Cardiovascular Technology, B.S. (CIP 51.0901)

Cardiovascular technologists assist in the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of cardiac (heart) and peripheral vascular (blood vessel) disease. These individuals receive specialty training in one or more of the following areas within the field: invasive cardiovascular technology, cardiac sonography, vascular technology, or cardiac electrophysiology. Invasive cardiovascular technologists (cardiac catheterization technologists) assist physicians during cardiac catheterization procedures. Noninvasive technologists use ultrasound to produce diagnostic images of the heart (cardiac sonographer) and surrounding blood vessels (vascular technologist). Cardiovascular technologists may work in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, physicians’ offices, ambulatory care centers, or other settings. Students enrolled in the CVT program will have many educational and clinical opportunities to gain professional experience in both invasive (cardiac catheterization) and noninvasive (cardiac ultrasound) cardiovascular technologies.

Completion of the CVT Program at LSUHSC-S meets educational requirements to apply for the Registered Cardiac Sonographer and Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist credentialing exams administered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International.

1. Earned credit for prerequisite courses from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university by the first day of class in the program.
2. Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
3. Grade point average of 2.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for all required prerequisite courses.
4. Accepted students must certify they meet the technical standards established by the program with or without reasonable accommodation.

• English Composition, 6 Hours
• College Algebra, 3 Hours
• Trigonometry or Statistics, 3 Hours
• Medical Terminology, 3 Hours
• General Chemistry / Lab, 4 Hours
• General Physics I / Lab (> 200 level recommended), 4 Hours
• General Physics II / Lab, 4 Hours
• Microbiology / Lab, 4 Hours
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I / Lab, 4 Hours
• Human Anatomy and Physiology II / Lab, 4 Hours
• Fine Arts, 3 Hours*
• Humanities, 9 Hours**
• Social/Behavioral Science, 6 Hours***

See “General Admission Policies” of the School of Allied Health Professions for further requirements and procedures relating to admissions.

*Fine Arts: Music, Visual Arts, Applied Arts, Theatre, Dance, Interdisciplinary
**Humanities (recommended): Literature, Foreign Languages, History, Classical Studies, Communications, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Interdisciplinary
***Social/Behavioral sciences (recommended): Social: Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, Geography, International Studies, Interdisciplinary, Political Science. Behavioral: Psychology, Sociology

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 LSUHSC-S 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.

LSUHSC-S 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 SAHP 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.

For further information, please view the LSUHSC-S Student Policy for Requesting Accommodations.

 

Method of Application

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Procedures for applying for admission to the Cardiovascular Technology program are as follows:

1. The LSUHSC-S Cardiovascular Technology program accepts applications for admission via the Allied Health Centralized Application Service (AHCAS) for annual intake during the summer admission term. The Cardiovascular Technology website provides further instructions.
2. Selected applicants will participate in an admissions interview and the action taken by the Admissions Committee will be forwarded in writing to the applicant.
3. Accepted applicants are expected to complete an acceptance form and submit a non-refundable deposit of $150.00 by the deadline indicated on their acceptance email. The acceptance deposit secures the student’s position in the program and credits their first semester’s tuition.
4. Accepted applicants are assigned a provisional admission status until meeting conditions outlined in the acceptance letter and completing pre-matriculation requirements (e.g., drug screen, criminal background check) set forth by the Office of the Registrar. Failure to meet these requirements may result in revocation of acceptance offer.

Professional undergraduate credit (i.e., from another clinical program) will be accepted at the discretion of the program director. 

Academic Progression Requirements

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The following requirements pertaining to the status of academic progress apply to all students enrolled in the CVT program:

In order to achieve academic progress, the student must satisfy the following minimum standards:

1. Satisfy the scholastic requirements listed in the SAHP general section of this catalog/bulletin.
2. Satisfactorily complete all professional coursework for each semester in the intended sequence.
3. Satisfactorily complete all coursework required for graduation in not more than four calendar years.

Grade appeals may be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in the section of this catalog/bulletin entitled, “Student Grade Appeals.”

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