Faculty Syllabus

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS

Clinical Rotation Schedule Information

Tentative Clinical Rotation Schedules will be distributed to the students. It is the student’s responsibility to be prepared for the scheduled days activities by bringing the correct course materials. Travel outside the Austin metropolitan area may be required. Requests for changes to the clinical schedule are not allowed.

At least two days prior to the start of a new rotation the student is expected to make a courtesy call to the clinical site. The student will verify the hours and dates of the rotation, who to report to, location of the laboratory, and where to park.

Many factors are considered when developing the offsite rotation schedule for a student. They include, but are not limited to:

• The student’s strengths and weaknesses.
• The student’s transportation and/or childcare arrangements.
• The site’s availability, strengths and limitations.
• When appropriate, providing the opportunity for the student to experience laboratory operations on evening and night shifts.
• Travel outside the Austin metropolitan area may be required.
• Sites selected are required to have a legal affiliation agreement with Austin Community College.

Due to the difficulty of creating a balanced clinical experience for each individual student, requests for changes to the offsite clinical schedule are strongly discouraged.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, it may be necessary for program faculty to change a student’s rotation schedule. We will provide you as much advance notification as possible if it is necessary to change your schedule. MLT clinical sites can be viewed in the MLT Student Handbook, http://sites.austincc.edu/health/student/handbooks/#mlab

STUDENT EVALUATION

Measurement, Skills, and Cognitive

For all offsite rotations the student will be required to demonstrate proficiency in each of the established clinical objectives. Clinical competency forms must be filled out by the clinical faculty to document progression and achievement of competency in all required skills. ACC faculty will review the competency forms at each site visit and determine an action plan if progression to competency is not occurring. Failure to achieve competency by the end of the rotation will result in withdrawal of the student from the course and all co-requisite MLT courses.

Reading and reviewing assignments may be made during the rotations and final exams will be given at the end of each section. Homework assignments and quizzes may be given throughout the rotation.

Measurement, Affective

For all clinical rotations the student will be evaluated by the clinical faculty with the official MLT evaluation form at the end of each rotation. The evaluation may also be completed any other time during any rotation (a formative evaluation) if the clinical faculty determines the need to provide the student written explanation of their performance. If both on and offsite clinical rotations are offered, the student must provide evaluations for each of these rotations. The two evaluation grades will be averaged for the final clinical evaluation grade in the specific discipline area. The final (summative) evaluation is used in the grading process, unless otherwise told.

Competencies

Competencies are “pass/fail” and must be completed successfully to pass the course. College faculty will inform students of weaknesses in performance on a weekly basis. Failure to successfully complete the clinical competencies after the final attempt, will result in the student being withdrawn from the course and all co-requisite MLT courses.

Students are expected to have their clinical paperwork available at ALL times during the rotation so that the skills can be checked off as they proceed through the rotation. Be certain to discuss these with the clinical staff at the beginning and throughout the rotation. Some clinical staff will prefer to check the skills off as the student proceeds through the rotation; others may want to complete the forms at the end of the rotation. Certain skills require a certain number of procedures to be performed.

It is the student’s responsibility to monitor and document all competencies, especially those requiring a specific number to be performed. Students are strongly encouraged to review the competencies prior to the rotation and review them daily after that to ensure being able to meet the objectives in a timely fashion.

It is expected that each student will demonstrate competency in each of the following:

1. Gram Stain & Interpretation of Gram Stains
2. Hematology cell differential/cell identification
3. Hematology miscellaneous tests (ESR, Retics) if applicable
4. Antigen typing
5. Panel-Antibody Identification

Medtraining

Students are assigned fifteen (15) Medtraining (http://www.medtraining.org) review modules. A written assignment or, in some cases, multiple written assignments, or MTS exams will be given over each module. The completed documents must be uploaded to the appropriate section of Blackboard into the folder heading with an abbreviated name of the assignment. Due dates for the MTS modules are posted on the Clinical II webpage. Each module will open one week prior to the assignment of the MTS module. Full credit will be awarded for assignments turned in by the posted due date. If the MTS module assignment is turned in past the due date, zero credit will be given.

The following Medtraining modules have been assigned:

• Introduction to Transfusion Service
• Transfusion Safety: Specimen Collection
• Transfusion Safety: Ordering and Administering
• Transfusion Safety: Testing and Issuance
• Ergonomic Safety
• Biosafety
• Microbiology Modules
  • Genital
  • Respiratory
  • Eye
  • CSF
  • Joint
  • Blood
  • Urine
  • Stool
  • Wound

MediaLab

Students will use MediaLab to apply concepts and principles of hematology and microbe identification and testing. These will be assigned at given times during the course and due dates will be posted on the Clinical II schedule. 

Points will be awarded for the completion of each Hematology WBC or RBC case and recorded in Blackboard with the title "ML WBC #0". If the student achieves an 80% or better on each case study, a grade of 10 points will be recorded. If the student scores less than 80%, the student is required to repeat the case study to receive full credit.  If the student scores less than 80% and does not repeat the case study, a grade of 5 points will be recorded.

For MediaLab RBC (ML RBC) and Microbiology (ML Micro) cases, points will be awarded for completion of the activity by the deadline. If the case is completed by the deadline, a grade of 10 points will be recorded.

To log in: https://www.medialabinc.net

Your username and password are your ACC eID: for example, k032451

Quizzes and Clinical Rotation Exams

Quizzes may be given during the rotation and are used to assess the student’s level of knowledge. At the end of the clinical rotation the student will be given, and must pass, a clinical rotation examination. The rotation exam is available in Blackboard and is worth 45% of the clinical rotation grade. This exam must be completed by the posted due date. Failure to take the exam by the deadline will result in a 10-point deduction in the Clinical Rotation Exam grade and the student will be placed on Corrective Actions/Progressive Discipline. In addition, the student will be expected to take a Version B of the Clinical Rotation Exam. Failure to take the Clinical Rotation exam within 2 days of the deadline will result in a 20-point deduction in grade and immediate probation.

Failure to achieve a 70% on a clinical rotation exam constitutes a failed rotation. At the faculty’s discretion, the student may be allowed to take a second version of the final. If the student passes the second final the grades of the first and second exams will be averaged together for the final exam grade. Failing a clinical final for the same rotation a second time will result in an unsuccessful clinical rotation and will result in the student being withdrawn from the course and all co-requisite MLT courses. If the withdrawal deadline has passed the student will be awarded a grade of “D”.

Spring Capstone Comprehensive Exam - Pass/Fail

At the completion of the spring semester, the students will be given a comprehensive exam over Hematology, Urinalysis/Body Fluids, Coagulation, Serology/Immunology, Clinical Microbiology, and Immunohematology. If a student is unable to successfully pass the initial spring capstone exam, with a 70% or greater, the Progressive Discipline policy will be initiated and the student will be allowed to take a second exam following remediation. The student must pass the second exam with a 70% of greater. If the student is unsuccessful on the second attempt, a grade of “D” will be awarded for the course regardless of the course average. The student will be unable to continue in the MLT program and must meet with the program director for an exit interview to discuss potential readmission for the following year. A student may be readmitted only one time. A second dismissal from the program for failing grades will result in permanent dismissal from the program.

Failure to take the Spring Capstone exam by the deadline will result in a 5-point deduction in the overall Clinical II course grade and the student will be placed on Corrective Actions/Progressive Discipline. In addition, the student will be expected to take a Version B of the Spring Capstone Exam.

Submission of Work and Late/Missed Work

• Assignments and/or laboratory exercises must be uploaded into the Dropbox found in the Blackboard course by the posted due date on the course webpage, unless otherwise directed by the instructor. Assignments will reinforce theory and must be turned in on time.
• Laboratory reports are due the day the task/lab is performed.
• Assignments WILL NOT be accepted by email.
• Any assignment turned in after the due date will receive a zero. NO exceptions.
• It may not be possible to make up a missed laboratory assignment due to specimen, reagent and/or instructor availability.  However, the study questions can be turned in for full credit, if turned in by the posted due date.  It is the student’s responsibility to coordinate with the instructor regarding potential lab make-up time. Rescheduling must be done within 2 days of the absence. If rescheduling is not requested, a zero will be recorded on the lab report. 

Blackboard- Discussion Board

During clinical rotations students will be required to post an overview of their clinical experience to Blackboard during specified weeks. Due dates for the posts will be stated on the Clinical II webpage. These posts are graded by specific criteria and are worth 5% of the rotation grade. The primary value of this posting is to share with your fellow students the variety of work performed, interesting (de-identified) results obtained and the relationship of these results to a patient’s condition, and any other uniquely interesting situation. These postings allow students to illustrate problem solving skills in unusual situations and should be of such a nature as to add value to the course and be objective in nature. The post must be a minimum of 150 words and include instruments you used. Your post should “tie it all together” relating results/principles/theories with critical thinking skills, i.e., application of knowledge. The quality of your post is just as important as the post itself. An example post and grading is found in Blackboard. Postings are due by Sunday at midnight.

The Discussion Board will be monitored for inappropriate postings such as postings of patient information as to be in non-compliance with HIPAA, subjective postings of a negative nature that may be viewed as unfavorable bias or judgments about specific staff members. Failure to complete this exercise in a timely fashion, failure to post a discussion in accordance with the stated criteria or repeated inappropriate postings will constitute an unsuccessful rotation or institution of the Corrective Actions/Disciplinary Measures Policy.

Capstone Review

To help students prepare for the Spring Capstone, a review quiz in Blackboard will be used. The student will only be allowed to take the quiz once and will not be allowed to use resources. If the student scores less than 25 out of 50, the student will receive 25 points. If the student scores more than 25 out of 50, the student will receive 50 points.

Affective Evaluation

The MLT Student Clinical Evaluation form completed at the end of each offsite/onsite clinical rotation is worth 45% of the rotation’s grade. The student must achieve an overall average of 70% or better on the student clinical evaluation form. Failure to obtain the minimum of 70% will result in an unsuccessful clinical rotation. The student will be withdrawn from the course and all co-requisite MLT courses. If the withdrawal date has passed, the student will receive a grade of “D”.

Summary of Grading for OFFSITE Clinical Rotations

            Affective Evaluation 45%

            Clinical Rotation Exam 45%

            Blackboard – Discussion Board 5%

Submission of Clinical paperwork 5%

Student Clinical Obligations Following Offsite Rotations

By Monday of the week following the last day of the rotation, it is mandatory that the following completed forms be turned in to MLT faculty on Monday following the rotation:

Students MUST make an appointment with an instructor to turn in clinical paperwork. Students should make a copy of the paperwork packet or take photos of their packet for their records.

During the meeting, the instructor will review the following paperwork:

1. Originals of all clinical paperwork
2. Daily attendance and competency check
3. Competency checklist sheet(s)
4. Result(s) sheet
5. Evaluation-complete with signature of student and clinical instructor
6. Completed clinical site evaluation survey in Survey Monkey- completed ONLINE

If a student encounters any problem preventing them from complying with this policy, they must notify the course professor. Failure to submit paperwork by the stated deadline will result in a penalty of 1 point per day being deducted from the clinical rotation grade. Repeated failure to comply with this policy will result in probation.

Unsuccessful Clinical Rotation

To summarize briefly, any of the following may cause a student to be unsuccessful in a rotation resulting in withdrawal or, if the deadline has passed, a “D” for the course AND all co-requisite MLT courses:

• Failing to achieve the minimum competency level after the final attempt
• Failing a clinical rotation exam twice.
• Failure to obtain a minimum of 70% on the overall grade of the student clinical evaluation.
• Second failure to notify clinical and program instructors of tardies and/or absences from clinical.

COURSE GRADE

Percentages are subject to small changes throughout the semester.

The course grade will consist of the following:

Grading

The following scale is used to determine the letter grade. Important: Failure to achieve competency in the clinical objectives will result in a failing grade regardless of the score earned.

A          =          90-100%

B          =          80-89%

C          =          75-79%

D          =          60-74%

F          =          59% or below

I           =          Incomplete- To receive an “I” the student must have demonstrated competency in at least 80% of the skills in the area(s) to which assigned. The “I” must be completed within the next semester, unless specifically approved by MLT Program officials. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

• Teal Scrubs-appropriately fitting and professional in appearance. Refer to the ACC MLT Student handbook found at: http://sites.austincc.edu/health/student/handbooks/#mlab
• Three channel digital timer capable of counting seconds
• Tennis shoes
• Face mask or covering, if applicable
• ACC identification badge
• Gloves- latex or nitrile NOT vinyl (gloves will be provided at offsite clinical)
• Pocket calculator
• 3-inch binder with dividers
• Sharpie permanent marker, fine point, black or blue
• Padlock, either combination or keyed (for Round Rock Campus only)
• Board of Registry Study Guide, 7th edition, ASCP, ASCP Editorial Board, ISBN 978-0-89189-6845. ASCP does offer a BOC Study Guide App and Book bundle to members. The app is compatible with iPhone and Android devices. For details: https://www.ascp.org/store .
• For each offsite clinical rotation, the student will be required to print the Clinical Practicum competencies with attendance form, student evaluation form, and recording results forms as needed throughout the clinical semester.
  • Print out appropriate course materials from course website and place in BINDER:

            http://sites.austincc.edu/health/mlab/courses/clinical2/

Course Web Site: http://sites.austincc.edu/health/mlab/courses/clinical2/

This schedule is tentative. Do NOT print the schedule or course materials until instructed by the professor. The schedule is subject to change. Any changes will be communicated by the professor in class and posted as an announcement in BlackBoard. Students will access and print out course materials from the course web site. Assessment activities are provided as a means of assisting students in determining their level of competence in given areas as well as to assist in reviewing for examinations. Assignments will be posted to enhance the student’s learning experience.

COURSE GOALS

Upon successful completion of MLAB 2361 Clinical II requires that the student will be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate proficiency in the clinical objectives of each rotation assigned by verbalizing the basic principles and procedures of the tests in the department and demonstrating organizational and technical skills at the level required for each test performed.
• Demonstrate initiative by reviewing course materials prior to and during the rotation, asking questions to advance understanding, research areas of weakness, and asking for additional work as needed.
• Demonstrate the importance of punctuality and attendance at each day of clinical by maintaining an excellent attendance record and promptly notifying the MLT faculty and the clinical facility of any absences or tardiness.
• Demonstrate professional behavior by maintaining a strong positive attitude, exhibiting a proactive attitude in developing the competencies required, developing and using good professional judgment in all matters concerning laboratory safety and interaction with patients, specimens, clinical staff, faculty and fellow students.
• Demonstrate understanding of the needs and requirements of the clinical laboratory through awareness of the departmental workloads, maintaining accurate records, restocking supplies as necessary and cleaning up work area periodically throughout the day and at the completion of clinical activities.
• Maintain a safe laboratory environment by adhering to all applicable safety regulations as presented throughout the MLT Program which include, but are not limited to, appropriate disinfection of work area, maintaining a neat, uncluttered, work area, wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment, and reporting hazards observed.

Course Affective Objectives
In the development of traits sought after by area employers and to be successful in this course, the student will:

A.         Demonstrate professionalism by

            1.         complying with the attendance policy

            2.         complying with the dress code

            3.         submitting assignments by the stated deadline

B.         Demonstrate enthusiasm and interest in the profession of clinical laboratory sciences by asking questions, participating in class discussions and meeting with professors during office hours as needed.

C.         Demonstrate initiative by reviewing objectives and completion of reading assignments prior to class.

D.         Demonstrate progression in laboratory skills by effective organization, coordination of multiple tasks and insightful evaluation of results obtained.

E.         Utilize constructive criticism to correct deficiencies and improve performance.

F.         Work cooperatively with professors and fellow students to achieve the goals of each activity assigned.

Discipline Area Objectives

Objectives for each clinical area assigned are located in the appropriate section of the course website:

http://sites.austincc.edu/health/mlab/courses/clinical2/

PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Laboratory Technology, the student will be able to:

1. Collect and process biological specimens for analysis.
2. Perform analytical tests on body fluids, cells, and products.
3. Recognize factors that affect procedures and results, and take appropriate actions within predetermined limits when corrections are indicated.
4. Monitor quality control within predetermined limits.
5. Perform preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment and instruments or refer to appropriate source for repairs.
6. Demonstrate professional conduct and interpersonal communication skills with patients, laboratory personnel, other health care professionals, and with the public.
7. Recognize the responsibilities of other laboratory and health care personnel and interact with them with respect for their jobs and patient care.
8. Apply basic scientific principles in learning new techniques and procedures.
9. Relate laboratory findings to common disease processes.