Diagnostic Center
Page 24: Directions to Forsyth Medical Center, Forsyth Medical Imaging Center Maplewood, and
High Point Regional Hospital
Page 25: Directions to Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital
Page 26: Directions to Kernersville Medical Center
Page 27: Directions to Lexington Memorial Hospital
Page 28: Directions to Morehead Memorial Hospital
Page 29: Directions to Moses Cone Hospital, Northern Hospital of Surry County, and Piedmont
Imaging
Page 30: Directions to Rowan Regional Medical Center and Rowan Regional Medical Center –
Julian Road Clinic.
Page 31: Directions to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Page 32: Directions to Wesley Long Community Hospital and Woman’s Hospital of Greensboro
Page 33: Clinical Site Protocols, Clinical Evaluation Methods, and Clinical Conferences
Page 34-35: Gross Negligence
Page 36: Clinical Rotation and Compliance Agreement

Section 2 – Appendix (Forms)

Page 37: Incident Form
 Clinical Policies, Rules and Regulations
The following is an outline of the rules and regulations that apply to sonography students while
they are at their assigned clinical rotations.

Clinical Attendance
Student must complete all assigned clinical hours in order to satisfy the Medical Sonography
program, CAAHEP accreditation requirements, and North Carolina Community College
Curriculum Audit. Students who miss a day for any reason will receive an “Incomplete” for the
clinical course.

The faculty members of the sonography programs feel that class attendance is vital to success in
the program. Excessive absences or tardiness may result in a student being dropped from the
course.

Students may miss 6 hours (one day) in SON 110 and up to 16 hours (2 days) per semester in
the remaining clinical courses. All clinical absences must be made up at the end of each
semester on faculty workdays (See syllabi for specific dates). Absences beyond this two-day limit
will require written documentation such as a doctor’s excuse to justify the absence. If a student
incurs an absence in excess of the allowed hours and cannot produce sufficient documentation to
justify the absence, then that student may be dropped from the course and hence, the
sonography program due to prerequisite requirements. In some cases, when there are not
enough days to allow a student to make up all of their missed excused absences, a grade of
incomplete “I” may be issued for the course and the student will not be allowed to proceed to the
next clinical course until the conditions for removing the incomplete have been met. This may
require the student to attend clinical during the time between semesters. If there are not enough
days between semesters, the student will be dropped from the program and the student can re-
apply to the program (See college policy). Health matters such as pregnancy or medical
conditions which cause frequent or prolonged absences will be handled on an individual basis.
The program director shall review students that receive two or more incompletes (even if the
incomplete has since been removed) and determine if the student will be allowed to stay in the
program.

Absence:
Absences from clinical will have to be made up at the end of the semester in which they occurred.
Greater than two absences cannot be made up unless excused by the clinical coordinator.
Unexcused absences are defined as missing days beyond the 2-day allowance and/or failing to
follow proper procedure for reporting an absence.

Third absence: If a student exceeds the two allowed absences (16 contact hours) then he/she
will be required to complete a policy violation form and a conference with the program and/or
clinical coordinator will be required before the absence will be excused. Generally, some type of
official documentation is required to be considered for an excused absence. Written
documentation includes, but is not limited to, doctor’s excuse for student or dependent illness,
jury summons for jury duty, a dated court document for court, etc. Routine doctor or dental
appointments are not legitimate reasons for an absence and will not be accepted when
documentation is required. Official documentation does not guarantee an excused absence, but
it will be taken into consideration when the final decision is made. Forth absence: The student
will be dismissed from the program.

Students are not allowed to ask staff sonographers or clinical preceptors to leave early. On slow
days, the student should restock linen, fill gel bottles, or find other school-related activities to pass
the time such as studying or reading ultrasound journals or textbooks in the department. You
must be physically present in clinical to earn the clinical contact hours. Also, the site cannot send

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the student home early. In order to be counted present for a clinical experience, the student must
stay for the entire time of clinical. Leaving early for any reason EXCEPT for college closing
will result in an absence.

The student must follow the proper procedure for reporting an absence. PROPER
PROCEDURE IS to complete a, b & c as stated below:
a. Call the assigned clinical site and speak with the clinical preceptor. Clinical calls must
be made by 8:00am.
b. Call the clinical instructor assigned to you, even if they are not scheduled to visit you on
that day. Sometimes faculty rotation schedules must be changed for various reasons,
and this could result in your Forsyth Tech instructor traveling to your site on a day that
they were not previously scheduled to visit. Your call could save them a wasted trip.
Also, the instructor must keep a record of your absences, so be sure to inform them
whenever you have to be absent. If a clinical instructor is scheduled to visit you at
your site then they should be called early enough to prevent them from making a
wasted trip.
c. Call the clinical coordinator and leave a message on the answering service. Explain why
you are going to be absent, a number where you can be reached, and when you expect
to return to school.

* Failure to follow the proper procedure for reporting an absence will result in an
unexcused absence. For each unexcused absence, two days must be made up or
else the final grade will be reduced one letter grade for each unexcused absence.

Late/Tardy Policy:

The medical sonography program has a Zero-Tolerance policy for arriving late to clinical. This
means that students are not allowed to arrive at clinic past the official ‘start time,’ no matter what
time increment that may be. If clinic starts at 8:00am and you arrive at 8:01am you are
considered tardy/late and will not be allowed to finish the day and will be sent home and counted
as ‘absent.’ The student is responsible for contacting the Clinical Coordinator so that the
absence can be properly documented. Or, if the student leaves prior to the ‘end time’ for the day
the Clinical Preceptor will notify the Clinical Coordinator, and the student will be counted absent
for the entire day. Clinical ‘start time’ and ‘end time’ hours will be included in the course syllabi
each semester as the times/days will vary. All absences must be made up on the assigned
make-up days at the end of the semester.

Third tardy will result in dismissal from the course. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy.
Take clinical very serious! Make it there on time and never leave early!

Clinical Attendance Sheets:

The student is solely responsible for maintaining his or her clinical attendance sheet(s) and for
the accuracy of all entries. Unaccounted for time due to the loss of a page or pages is
considered an absence and must be made up prior to the beginning of the next semester. Time
cannot be accumulated or banked. Staying beyond the scheduled clinical day, working through
breaks, or meals does not result in accumulation of time. For example, students must take a 30-
minute lunch. Students will not be allowed to skip lunch in an effort to leave 30 minutes early,
arrive 30 minutes late, or make-up clinical time.

Each clinical day requires a minimum of two time entries: arrival and the sign out at the
conclusion of the clinical day. Each day must have a time in and out followed by the initials
of a staff sonographer or clinical instructor for verification and corroboration. Only initialed
time entries are used to calculate clinical attendance. You are not allowed to ask a staff member
to sign you in and out at the same time. You must obtain initials (with time of day) at two different

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occasions. You are not allowed to ask someone to retro-date/time your sheets or to sign
them in advance.

If your attendance sheet is audited and we find that this has been done, you will first be issued a
verbal warning. If another instance occurs then the clinical contact hours for identified day(s) will
be counted as an absence, and you will be required to make up the time on the assigned make
up day(s). If the problem persists then it will be considered as falsifying academic documents
which is prohibited as stated in the Student Code of Conduct and appropriate disciplinary action
will be taken.

Students without their clinical book shall not be allowed to attend clinic. Your clinical book
is part of your uniform. If you show up for clinical without your clinical book, you will be sent
home. The student will then receive an absence for the day. The student is responsible for
contacting the Clinical Coordinator so that the absence can be properly documented.

All time missed in clinical will be calculated toward allotted two days (16 hours) – this
includes any days missed for not having your clinical book; being counted absent for
arriving tardy/late to site, or leaving early, etc.

Conduct
Chewing gum is not permitted during clinical time. Food and drinks should only be consumed in
designated areas. All clinical sites are smoke free, so smoking on the premises is not allowed.
Chewing tobacco is not permitted in either the clinical or class environment. A student
suspected of alcohol or drug intoxication is subject to the policies of the clinical site to which they
are assigned. This may require drug and/or alcohol testing. Failure of the student to comply with
the clinical site’s policy or testing positive on a drug and/or alcohol test will result in the student
being withdrawn from their clinical rotation and it will also result in the student being dismissed
from the program.

Students who are dismissed from a clinical site for improper conduct, or for behavior that is not up
to the clinical site’s standards will be dropped from the program. So be on your best, most
professional behavior at all times and follow the policies in this handbook for all of your clinical
site rotations.

Cellular phones are not to be carried during clinical hours. They are a distraction. Leave cell
phones in your car. Do not bring them into hospitals or clinical sites. No exceptions!

Each student must realize that he or she is required to adhere to all the rules and regulations of
the hospital to which he or she is assigned. Improper conduct will reflect on the college as well
as the student. Appropriate action by the college will follow such an incident. It is the student’s
responsibility to become familiar with the rules and policies of the clinical site that they are
assigned to by completing the appropriate orientation packet for their site, and following the rules
and policies of this handbook.

Malpractice / Liability Insurance

All students in Allied Health Programs are required to carry malpractice insurance through a
group policy offered at the College. Malpractice Insurance is paid through the college cashier in
the Fall Semester of each year. Malpractice insurance must be purchased each fall since it only
covers the student for one year. The cost is $18.00 per year. A copy of the policy is included in
this handbook.

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 Student Health Insurance
All students are strongly recommended to have personal medical insurance coverage. Neither
Forsyth Tech nor the clinical affiliates are liable for injury to individual students. Since the student
is not employed by the school or the clinical facility, the student will be responsible for all incurring
expenses. However, in case of an accident, the college has coverage up to certain limits. This
coverage is secondary to your primary personal coverage. If you are involved in an
accident/incident, please follow these procedures. (Illnesses are not covered.)

1. Students should notify Clinical Instructor.

2. Identify options: first aid, family doctor, ER visit. If student elects to be seen in ER
they should notify the ER that they are enrolled in the Clinical Program at Forsyth
Tech. The Business Office at Forsyth Tech will need a copy of the bill.

3. Clinical Instructor should notify Department manager and fill out any indicated form.

4. Clinical Instructor should fill out Forsyth Tech incident form and notify Clinical
Coordinator and/or Program Coordinator.

5. Send the Forsyth Tech form and copy of any hospital forms that were filled out, to
Clinical Coordinator and/or Program Coordinator. The hospital bill, incident report
and any other hospital forms need to be forwarded to the Business Office at Forsyth
Tech.
Death in Student's Family
If a student has a death in their immediate family (mother, father, brother, sister, child, spouse,
grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or legal guardian) then the student will be given one-
week off from all classes if they provide proof (obituary or funeral flyer). The student will have
until the end of the semester to make up any work missed during this one-week absence. This
only applies to immediate family members as defined above.

Dismissal From a Clinical Site

Each affiliating hospital or clinical site has the right to request removal from that facility any
student they believe to be clinically unsafe, or for conduct failing to meet minimum standards
established by the hospital or college. The following policy has been adopted by the college in
the event such a situation should arise.

Any student dismissed from a clinical site for policy violations, or found clinically unsafe in any
clinical course will be withdrawn from the clinical course and a grade of "WF" will be administered
for that clinical course. This results in the student being dropped from the program. Students
who are dropped may apply for re-entry to the program the following year through the admissions
department.

Dress Code
The student is required to be neat and clean at all times. The hospital will have the right to
dismiss any student from a particular clinic session if that student is not personally hygienic, or
neat in appearance. A clean, regulation uniform is required at each clinic session. Shoes will be
cleaned or polished and of regulation style.

Make-up and Nails

1. Makeup must be worn in moderation to maintain a professional appearance.
2. Do not wear artificial or acrylic nails. Fingernails must be clean and well groomed
Note: Nails should be trimmed back to the end of the fingertip.

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 3. Nail polish must be clear.
4. Multicolored nails, nail ornamentation, or extreme colors are not acceptable.

Hair/Hair Accessories
1. Hair
a) Clean and neat.
b) Conservative style that does not fall forward over the face while
performing normal job duties. Note: Extremes in hairstyles such as
cutouts, Mohawks or unnatural colors are not acceptable.
2. Hair accessories
a) May be worn for the purpose of preventing hair from falling forward on
the face.
b) Coordinate accessories with clothing.
c) Appropriate hair confinement is worn in areas as required by law and
safety requirements.

Hair should be kept neat, clean, and not wet, and the hair must be dressed so as not to interfere
with clinical duties. Hair that is shoulder-length or longer must be worn up and off the shoulder
line.

Students of the Sonography Program shall conform to the following standards regarding their
dress while on duty with all clothes clean, pressed and neat in appearance (not wrinkled, too
baggy, or form fitting).

Scrubs:
Female students: will wear scrub pants and tops, the color of which depends upon the
student level, plain white hose or socks, white leather shoes, white lab coat and
name tag. The back of scrub pants must be at least an inch up off the floor and
cannot extend over the tongue of the shoe in the front. (Avoid the split-style
bottomed and low-rise scrub pants).

Male students: will wear scrub pants and tops, the color of which depends upon the
student level, white socks, white leather shoes, white lab coat and name tag.
Boots of any type will not be permitted. A neatly trimmed mustache or beard is
permitted. The back of scrub pants must be at least an inch up off the floor and
cannot extend over the tongue of the shoe in the front. (Avoid the split-style
bottomed and low-rise scrub pants).

SON: First Level Students: Navy Blue Scrubs

Second Level Students: TBA

Scrubs should be purchased prior to the first scheduled scanning lab. Scrubs must be worn to all
scanning labs as well as clinical rotations.

1. Sweaters and Jackets

a. Sweaters are not allowed and lab coats must be white and short
to mid-length. The lab coat should be long enough to touch the
upper part of the thigh.

b. Heavy/light weight outer wear (jackets/coats) are appropriate as

long as they are not worn indoors. Students should remove
heavy/light weight coats upon arrival to the department.

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 2. Socks, Hosiery, and Under Clothing
a. Appropriate and conservative underclothing with adequate
coverage should be worn at all times. Do not wear colored
undergarments or thongs because they are sometimes visible
through thin scrubs.
b. White socks or hose must be worn at all times

3. Shoes
a. Shoes must be all white, including soles with this exception:
Name of the shoe may be in color.
b. Shoes must be made completely of leather material.
c. Shoes must be clean.
d. Shoes must be closed-toed with no openings.
e. Shoes must cover the entire foot. No clog-style shoes.

4. Accessories
a. All personnel have a responsibility to help prevent the spread of
diseases and infections while providing patient care. Jewelry
can harbor these germs. Therefore, wearing jewelry should be
limited or avoided.
b. Necklaces are not allowed due to safety reasons.
c. You may have rings on one finger of each hand.
d. You may have any earrings that are not large but you may NOT
have hoop earrings, or multiple earring pairs or body piercings
visible outside the ear lobe. Tongue rings and nose rings are not
allowed.
e. Every student must wear a name tag (Students without name
tags will be considered out of uniform and will be sent
home). Picture ID name tags are required and are available on
Main Campus at the student center.
f. Visible tattoos are prohibited and must be covered.
g. No perfumes, cologne or aftershave. No scented sprays.

5. Head Covers
Due to religious and cultural beliefs, some students are required to wear
head covers. The following guidelines must be followed when wearing
head covers.

a. The head cover should be white, or the same color of the uniform
scrubs.
b. The head cover must be unobtrusive. Large turbans are
unacceptable. Conservative hoods and/or drapes are preferred.
c. Check with the clinical coordinator to get approval of the head
cover prior to the first day of clinical.

6. Hygiene
a. Maintain oral hygiene daily.
b. Bathe or Shower daily.
c. Wash hands frequently, before and after every patient contact.
d. Wash hair daily.

If a student appears at the clinical site out of uniform or in a manner unbecoming to the
profession, that student will be dismissed for the day regardless of the imposition on the student
or the department staff. No credit will be awarded for clinical time for that day.

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 Clothing Contamination
When a student’s uniform becomes contaminated with blood or body fluids during a procedure,
they are to immediately contact the supervising sonographer and will follow the same procedure
that staff sonographers follow when clothing becomes contaminated. In most cases the student
will change into OR scrubs and place their soiled garments into a biohazard bag which will be
labeled and taken to the laundry for cleaning. Students can usually pick up their cleaned
uniforms the next day. Some sites may require the student to take their soiled garments home to
be cleaned. Some sites may not provide OR scrubs for students. In this case it is highly
recommended that you keep an extra pair of scrubs and a plastic bag for your soiled uniform in
your car trunk for these kinds of emergencies. Ask your clinical preceptor which method to follow.

Transportation
Each student is required to provide his or her own transportation to and from the clinic and bear in
mind some clinical sites require a lot of travel mileage.

Incident Reports
Whenever a student becomes injured while attending classes and clinics as part of the program,
the Program Coordinator must be informed to file an incident report.

If a student is injured while at the clinical affiliate, as part of the sonography program, he/she must
file an incident report with both the clinical affiliate and with the Program Coordinator. See the
appendix for a copy of the incident form. The form must be completed and submitted within 24
hours of the incident. See the appendix for the incident form.

While at the clinical affiliate, as part of the sonography program, if a patient under your care
becomes injured in any way as a result of your actions or the equipment; the incident must be
reported to your clinical preceptor, instructor, and clinical coordinator immediately and an incident
report filed. The incident report will be forwarded to the program coordinator.

Injury During a Clinical Rotation

If a student becomes injured during a clinical rotation and their insurance will not cover them for
service at that hospital, then student should still report to the emergency department and contact
the clinical preceptor and program coordinator immediately. The student will need to pay for this
and obtain a receipt. If it is a medical problem (illness) and not an injury related to clinical or
class, the school will not pay. However, in the case of injury, the student needs to bring all
paperwork (receipt, doctor’s report, etc.) to the program coordinator from the hospital or doctor's
office, along with the incident form from Forsyth Tech. These will be turned in to public safety
department at the college for possible reimbursement.

Rules for Clinical Evaluations

As each hospital or clinical site have different conditions, equipment and personnel, the student
will have evaluations of each general type of examination offered at the hospitals/clinics where
the student is assigned during the academic year.

It will be the student’s decision when he or she feels ready to be evaluated for a specific exam
proficiency or competency. It is the student’s responsibility to inform their instructor when they
are ready to test.

Students must daily present their clinic book daily for attendance signatures. Students without
their clinic book shall not be allowed to attend clinic. Your clinical book is part of your uniform. If
you show up for clinical without your clinical book, you will be sent home. The student will then

7|Page
receive an absence for the day. The student is responsible for contacting the Clinical Coordinator
so that the absence can be properly documented.

Invasive Procedures
At no time is a student to perform an invasive procedure. They may set up sterile fields, prepare
supplies and observe the procedure but no "hands on” is allowed during the procedure due to the
possibility of complications. Examples of invasive procedures would be amniocentesis, marking
lines for biopsy, paracentesis, thoracentesis, and any procedure using ultrasound for needle
guidance. Should such an incident occur in which the student is pressured to provide hands-on
assistance with an invasive procedure, then the student will notify the clinical coordinator or
instructor immediately. The college will take appropriate action at that time. Students may scan
these patients prior to procedures for practice only. A student scan may not be used as part of
any invasive procedure. Students are not allowed to scan during the procedure. Students should
not operate machine controls during a procedure unless under the direct supervision of the staff
sonographer and physician. The role of the student sonographer in procedures is to assist the
staff sonographer in preparing / setting up for the procedure, to observe, and to assist with post-
procedure activities. Intraoperative procedures follow the same policy as invasive procedures.

Treatment of Patients
All patients with whom the student comes in contact will be treated with respect and dignity. A
casual brief conversation with the patient along with a description of the examination will help
relieve much of the apprehension the patient might have. But do not get into lengthy
conversations as this may prolong the exam time and cause a backup of patients on the
schedule. The student must also maintain an awareness of the patient’s safety and comfort. It is
the student’s responsibility to monitor the patient during a scan for changes that may
require action, and to seek assistance when such actions are necessary. At no time will a
student discuss a patient or his condition outside of the hospital. Patients have a right to privacy
(see HIPAA). Do not ask questions that are not pertinent to the exam. Never tell a patient what
you are seeing on the screen even if it is just normal anatomy. Never reveal the results of an
exam to the patient. This is the role of their attending and/or referring physician.

Glove Policy
For protection of both the patient and the student, all students in the sonography program will be
required to wear gloves while performing a scan on any patient. If the student’s affiliating hospital
or clinic does not make provision for gloves to be worn for every patient, then the student must
provide these for himself/herself. Disposable gloves can be purchased at any pharmacy. If the
student has a latex allergy, non-latex gloves are readily available at pharmacies or the clinical
sites. Students should always ask patients if they are allergic to latex before using latex gloves.

Student Endovaginal and Endorectal Policy

1. The student shall adhere to the clinical policy at which they are assigned.
2. The student shall not perform an endovaginal exam on bleeding obstetrical patients.
3. A registered staff sonographer, Forsyth Tech instructor, or physician will accompany the
student at all times while performing an endovaginal or endorectal exam. At least one of
the above must be a female.
4. The probe will be placed into the patient only by the staff sonographer, Forsyth Tech
instructor, the patient, or a physician and not by the student. Some patients are willing to
insert the probes themselves when asked, which prevents the inconvenience of having
the physician or staff sonographer to do it.
5. Due to the sensitive nature of the exams, students must obtain consent from the patient
prior to performing the exam or when remaining in the room to observe.

8|Page
 Professionalism Regarding Clinical Sites
The student sonographer is expected to behave as a professional at all times when in a clinical
site. A true professional does not speak of other clinical sites in a poor manner and does not
pass judgment on the clinical site in which they are assigned. Should such behavior become
evident in the student sonographer, the college will take appropriate action. Some clinical sites
are competitive with one another, so it may not be uncommon for students to hear staff speaking
poorly of a rival medical center. Students should never involve themselves in these types of
conversations. Just quietly walk away and/or make no comments. Students should not discuss
personal problems at work, nor should they get involved in these types of discussions with other
staff sonographers. Students should avoid cliques and gossip at all sites.

Students at Clinical
During Unscheduled Clinical Hours
Often a student is hired to work on weekends at a clinical site in either radiology or ultrasound.
The College is not responsible for the behavior of the student during unscheduled school hours.
Anyone hiring a student does so at his/her own risk. The student's malpractice insurance does
not cover them during these times.
A student may not go to a clinical site that is not scheduled for them at that time. Should a
student "show-up" at a clinical site at an inappropriate time, the College will take immediate
action. Written permission for unscheduled clinical must first be obtained from the clinical
preceptor and clinical coordinator prior to going to the clinical site. Students may not make up
time on days that school is not in session. All make-up days must be scheduled during regular
class times and days, or at the end of the semester during faculty work days.

General Behavior Guidelines

1. Students are not allowed to make or receive personal or business-related calls during
clinical hours. This includes texting. Only emergency calls will be allowed.
2. Students are not allowed to read magazines, catalogs or newspapers during down-time.
Students may not carry school textbooks or homework assignments to clinical. Clinical is
not to be used for study time. Down time means that no patients are being scanned and
all linen has been stocked and gel bottles filled. In other words, there is absolutely
nothing else to do. Down time is a good time to scan yourself to practice optimizing
images and finding scan controls. It there is absolutely nothing left to do, then ask the
staff sonographers for an assignment. You may read ultrasound journals and reference
texts that are kept by the department only when there is absolutely nothing else that you
can possibly do. Again…you may not carry your school textbooks or study materials to
clinical.

3. Students should report to their clinical preceptor the first thing each day to ask for an
assignment.
4. Students should not read or do homework while patients are being scanned. Reading is
only allowed after all patients have been scanned, rooms have been stocked, etc.
Always ask the staff sonographers if there is anything that you can do before pulling out
your textbooks. Use the following guidelines when not busy:

1. Ask for assignment of new duties.

2. Practice scanning if a machine is available, and the workload is light.
3. Clean and restock the rooms with supplies.
4. Review equipment and operator’s manuals.
5. Review the clinical site scanning protocols.
6. Read and/or study ultrasound related materials as a last resort.

9|Page
5. Clean rooms after every patient, stock linen, and fill gel bottles in each room before
leaving each day. Do not wait to be asked, take initiative, and do these small tasks on
your own. The staff sonographers will greatly appreciate it.

6. Do not call staff sonographers (especially clinical preceptors) by their first name, unless
they have given you permission to do so. Always address them as Mr., Mrs., or Ms.,
followed by their last name. Some people feel that it is disrespectful and too familiar to
call them by their first name when you first meet them.

7. Eating and drinking is only allowed at designated areas. Eat and drink only in those
designated areas.

8. The student should conduct himself/herself in a professional manner by avoiding

profanity, over familiarity, gossip, horseplay, excessive talking, and loudness in the
clinical setting.

9. Ladies, avoid heavy make-up. Remember that sometimes less is more… Gentlemen, do
not wear aftershave or cologne. Some staff members and patients are allergic to
colognes and perfumes.

10. Never turn down an opportunity to observe or perform a scan when the opportunity
presents itself. Take initiative and ask the sonographers if you can scan a patient. Don’t
wait for them to ask you. Always ask the sonographer if you can observe an exam
before you go into the room to watch.

11. Always introduce yourself to the patient and ask if you can observe the scan (if
observing).

12. Students may have one 15-minute break for every four hours of clinical time worked.
Students get a 30-minute lunch break, only on days that they are in clinical for 6 or more
hours. Students who are present at the clinical site for less than six hours should not
take a lunch break. For example, a student in clinical for 8 hours gets one 15-minute
break in the morning, a 30-minute lunch, and another 15-minute break in the afternoon.
Always ask the staff sonographer in charge before taking a break and realize that a lunch
break in healthcare doesn’t always come at noon. Some days you may not get lunch
until late afternoon depending upon how busy the schedule is at your site.

13. Do not fall asleep at clinical. Penalties for sleeping are:

First Offence: Verbal Warning:

Student is sent home for the day and is counted
absent for the day. (The day must be made up.)

Second Offence: Written Warning:

Student is sent home and counted absent. Student
is referred to the counseling center for counseling.
Clinical grade will be reduced by one letter grade.
(The missed day cannot be made up.)

Third Offence: Dismissal:

Student receives an F in clinical and is dropped from
the program.

14. Do not ask inappropriate questions or appropriate questions at inappropriate times (such
as in front of a patient). For example, it is inappropriate to ask about a pathology spotted
on a scan in front of the patient.

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Please be aware that students can be dropped from the clinical site and from the program
for violating clinical policies.

Clinical Make-up Days

Students who have an excused absence may make up the clinical time only during regular hours
of operation 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday.

Students are not permitted to be in the clinical sites before 8:00am or after 4:30pm.

Students may not make up time during weekends, nights or holidays. Two days will be
designated at the end of the semester for students to make up time.

Students may only make up time if it is an excused absence.

Students may only make up time when a Forsyth Tech instructor is present in their office, making
clinical rounds, or is available by phone.

Students may not make up missed time when the College is officially closed.
Students may not make up time prior to the end of the semester unless they have exceeded the
two allowed absences and have received the approval of the clinical coordinator.

Patient Identification

Confirm proper identification of each patient before performing a scan by using all three listed
methods.

1. Check wristbands on all inpatients.

2. Check first and last name, age, and sex with information on the requisition.
3. Ask the patient his or her name.

A requisition from a physician is required before an ultrasound can be performed.

In the absence of a requisition, look in the patient’s chart for the written order.

Exception: Direct Verbal Order

Limitation of Patient Care / Scope of Practice

Splints, bandages, traction or braces cannot be removed without the permission of the physician.
In reference to traction:
1. Never adjust it.
2. Try to keep traction weights from moving.
3. Never allow traction ropes to become slack.

Students should never give medication, food, liquid or treatment to patients.

Example: Do not do a water study on a patient for the pancreas. Only the staff
sonographer may give the patient water.

Never discuss patient related information with anyone who is not directly responsible for that
patient’s care.

A patient should never be left on a stretcher unattended. Side rails must be raised on stretchers
for safety reasons.

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Students should never keep valuables for a patient.
1. These should be given to supervisory personnel on the floor or…
2. Instruct the patient to keep the valuable on his/her person.

Critically ill patients must receive attention first.

1. The room should be prepared before the patient arrives (crash cart, O2, suction, etc.)
2. The patient should never be left alone, but should be constantly monitored.
3. The patient should be observed and any changes should be noted.
4. The physician should be notified of any change.
5. Look for a living will in the patient’s chart to see if there are any special restrictions on life-
saving efforts.

Job Description for a Sonographer

Job descriptions will vary from one employer to the next; however, all job descriptions must fall
within the constraints of the Sonographer’s Scope of Practice as outlined by the SDMS.

Scope of Practice for the Diagnostic

Ultrasound Professional
Preamble:
The purpose of this document is to define the Scope of Practice for Diagnostic Ultrasound
Professionals and to specify their roles as members of the health care team, acting in the best
interest of the patient. This scope of practice is a "living" document that will evolve as the
technology expands.

Definition of the Profession:

The Diagnostic Ultrasound Profession is a multi-specialty field comprised of Diagnostic Medical
Sonography (with subspecialties in abdominal, neurologic, obstetrical/gynecologic and ophthalmic
ultrasound), Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography (with subspecialties in adult and pediatric
echocardiography), Vascular Technology, and other emerging fields. These diverse specialties
are distinguished by their use of diagnostic medical ultrasound as a primary technology in their
1
daily work. Certification is considered the standard of practice in ultrasound. Individuals who are
not yet certified should reference the Scope as a professional model and strive to become
certified.

Scope of Practice of the Profession:

The Diagnostic Ultrasound Professional is an individual qualified by professional credentialing2
and academic and clinical experience to provide diagnostic patient care services using ultrasound
and related diagnostic procedures. The scope of practice of the Diagnostic Ultrasound
Professional includes those procedures, acts and processes permitted by law, for which
the individual has received education and clinical experience, and in which he/she has
demonstrated competency.

Diagnostic Ultrasound Professionals:

Perform patient assessments.
Acquire and analyze data obtained using ultrasound and related diagnostic technologies
Provide a summary of findings to the physician to aid in patient diagnosis and management
Use independent judgment and systematic problem solving methods to produce high quality
diagnostic information and optimize patient care.
1
An example of credentials: RDMS (registered diagnostic medical sonographer), RDCS
(registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer), RVT (registered vascular technologist); awarded by
the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers,® a certifying body with NCCA
Category "A" membership.

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2
Credentials should be awarded by an agency certified by the National Commission for
Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Endorsed by:

Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography

American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine
American Society of Echocardiography*
Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Society for Vascular Sonography

* Qualified endorsement

See also: Diagnostic Ultrasound Clinical Practice Standards

See also: Code of Ethics

Copyright © 1993-2000
Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Dallas, Texas USA
All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Organizations that endorse the Scope of Practices and Practice Standards may use them for their
own internal use, including copying or distributing the text, provided that the text is reproduced in
its entirety with no changes, and includes proper attribution and the copyright notice displayed
above.

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 Clinical Education Chain of Command

Whenever a problem comes up at a clinical site, regardless of what it is, the student should follow
this chain of command.

1. The first person that the student must speak to is the Clinical Preceptor. Every attempt
should be made to resolve the problem at this level. If the student feels uncomfortable
approaching the clinical preceptor with the problem, or if attempts to resolve the issue
with the Clinical Preceptor fail, then the student should proceed to # 2.

2. The next person that the student must speak to is their Forsyth Tech Clinical Instructor. If
the Forsyth Tech Clinical Instructor considers the problem to be valid, then it will proceed
to the next stage. If the problem is resolved, the student will be notified and no further
action is necessary.

If the problem isn’t resolved at this level, then it will proceed to # 3.

3. At this stage the Clinical Instructor will discuss the problem with the Clinical Preceptor. If
it is resolved, then the student will be notified and no further action is necessary.

If the problem isn’t resolved at this level, the Forsyth Tech Clinical Instructor and/or
student will present the problem to the Clinical Coordinator.

4. The Clinical Coordinator will evaluate the student request and if the problem is deemed to
be valid, then a meeting will be scheduled at the clinical site to include the following
individuals:

The Student
Clinical Preceptor (and any required representatives)
Forsyth Tech Clinical Instructor
Forsyth Tech Clinical Coordinator

5. If the problem has not been resolved at this level, then the Clinical Coordinator will
present the problem to the Program Coordinator. If the Program Coordinator deems the
problem to be valid, then it will be discussed with the Administrative Manager of the
clinical site.

If the problem has been resolved, then the student will be notified.

If the problem hasn’t been resolved, depending upon the nature of the problem, the
student may be pulled from the site and reassigned to another clinical site providing
that another site is available.

If a clinical site asks for a student to be pulled from their site for any reason other than a
lack of available resources to instruct the student (i.e. violation of hospital or program
policies) then the student will be dropped from the program and a grade of WF will be
issued.

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 Supervision During Clinical Hours
Students must follow the policy of the Program for clinical supervision.

1. Students must be directly supervised until they have achieved and

documented competency in any given procedure.
2. Students may be indirectly supervised when they have achieved and
documented competency in any given procedure.
3. Student/registered technologist ratio must be 1:1 during direct supervision.

Direct supervision means you are observed and accompanied by a registered

sonographer.

Surgery and portables require direct supervision even after competency has
been achieved.

Indirect supervision means a registered sonographer is immediately available

within shouting distance from where you are working.

Portable Exam Policy for Students

Students must be accompanied by a staff sonographer at all times during a
portable exam. Students are not allowed to take portable units outside the
department for any reason without a staff sonographer accompanying them.

If a student injures a patient while trying to “fit” the scanner around a patients
bed, or during a scan in progress then the student’s malpractice insurance will
not cover them unless a staff sonographer was present when the incident
occurred. A number of things can happen to injure patients when students are
unattended, such as parking the scanner on top of an IV line, pulling out a chest
tube, accidently extubating a patient, damaging equipment, etc. Any student who
is asked to take a portable unit up on the floor to “set-up” for a scan, or to start a
scan on their own should inform the sonographer of this policy and politely
refrain. If necessary, refer them to the program coordinator [John Cassell at
(336) 734-7430] if they need further verification.

Transporting Patients

Always check with your clinical site’s policy on students transporting patients
before you attempt to transport a patient to or from an exam room. Students are
not allowed to leave the department alone with a patient under any
circumstances. Students must always be accompanied by a staff sonographer
when transporting patients outside the department. Students may transport
patients from holding rooms within the department into exam rooms, but only if
the clinical site policy allows it.
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 Infectious Disease Policy
All students are to strictly adhere to the Infection Control and Bloodborne
Pathogen Policies of the clinical site to which they are assigned.

The following precautionary measures are to be utilized with all patients:

1. Maintain proper standards for personal care and dress.

2. Hands are to be washed after each patient, after eating, and after using the
restroom.
3. Use gloves with all patients.
4. Use “Blood and Body Fluids” precautions consistently for all patients.
5. Report any contamination (definite or suspected) to the clinical instructor or
supervisor assigned to the clinical site.
6. Review and refer to clinical site infectious disease handbook/policies.*
7. Students are advised about the Hepatitis B virus (HBC) and the Hepatitis B
vaccine.
8. Students are advised about chicken pox and the Varicella immunization.
9. Maintain and utilize proper sterile procedure where appropriate.
10. Properly clean transducers between each patient using the clinical site’s
cleaning method.

Reporting of Communicable Diseases

Students who come in contact with a person having a communicable disease
must report to the clinical instructor/college faculty immediately. Students with
infection should report to their clinical instructor/faculty prior to entering a patient
care area. If the infection poses a hazard to patients or other personnel, they
should not enter the clinical area unless directed by the clinical instructor/faculty.

*Note: Refer to the Infectious Disease Handbook at your clinical site for detailed
information on the measures stated above.

Patients on Respiratory Isolation

Students are not allowed to be in the room with a patient who is on respiratory
isolation. Special mask test fitting must be done on all sonographers, and
specially fitted masks must be used for this purpose. Hospitals do not want to
take on the expense of testing all of our students for these masks, so students
are not allowed to scan or be in the same room with a patient that is on
respiratory isolation.

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 Pre-Clinical Requirements
As part of our contract with each clinical site, students must have satisfied the following
conditions prior to beginning their clinical rotations.
1. OSHA and HIPAA training.
2. CPR at the healthcare provider level (completed prior to entry and current
through the end of each clinical rotation).
3. Malpractice Insurance purchased.
4. Medical Ethics and Law and Scope of Practice for medical sonographers.
5. Basic Patient Care or CNA I course.
6. Orientation packets for selected sites
7. Physical and Vaccinations (Completed Health Forms)
8. Drug Screenings (12-Panel)
9. Criminal Background Checks
10. Documentation of completion of required vaccinations and/or titers.

CPR Courses
Students are required to maintain current CPR certification throughout enrollment in the
Sonography program. This may require renewal at some point before graduation from the
program. The following sites provide CPR training all-year-around.

* Forsyth Tech West Campus (336) 723-0371

* Novant Health Training Courses (336) 718-1716
* WFUBMC Training Courses (336) 716-6457
* American Heart Association (214) 706-1823

* Some locations hold classes at specific times each year and may not be available year-
around.

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 Clinical Course Evaluation Methods

Clinical evaluation is based on several different factors. The grade for clinical will be an average
of scores earned in each required section. The sections used may vary from semester to
semester, so the percentages may change depending on the number of sections that are used.
See individual course syllabi for the breakdown of these percentages.

Being proficient at performing a scan means that the student can complete the scan on his or her
own. For example, when doing a complete abdomen only the parts that the student scanned
completely on their own may be graded. Anytime the sonographer must take the probe to “guide”
the student’s hand or tell the student verbally how to obtain the optimal image, then that particular
organ cannot be graded for the student. So the student should not ask to be graded on those
portions of the scan.

There will be one or more clinical scanning tests every semester. It is the student’s responsibility
to learn the exam protocol (required images and sequencing) for their clinical site. Clinical
scanning tests are based on the clinical site’s protocol.

Two scan tests may not be done on the same patient. The student must test on different
patients.

Students who fail to complete the required exams by the deadline will be given a zero for the
exam. See the policy on failing a critical requirement in this student handbook.

If an exam is deemed too difficult for the student by the Forsyth Tech faculty, the Forsyth Tech
faculty may terminate the test and it will not count against the student (if taken early enough in
the semester to allow for a retest). The student however, may not determine the level of
difficulty of the scan or terminate the test.

Student conferences will be scheduled with the clinical coordinator and/or Forsyth Tech clinical
instructor at least once each semester. It will be the student’s responsibility to call and schedule
their appointment when the conference dates are announced unless the clinical instructor has
assigned specific times. Students should bring all completed evaluation forms and proficiencies
to the conference. All forms are due one week in advance of the final clinical conference in order
to allow the instructor time to evaluate the student prior to the meeting.

Clinical Course Syllabi

Sometimes program policies must be changed, added or deleted after the printing of this
handbook. When this occurs, an addendum to the handbook shall be printed. Each individual
course is tailored by the instructors to maximize the learning experience. Some courses (like
clinical) are unique and this often requires changes to be made in course policies that may differ
from those in other courses. Updated course information will be provided in the clinical course
syllabus. Material printed in the course syllabus overrides any policies or information printed in
this handbook.

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 CLINICAL SITE INFORMATION
Medical Sonography

Alamance Regional Medical Center Forsyth Medical Center

Kim Deal Stephanie Whittington
1240 Huffman Mill Rd. Al Miller – Supervisor
Burlington, NC 27215 3333 Silas Creek Parkway
Ph: 336-538-7173 Winston-Salem, NC 27103
336-718-5800

Carolina Medical Center Forsyth Medical Center Imaging -

Lori Neilon – Lead Technologist Maplewood
Radiology/Ultrasound Dept. Kristin Wilmoth
920 Church Street, North Radiology/Ultrasound Dept.
Concord, NC 28025 3155 Maplewood Avenue
704-783-4161 Winston-Salem, NC 27103
336-397-6200

Carolina Medical Center – Copperfield High Point Regional Hospital

Lisa Howard Mindi Nelson
Radiology/Ultrasound Dept. Melissa Pendry – U/S Coordinator
1065 NE Gateway Court 601 North Elm Street
Concord, NC 28025 High Point, NC 27261
704-920-7512 336-878-6038

Community Care Center High Point Regional Hospital

Heather Patton, Volunteer Coordinator Solomon McClary
Gail Allred, Clinical Instructor Vascular Ultrasound Dept.
2135 New Walkertown Road 601 North Elm Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 High Point, NC 27261
336-878-6006

Cornerstone Imaging Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital

Chris Hayden Amy Davis and Ronda Martin
Vascular Ultrasound Dept. Radiology/Ultrasound Dept.
1814 Westchester Drive 180 Parkwood Drive
Suite 103 Elkin, NC 28621
High Point, NC 27262 (336) 527-7277
336-802-2195

Cornerstone Imaging Kernersville Medical Center

Vera Wardlow Lisa Gamble
Radiology/Ultrasound Dept. 1750 Kernersville Medical Parkway
1814 Westchester Drive Kernersville, NC 27284
Suite 100 336-564-4782
High Point, NC 27262
336-802-2175

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Lexington Memorial Hospital Wake Forsyth Baptist Health
Tommy Everhart – 336-238-4852 (Vascular) Klista Browder
and Tami Wood Radiology/Pediatric Ultrasound Dept.
Rita Lohr – 336-238-4835 (Abdominal) Medical Center Blvd.
Sharon Mobley – 336-237-5015 (Cardiac) Winston-Salem, NC 27157
250 Hospital Drive 336-713-4600
Lexington, NC 27293-1814

Morehead Memorial Hospital Wake Forsyth Baptist Health

Billie Sigmon Sharon Davis
117 East Kings Highway Clinical Ultrasound Dept.
Eden, NC 27288-5201 Medical Center Blvd.
336-623-9711 Winston-Salem, NC 27157
336-716-3511

Moses Cone Memorial Hospital Wake Forsyth Baptist Health

Frances Nichols Larry Myers
Moses Cone Heart & Vascular Center Neurovascular Ultrasound Dept.
Vascular Ultrasound Dept. Medical Center Blvd.
1200 N. Elm Street Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Greensboro, NC 27401-1020 336-716-4916
336-832-8596
Northern Hospital of Surry County Wake Forsyth Baptist Health
Heather Martin – Supervisor TBA
Mike Leonard – Dept. Manager Radiology/ Abdominal Ultrasound Dept.
830 Rockford Street Medical Center Blvd.
Mt. Airy, NC 27030 Winston-Salem, NC 27157
336-719-7123 336-716-6124
Piedmont Imaging Wake Forsyth Baptist Health
Amy Riggins Adelia Bullins
Radiology/Ultrasound Dept. Cancer Center/Abdominal Ultrasound Dept.
185 Kimel Park Drive Medical Center Blvd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Winston-Salem, NC 27157
336-760-1880 336-713-6741
Rowan Regional Medical Center Wake Forsyth Baptist Health
Jo Fowler Outpatient Imaging
Radiology/Ultrasound Dept. Sharon Tesh
612 Mocksville Avenue Ultrasound Dept.
Salisbury, NC 28144 265 Executive Park Blvd.
704-210-5296 (Hospital) Winston-Salem, NC 27103
336-608-3097

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Rowan Regional Medical Park Wesley Long Community Hospital
Imaging & Physical Rehabilitation Margaret Barbour - Supervisor
Jo Fowler John Rapp – Dept. Manager
514 Corporate Circle 501 N. Elam Avenue
Salisbury, NC 28147 Greensboro, NC 27403
704-210-6919 (Julian Rd.) 336-832-1870

Women’s Hospital of Greensboro

Jeanne Miklos
Ob/Gyn Ultrasound Dept.
801 Green Valley Road
Greensboro, NC 27408
336-832-6683

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 Directions to Clinical Sites
Directions to Alamance Regional Medical Center
1240 Huffman Mill Rd.
Burlington, NC 27215
Contact: Kim Deal – 336-538-7173

Estimated Time: 48 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 45.87 Miles

Directions to Carolina Medical Center

920 Church Street, North
Concord, NC 28027
Contact: Lori Neilon – 704-783-4161

Take Silas Creek Parkway to Peters Creek Parkway. Turn right onto Peters Creek Parkway.
Take the 40 East Exit off of Peters Creek Parkway. Follow 40 E to the 52 South Exit. Take
52S to Exit 58. Follow the Exit through to the right. Continue down the main road following
hospital signs. You will take the entrance to the Carolina Mall on the left. Veer to the right
(Medical Arts Entrance) and park in the visitor’s parking deck. Enter Medical Arts Building.
Diagnostic imaging is down the hall on the left.

Estimated Time: 58 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 56 Miles

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 Directions to Carolina Medical Center - Copperfield
1065 Northeast Gateway Court, NE
Concord, NC 28025
Contact: Lisa Howard – 704-920-7512

Take Silas Creek Parkway to Peters Creek Parkway. Turn right onto Peters Creek Parkway.
Take the 40 East Exit off of Peters Creek Parkway. Follow 40 E to the 52 South Exit. Take
52S/ I-85 to Exit 60 (Dale Earnhardt Blvd). Make a left onto Dale Earnhardt Blvd. which
changes into Copperfield Blvd. Northeast Medical Center Copperfield will be on your right
about .5 miles.

Estimated Time: 58 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 56 Miles

Directions to Community Care Center (CCC)

2135 New Walkertown Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Contact: Gail Allred – 336-413-2600

From Forsyth Tech, Traveling EAST on Business 40:

• Take Exit 6 C (Martin Luther King, Jr/Winston-Salem State Univ.) At The End of The
Ramp You Will Turn Right Onto Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.
• At The 5th Light On Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. TURN RIGHT Onto New Walkertown
Road.
• Drive 7/10 (.7) Of A Mile TURN LEFT Into the CCC Site on the LEFT

When you go in the front door, go to the front desk and tell them you are an ultrasound student
from Forsyth Tech and could someone show you back to where Gail Allred is in Ultrasound.

Estimated Time: 10 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 5 Miles

Directions to Cornerstone Imaging Diagnostic Center

1814 Westchester Drive Suite 100 and 103
High Point, NC 27262
Contacts: Vera Wardlow – 336-802-2175 (ABD)
Chris Hayden – 336-802-2195 (VAS)

Start out going East on Silas Creek parkway. Turn right onto Peter’s Creek Parkway and take
the I-40 exit towards Greensboro. Merge onto US-311 (Exit 196) toward High Point. Merge
onto US-311-BR S via EXIT 65 toward N MAIN ST. Turn right onto WESTCHESTER DR.
1814 WESTCHESTER DR #100 is on the right. If you reach CAREY AVE then you’ve gone
too far.

Note: Suite 100 is the Abdominal US site and Suite 103 is the Vascular Lab.

Estimated Time: 24 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 19.8 Miles

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 Directions to Forsyth Medical Center
3333 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Contacts: Al Miller/Stephanie Whittington – 336-718-5800

Take a right turn from the BGH parking lot and go Miller Street. Turn Left onto Miller
Street. At the first stoplight on Miller street take a left turn onto Silas Creek parkway. Follow
Silas Creek Parkway to Hawthorne Road. Turn right onto Hawthorne road then take the first
right turn off of Hawthorne road into the hospital’s parking lot. Park in the student parking lot.
Enter the main entrance of the hospital and ask the receptionist for directions to your
department. Check with your clinical instructors on how to acquire a parking badge.

Estimated Time: 10 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 2 Miles

Directions to Forsyth Medical Center Imaging of Maplewood

3155 Maplewood Ave.
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Contact: Kristin Wilmoth – 336-397-6200

From the Bob Greene Hall take a left onto Miller St. Follow Miller until it intersects with
Hawthorne Rd.(2 stoplights) and turn left onto Hawthorne Rd. Follow Hawthorne about 2 miles
until Hawthorne Rd. intersects with Bethesda Rd.(You can see Medical Park Hospital at this
point on your right). Turn right onto Bethesda Rd. and follow it until it intersects with
Maplewood Ave. Turn left onto Maplewood Avenue at the stoplight and follow Maplewood until
you see the sign for Forsyth Medical Center Imaging of Maplewood on your right. For the first
day park extremely in the back of the patient parking lot until given other parking instructions.
Enter the front main door of the facility and go to the window indicating Ultrasound. Ask for
Kristin Wilmoth.

Estimated Time: 10 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 2.5 miles.

Directions to High Point Regional Hospital

601 North Elm Street
High Point, NC 27261
Contacts: (ABD) Mindi Nelson 336-878-6038
(VAS) Solomon McClary 336-878-6006

Start out going East on SILAS CREEK PKWY/ NC-67. Continue to follow SILAS CREEK
PKWY. Merge onto I-40 E toward GREENSBORO. Merge onto US-311 S via exit number
196 toward HIGH POINT. Turn RIGHT onto Parkway which turns into Lindsay Ave. Turn left
into the employee parking deck, press the security button and tell them you are a sonography
student. Park on the top level of the parking deck and go into the hospital. Ask the
receptionist for directions on your first visit.

Estimated Time: 24 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 18.25 Miles

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 Directions to Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital
180 Parkwood Drive
Elkin, NC 28621
Contacts: Amy Davis and Ronda Martin – 336-527-7277

Estimated Time: 44 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 44.3 Miles

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 Directions to Kernersville Medical Center
1750 Kernersville Medical Parkway
Kernersville, NC 27284
Contact: Lisa Gamble – 336-564-4782

Estimated Time: 19 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 15.5 Miles

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 Directions to Lexington Memorial Hospital
250 Hospital Dr.
Lexington, NC 27292
Contact: Tami Wood/Tommy Everhart (VAS) (336) 238-4852

Estimated Time: 24 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 23.3 Miles

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 Directions to Morehead Memorial Hospital
117 East Kings Highway
Eden, NC 27288
Contact: Billie Sigmon 336-623-9711

Park in the extreme back of the patient parking lot on the first day until given other directions
on where to park. Enter into the hospital by the Main entrance and go straight back following
the Radiology/Ultrasound signs. Check in at the Radiology/Ultrasound desk and ask for the
lead sonographer of the abdominal ultrasound department.
Estimated Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 49.5 Miles
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 Directions to Moses Cone Hospital
1200 N. Elm St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
Contact: Frances Nichols (VAS) 336-832-8596

Take Silas Creek Pkwy East to I-40 East toward Greensboro. Take the Wendover Ave. East
exit 214B and turn right on W. Wendover Ave.. Turn left onto N. Church St. then left onto
Northwood St. Take the main hospital entrance to the visitor’s parking deck. To go to the
Echo lab enter the Cardiology building to the right of the main entrance and ask the
receptionist for directions.

Estimated Time: 35 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 30 Miles

Directions to Northern Hospital of Surry County.

830 Rockford Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
Contact: Heather Martin 336-719-7123

From Bob Green Hall, take a left onto Miller Street. Take a right onto Silas Creek
Parkway East. Turn left onto Peter’s Creek Parkway. Take the I-40 Business Exit ramp.
Follow Business 40 to the 52 North Exit. Take Highway 52 North to Mount Airy. You will reach
a major intersection with four-way stoplights at the intersection of Rockford Street /Highway
601 and Highway 52. Take a right turn onto Rockford Street (Highway 601) and the hospital
will be on the left as you proceed to the next stoplight. Park in visitor parking (Not in
emergency parking).

Estimated Time: 5 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 40 Miles

Directions to Piedmont Imaging

185 Kimel Park Dr.
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Contact: Amy Riggins – 336-760-1880

Start out going WEST on SILAS CREEK PKWY / NC-67 Take the BOLTON ST ramp. Turn
RIGHT onto BOLTON ST. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto BURKE MILL RD. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT
onto KIMEL PARK DR. Turn LEFT to stay on KIMEL PARK DR. End at 185 Kimel Park Dr.
Go into the front of the building and turn right into the mammography center. Ask for Amy
Riggins at the information desk.

Estimated Time: 7 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 2.96 Miles

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 Directions to Rowan Regional Medical Center
612 Mocksville Ave.
Salisbury, NC 28144
Contact: (Hosp.) Jo Fowler – 704-210-5296

The hospital will be on your right and the parking deck on your left. Parking is free. You will
enter the hospital through the vascular/heart center entrance and ask for directions at the
information desk.
Estimated Time: 43 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 39 Miles

Directions to Rowan Regional Medical Center – Julian Rd. Location

Rowan Regional Medical Park: Imaging & Physical Rehabilitation
514 Corporate Circle
Salisbury, NC 28147
Ph.: 704-210-6919
Take Silas Creek Parkway to Peters Creek Parkway. Turn right onto Peters Creek Parkway.
Take the 40 East Exit off of Peters Creek Parkway. Follow 40 E to the 52 South Exit. Take
52S which turns into I-85. Take the Julian Rd. Exit (Exit 74). At end of ramp turn left onto
Julian Rd. go approximately .6 mile and turn right onto Corporate Circle. Imaging and physical
rehab center is on your left.

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Estimated Time: 40 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 39 Miles
Directions to WFUBMC (WFBH)
Medical Center Blvd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Contacts: (ECHO) Sharon Davis 336-716-3511
(ABD) Adelia Bullins 336-713-6741
Take a right turn from the BGH parking lot and go Miller Street. Turn Left onto Miller Street.
Follow Miller Street until you reach Hawthorne Ave. Turn right onto Hawthorne Ave. Make a
left turn on Medical Center Boulevard. Take the first right turn into the visitor’s parking lot.
You will have to pay to park at WFUBMC on the first day so do not lose your parking ticket.
Park in patient/visitor parking deck on the orange level (Ground floor, see map). Proceed into
the clinical sciences tower and pass the information desk and proceed into the breezeway that
goes over the entrance area for cars. Follow the hallway down to clinical ultrasound and
treadmill for ECHO rotation. For the Cancer Center, see additional handout. For the main
abdominal ultrasound department, Medical Sonography students continue to the bank of
elevators across from the West Bldg. Take the elevators up to the first floor. Exiting the bank
of elevators you will turn left and look for a sign half way up the hall on your left that says
ultrasound, x-ray, and CT. This is your entrance. Ask at the desk for the abdominal
ultrasound department and they will point you to the back hall and reading room. Look and
ask for your clinical preceptor.

Estimated Time: 10 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 2 Miles

Directions to Wake Forest Baptist Health – Outpatient Imaging

265 Executive Park Blvd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
Contact: Sharon Tesh – 336-608-3097

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Estimated Time: 6 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 3.13 Miles
Directions to Wesley Long Community Hospital
501 N. Elam Ave.
Greensboro, NC 27403
Contact: Margaret Barbour 336-832-1870

Take Silas Creek Parkway to Peters Creek Parkway. Turn right onto Peters Creek Parkway.
Take the 40 East Exit off of Peters Creek Parkway. Continue onto Interstate 40 and take Exit
214-B Wendover Avenue Exit. Turn right at end of ramp onto Wendover. Follow Wendover
and take the Friendly Avenue Exit. At the end of this exit you come to a stoplight. Go straight
and park in the back of visitor parking. Walk over to the main hospital entrance. You will be
facing it as you walk to the hospital from the parking lot. Once inside ask the person at the
information desk to point you in the direction of radiology. Once at radiology, ask the person at
the front desk to point you in the direction of the ultrasound lab.

Estimated Time: 32 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 28 Miles

Directions to Women’s Hospital of Greensboro

801 Green Valley Road.
Greensboro, NC 27408
Contact: Jeanne Miklos 336-832-6683

Start out going East on SILAS CREEK PKWY/ NC-67 toward FUNTIME BLVD. Continue to
follow SILAS CREEK PKWY. Merge onto I-40 E toward GREENSBORO. Take the
WENDOVER AVE EAST exit- exit number 214B. Merge onto W WENDOVER AVE. Take the
BENJAMIN PKWY NORTH exit. Merge onto BENJAMIN PKWY. Turn RIGHT onto GREEN
VALLEY RD. Park in visitor’s parking until further instructions are given.

Estimated Time: 35 Minutes Estimated Mileage: 30 Miles

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 Clinical Site Protocols
Students will be trained on the acquisition of standard anatomic images for each organ system.
This is considered a basic protocol. Each clinical site will have slight differences in their imaging
protocols. The student’s challenge is to take the knowledge base that they have attained in
scanning labs, and alter it to adapt to each clinical site’s imaging protocol. Due to the large
number of clinical sites that are used by Forsyth Tech, we will not list the protocols for each site in
this handbook. Rather, the student will learn these protocols as part of their clinical assignments
during their clinical rotations.

Clinical Evaluation Methods

Students will be required to complete a specified number of exams for each clinical course.
These exams must be completed and passed with a grade of C or higher. Students are also
required to have professional quality evaluations done for each course. Throughout the program,
students must complete a number of competencies. These competencies must be completed
and passed before the student will be allowed to graduate. The Forsyth Tech faculty will be
administering clinical scanning tests and clinical preceptors will be administering the daily clinical
evaluation forms for proficiencies. Professional quality evaluations will be completed by both
adjunct faculty and Forsyth Tech faculty. Students will record all exams that they have observed
and/or performed on a daily exam log sheet. Forsyth Tech faculty will visit students and will
evaluate them for scanning technique, and may quiz the student on sonographic anatomy and
pathology as time allows.

Clinical Conferences
Clinical conferences are held each semester, or whenever needed as the situation arises.
Students must turn in all required documentation and coursework prior to or on the day of their
clinical conference. The conference will be scheduled with the clinical coordinator and/or Forsyth
Tech clinical instructor at a date that will be announced at the beginning of each clinical course.
Make-up time for absences will be scheduled at this time.

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 Gross Negligence
Gross negligence is a legal concept which means serious carelessness. Negligence is
the opposite of diligence, or being careful. The standard of ordinary negligence is what
conduct one expects from the proverbial "reasonable person". By analogy, if somebody
has been grossly negligent, that means they have fallen so far below the ordinary
standard of care that one can expect, to warrant the label of being "gross".

Should the student be held accountable?

With our students we have to take their knowledge level into account. For example, we
can’t hold a first semester student to the same standard that we would a fifth semester
student. What we must ask ourselves when determining whether or not gross
negligence has occurred is: “Should a student at this level in the program have known
better based on past training, labs, and clinical exposure.”

Justification that the student should be held accountable:

We must have documentation on file that proves that the student received training in the
area in question and that they demonstrated proficiency in that area. Examples are
patient care proficiency documents, orientation forms from patient care refreshers with
student signatures, evidence of previous training and proof of comprehension, CNAI
course completion and/or certification, signed statements from witnesses (staff
sonographers and/or preceptors).

Procedure:
When a student is accused of an act of gross negligence they must notify the clinical
coordinator and instructor immediately. The following steps are then taken:

1. The student will be pulled from the clinical rotation immediately.

2. A meeting with the student, program coordinator, clinical coordinator, and

Forsyth Tech clinical instructor will be scheduled immediately on the Forsyth
Tech campus. A meeting will also be scheduled for the preceptor, clinical and
program coordinators to be held at the clinical site.

3. An incident form must be completed by the student, clinical preceptor and/or

Forsyth Tech instructor, and any witnesses who were involved. Written
statements can be emailed to jcassell@forsythtech.edu or they may be in
hardcopy format in writing. Signatures are required for hardcopies. These are to
accompany the official incident report.

Copies of the incident report and all documentation will also be sent to:
a) Director of Imaging
b) Dean of Health Technologies
c) Public Safety (After a meeting with the Dean and Director has been held.)

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4. If the student is found to be responsible for gross negligence, then the clinical
coordinator will advise the student that they will receive an F for the course. The
student can withdraw from the course, but they will receive a WF which
calculates the same way into the GPA as an F. In either case the student will be
dropped from the program.

“If a student fails due to gross negligence.... the F or WF will stand at any time
after the 10 % period, it is called a “punitive withdrawal". ALSO, at any time a
block can be placed on the student's record that will not allow them to return (for
instance if the infraction occurs before the 10 % period).”

Students are not allowed to complete the didactic courses when they are being
dropped from the program. They are advised to follow the proper procedure for
dropping these courses. For the remaining didactic courses, the student may be
issued a grade of W if before the deadline for dropping without penalty, and WP
or WF after the deadline.

If the student fails to complete drop forms for any course, then a grade of F will
be issued for those courses. It’s the student’s responsibility to officially drop the
courses. This is done by filling out a drop form at the records office in the Allman
center. If it is close to the end of the semester then drop forms must be turned in
directly to the instructor.

5. The incident will be reported at the next academic review meeting and a letter will
be mailed to the student from the college officially informing them that they have
been dropped from the program.

In cases of academic appeal:

If a student fails a clinical course due to reasons other than gross negligence and
appeals the grade, they are allowed to continue their clinical work until the appeal has
been decided.

However, in a case of gross negligence, the student has proven to be a danger to

patients, or staff and will not be allowed to continue their clinical rotation during the
appeal process.

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 Clinical Rotation Policy
And Compliance Agreement
The goal of this educational program will be to produce students who, upon graduation, will be
able to function as entry level sonographers in any hospital or clinic setting using a variety of
equipment and various protocols. This requires a carefully planned rotation schedule for each
student.

Clinical rotations are designed so that the student will have the opportunity to learn the practical
skills necessary to perform ultrasound exams. These rotations will be in cooperation with the
affiliated hospitals and clinics located within commuting distance from the college. To be fair to all
students, the placement in a clinical setting is initially done by random selection. We have clinical
sites spread out in over five different counties, so all students will be required at some point
to drive long distances in this program. Students who live one or two hours away from the
college may plan on driving another one to two hours to get to their clinical sites at some point
during the program.

Students WILL NOT be given an option of choosing their clinical sites and will have no input on
where they will be assigned. The clinical coordinator reserves the right to change any student’s
clinical rotation at any time as she deems necessary; however, this is not at the request of the
student but due to other outside factors such as the loss of a clinical affiliate or limitation of exam
types. We are required to prove to our accrediting body that we give all students an equal and
well-rounded experience in their clinical rotations, and that we provide a diverse clinical
education. This requires rotations to a variety of sites. For Medical Sonography students,
beginning with the second semester, approximately four weeks of each semester will be spent at
an obstetrics clinic and/or hospital, where students will receive their obstetrical clinical training.

Students who live long distances from the college WILL NOT be given any special consideration
with regard to their clinical site assignments. Currently, the farthest clinical facility from the
college is approximately a one to one-and-a-half hour drive from Forsyth Technical Community
College. Long distance sites are based on the distance to the clinical site from the college
campus and not from the student’s home, thus driving distances may be even further or closer
from the student’s home depending upon where they live. Travel time issues cannot override
accreditation requirements nor the educational needs of students and thus travel time will not
influence the decision for clinical placement of students. Students will remain at the same
clinical site during their first and second semester. Students will begin rotating to other sites
beginning with their third semester.

Clinical assignments cannot be based on gas prices, travel distances, nor can it be based upon
where students work or have scholarships.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from their clinical site assignments.
This means that the student will need dependable transportation. Students are expected to arrive
at their clinical assignment on time and they are expected to remain for the entire scheduled time.
Students may not leave clinical early unless the college closes due to inclement weather.

Some programs require students to utilize out-of-state clinical sites, which requires temporary re-
location of residence. Fortunately, Forsyth Tech has not had to resort to using out-of-state sites,
and most driving distances are less than 2 hours away from the College.

The clinical rotations will take place throughout the first and second years of enrollment at the
College.

Clinical courses are just like any other course in the college in that they have set hours. Students
may not request special hours for their clinical rotations. Malpractice insurance only covers

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students during the official time of the course (and designated makeup days) and thus students
are prohibited from attending clinical sites at any time outside their normal scheduled days or
times.

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 Appendix

This section contains miscellaneous forms.

 FORSYTH TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM
Critical Incident Report
Student Sonographers are required to report any incident they are involved in that results in possible or actual adverse outcomes to patients
or themselves. Some examples of Critical Incidents are: accidental needle sticks, exposure to blood or body fluids, possible exposure to
TB or HIV, seizure, sudden onset of illness, serious equipment failure, damage or dysfunction caused by the student, patient injury or
death.

This form should be completed within 24 hours of the event and submitted to the Program Director for review.
Date Report Received by Program: ____________________

Please type or print clearly.

Student’s Name: Date and Time of Incident:
Clinical Facility: Clinical Preceptor:
Supervising Sonographer: Forsyth Tech Clinical Instructor:

Briefly describe the incident and the extent of student involvement: use additional pages if necessary

Follow-up:

Is any additional follow-up planned? If so, describe.

List the names and titles of anyone else involved:

Student Signature Date

Program Evaluation/Action
To be completed by Program Director or Designee
Mark all that apply
Notified by
Clinical Coordinator Notified by Student Other: ________________________________________

Date: __________ ___________ ____________

Discussed with
Student Faculty/Advisor Clinical Coordinator Other: _________________________________

Date: __________ ____________ _______________

Copy of Report
Secure Administrative File Secure Student File
College Public Safety Office: Mail FAX
Additional Follow-up:

John Cassell, RTR,, RDMS, RVT, BS Date

Program Director

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