Policy: AC10: Supervision in Laboratory and Clinical Practicum Policy

SUPERVISION IN LABORATORY AND CLINICAL PRACTICUM POLICY

The policy pertains to the requirements as prescribed under s. 3. (1), s. 20. (1), and s. 25. (1) of O. Reg. 415/06.”

1. Purpose of This Policy

The Robert Health Institute (RHI) is committed to supporting our students in completing their programs. In keeping with its commitments, RHI will employ sufficient qualified personnel to provide the necessary instruction, supervision, and assessment of student performance. Provide timely feedback, allow students enough time to change or improve behaviors or skills as needed, and allow them to be reassessed. When students have achieved the required competencies, they are provided with the appropriate documentation at the end of the program.

• Definition 
  • Qualified didactic and clinical personnel (Instructor):
    • Prepare to serve as a didactic and clinical personnel and receive training on specific sonography assessments, assessment processes, and evaluation tools used in the RHI DMS program, with actively credentialed in the area they are assessing (Sonography Canada, ARDMS, and/or CCI).
    • Must complete the Sonography Canada CCSA assessor tutorial and quiz: https://sonographycanada.ca/ccsa-assessor-training-6-0  
    • Participate in educational sessions held during relevant committee meetings
    • Participate in the orientation of the RHI DMS program and Student Clinical Practicum Manual,
    • Attend training on Sonography Canada – Generalist 6.1 CCSA 2021 Manuel and National Competency Profile (NCP 6.1)
    • Maintain active CMRITO status and complete annual ePortfolio for didactic and clinical personnel who work in Ontario.
  • : The diagnostic medical sonography simulator laboratory locates in the school, equipped with advanced ultrasound machines, simulators, and related equipment, suitable for simulating various types of generalists scanning training.
  • Clinical practicum (Placement): Sonography is a practice-based profession, so a clinical placement with a clinical learning experience is essential to support students in their career and practice success. The RHI-DMS program provides students with a 6-month clinical placement focusing on the abdomen, obstetrics and gynecology, superficial structures, and DVT in extremity veins.
  • Supervision:
    • The sonography profession is engaged in capturing qualified images or making judgments that can significantly impact the radiologist’s diagnosis and, ultimately, the physical or mental health of the patients. Therefore, sonography students must undertake clinical placements under a clinical instructor’s direct or indirect supervision. Sufficient supervision enhances students’ sonography profession development and protects the public from the risk of harm.
    • Research has shown that good educational outcomes may result from a 1:10 teacher-to-student ratio, or possibly fewer teachers, depending on the educational assistants present in the lab and the level of students’ prior experience. The instructor-to-student ratio in the RHI-DMS classroom, didactic site laboratory, or simulation laboratory is about 1:10. However, in the clinical practice environment with a sufficient clinical instructor’s direct or indirect supervision, the instructor-to-student ratio is 1:4. Both align with current motor learning theory.
• Procedure
  • Hire enough qualified didactic and clinical personnel (Instructor). RHI is not a unionized environment, and the instructor-to-student ratio is determined through a collective survey of faculty, students, clinical staff, and market feedback.
  • The instructor-to-student ratio in the RHI-DMS classroom, didactic site laboratory, or simulation laboratory is about 1:10.
  • The student-to-machine ratio in the RHI-DMS classroom, didactic site laboratory, or simulation laboratory is approximately 3:1 or less.
  • When the instructor-to-student ratio reaches 1:10, one teaching assistants will be arranged to help the instructor conduct simulated scanning practice. Two teaching assistants will be arranged to help the instructor conduct simulated scanning practice when the instructor-to-student ratio reaches 1:14.
  • In a clinical practice environment with sufficient direct or indirect supervision by a clinical instructor, the instructor-to-student ratio is arranged at 1:2 rather than 1:4. Except the students are foreign-trained sonographers with efficient clinical sonography experience.
• Evaluations
  • RHI is not a unionized environment, and the instructor-to-student ratio is determined through a collective survey of faculty, students, clinical staff, and market feedback. The survey will be distributed to students, didactic, and clinic instructors at the end of each course and clinical placement to help adjust the instructor-to-student ratio suitable for students under the instructor’s direct or indirect supervision.
  • When the instructor-to-student ratio reaches 1:10, one teaching assistants will be arranged to help the instructor conduct simulated scanning evaluation. Two teaching assistants will be arranged to help the instructor conduct simulated scanning evaluation when the instructor-to-student ratio reaches 1:14 which is consist with simulated scanning practice.
  • In a clinical practice environment with sufficient direct or indirect supervision by a clinical instructor, the instructor-to-student ratio is arranged at 1:2 rather than 1:4. Except the students are foreign-trained sonographers with efficient clinical sonography experience.

The instructor takes the responsibility to