Why the learning contract?
We want you to exit our programme on a positive footing, ready to share the inner ‘ultrasound nerd’ we have created with the veterinary world. It is important to us that you feel happy and confident when performing an abdominal ultrasound examination because as well as you feeling good about your skills, you will be able to offer better patient outcomes. We also want you to be able to command an ultrasound-generated revenue for each scan you perform which truly matches your level of ultrasound competency.
We know how easy it is to sign up for weekend courses and freebie webinars and exit feeling like you are underwhelmed, unfulfilled or simply haven’t met the learning objective you had hoped for, but we also know how easy it is to come away thinking you are now not only enthused but also competent.
Aspire UCS are committing to support you, every step of the way during your programme (and afterwards too if you need us), but we can’t get you to where you want to be (that ultrasound novice to nerd thing again) if you don’t put in the time and effort too. It is widely accepted that ultrasound is THE MOST operator-dependent form of imaging and as such, you have to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE to become more adept with your ultrasound system use and the fine motor skills you need to fully assess and spatially map structures properly!
Another consideration to take on board is that the ultrasound patient throughput where you work may not be especially high in volume or regular, but to be successful on this programme you will need to be able to commit to ‘finding’ those patients (perhaps starting with compliant pets) and practicing each of the 8-steps we teach, over and over again, as we introduce them to you.
You will also need to spend some ‘alone time’ with your ultrasound system, getting to know the controls, where to locate them, what impact they have on an image and when to employ them.
We can give you the theory and the online video scan demonstrations, but we can’t do it for you.
We can’t be with you in the room, but we will be there for you at our regular meetings.
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The Aspire UCS Ltd ‘Sonographer on your Shoulder’ Ultrasound Training and Mentorship Learning Contract
For the sake of clarity, ‘I’ refers to you – the enrolled programme participant.
To ensure that I exit the Aspire UCS ‘Sonographer on your Shoulder’ Ultrasound Training and Mentorship Programme having improved my level of confidence and consistency at performing a normal, full abdominal ultrasound survey, I agree to the following:
- I will secure the necessary time in my working practice to be able to fulfil the programme requirements. This will be the minimum time required to undertake four short ultrasound scans or two full abdominal surveys per week (on compliant pets or normal patients).
- Within the first six weeks, I will work through the ‘How to drive a basic ultrasound system’ module of the Aspire UCS ‘The Full Monty Key Skills for Abdominal Ultrasound’ online video course, control by control whilst along side my ultrasound system. I will complete the first two modules of ‘The Full Monty Key Skills for Abdominal Ultrasound’ online video course as a minimum, within the designated 180 day enrolment period.
- I will practice on a regular/minimum weekly basis using the basic ultrasound system controls covered in the module and appreciating the respective changes these controls make to both the ultrasound image and the displayed on-screen indices. (use either your forearm, a dedicated ultrasound tissue-mimicking phantom or a shrink-wrapped joint of meat to practice on).
- I will work through the online Aspire UCS 8-Step Abdominal Ultrasound Technique Workbook, practicing each of the 8 steps on a compliant pet or (normal) patient as they are introduced, on a ‘drip-feed’ basis, during the training programme, thus allowing me to concentrate on one abdominal region at a time and preventing me from becoming overwhelmed.
- I aim to recognise the normal and normal variant ultrasound characteristics of the abdominal structures included in an 8-step abdominal ultrasound survey.
- I will participate in the group community aspects of this training and mentorship programme.
In return, the Aspire UCS team agree to provide you with regular set weekly group mentorship meetings and when required, individual one-to-one meetings to offer mentorship, training and advice on ultrasound system use, image optimisation and ultrasound techniques.
The training and mentorship provided will be further supported by the participant attending a UK-based bi-annual 2-day face-to-face practical ultrasound skills workshop run by the Aspire USC team, designed to endorse the techniques used when adopting the Aspire UCS 8-Step abdominal ultrasound survey, and by Aspire UCS providing useful guidance and input via an ongoing dedicated WhatsApp group.
By moving on to the next lesson, I agree to the above contract terms and conditions and that I fully understand and appreciate that meeting the learning objectives set for this training and mentorship programme is highly dependent on me following the above terms and conditions.