CARDIOVASCULAR TECHNOLOGY
TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Technical standards are essential abilities and characteristics required for admission, progression, and graduation from the School of Allied Health Professions at LSU Health Shreveport. The following standards consist of certain minimum sensory, physical, behavioral, and cognitive abilities, as well as sufficient mental and emotional stability to assure that students are able to complete the entire course of study and participate fully in all aspects of the academic and clinical curriculum, with or without reasonable accommodations:

SENSORY
A student in the CVT program must possess sufficient visual and auditory skills as well as skills of observation to evaluate, interpret and treat individuals with cardiovascular dysfunction. These skills include the ability to:

• Perform visual inspection of the patient for abnormalities in skin color, breathing pattern, chest wall configuration and peripheral circulation.
• Visualize metrics on various healthcare administration devices, such as monitor waveforms and values, cc/ml syringe markings, and engravings and/or print upon medication vials and ampules.
• Visualize, comprehend text, numbers, and graphics displayed in print, electronic media, or on real time monitors, such as electronic medical records, and vital signs monitors.
• Recognize visual and auditory alarms on various healthcare equipment.
• Identify tactile stimulation such as present or absence of airflow, hot/cold temperature, and presence of arterial pulses.
• Possess visual acuity for accurate image acquisition for all echocardiographic examinations.
• Possess sufficient eye/hand coordination skills related to performance of sonographic examinations and intricate manipulation of devices such as vascular catheters.
• Be able to work in a semi-darkened room for prolonged periods of time.
• Be able to discriminate between blacks, grays, and whites, and various color combinations that indicate blood flow on both display devices and recorded images (film and paper).

MOTOR AND MOBILITY SKILLS
A student must possess adequate motor and mobility skills to:

• Ambulate unrestricted within the work areas of the clinical setting, (i.e., patient room, intensive care unit, emergency department).
• Perform moderately taxing continuous physical work. This requires the individual to perform 8 hour per day clinical rotations, performing ultrasound studies on patients on multiple floors with varying acuity levels of care.
• Reach above shoulder level and below knees while maintaining good balance.
• Perform fine motor tasks such as opening small vials of medicine, drawing of medications into syringes, performing arterial punctures, and manipulation of devices such as vascular catheters.
• Use a computer keyboard, touchscreen, or electronic smart device (i.e., phone) to operate, calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit patient care information.
• Stand and walk for 85% of work time.
• Maintain prolonged arm positions necessary for scanning.
• Transport, move, and/or lift patients from a wheelchair or stretcher to ultrasound table or patient bed, and physically assist patients into proper positions for examination.
• Move, adjust, and manipulate a variety of ultrasound equipment weighing up to 500 lbs. (on wheels) to other areas of a facility to perform studies according to established standards.
• Be able to wear a lead apron (approximately 10 lbs.) for up to one hour during procedures.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
A student must possess adequate communication skills to:

• Communicate with individuals and groups (i.e., faculty members/preceptors, fellow students, staff, patients, and other health care professionals) verbally and in recorded format (writing, electronic media (i.e., voice-to-text, typing), or telecommunication).
• Demonstrate proficiency in English for oral written and/or electronic communications.

BEHAVIORAL SKILLS 
A student must possess adequate behavioral skills to:

• Be able to manage the use of time and to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks within realistic constraints.
• Possess the emotional health necessary to effectively apply knowledge and exercise appropriate judgment under occasional time constraints.
• Be able to provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of task-related uncertainty (i.e., ambiguous test order, ambivalent test interpretation), emergent demands (i.e., “stat” test orders), and distracting environment (i.e., high noise levels, crowding, complex visual stimuli).
• Be flexible, creative, and adaptive to professional and technical change requirements.
• Recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals.
• Support and promote the activities of fellow students and other health care professionals in an effort to facilitate a team approach to learning, task completion, and problem solving for patient care.
• Demonstrate honesty, compassion, professional ethics, and responsibility, upholding the CCI Code of Ethics and the LSUHS School of Allied Health Professions Policy and Procedures relating to Student Conduct, Dismissals and Appeals.
• Show respect for individuals of different age, ethnic background, religion, and/or sexual orientation.
• Exhibit professional behavior by conforming to appropriate standards of dress, appearance, language, and public behavior.

What accommodations are available?

LSU Health Shreveport seeks to comply with the American with Disabilities Act by providing reasonable accommodations, including resources and services, for students with disabilities, chronic medical conditions, a temporary disability, or pregnancy complications resulting in difficulties with accessing learning opportunities.

It is the responsibility of a student with a disability, or a student who develops a disability who needs accommodations, to contact the Admissions and Records Office to initiate the procedure for requesting accommodations and provide adequate documentation of the general nature and extent of the disability and the functional limitations to be accommodated. The school’s ADA Officer reviews all requests to determine what reasonable accommodation, if any, is appropriate for the student.