Negotiated Musculoskeletal Ultrasound 1

About this module

This module will equip you with the knowledge, attitudes and complex skills necessary to undertake a negotiated range of musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations.

Building on your existing experience as a health care professional, the module will enable you to extend your existing specialist skills to provide a high quality musculoskeletal ultrasound service in your own clinical area. 

Working closely with a work place mentor, an academic supervisor and an expert advisor, you will be able to define your own learning needs and build a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates competence and the scope of your emerging musculoskeletal ultrasound experience.      

Module content and planned learning outcomes will be agreed by formation of a negotiated learning contract that includes a minimum of two of the following areas of negotiated practice. 

• Shoulder
• Hand, wrist and elbow
• Foot and ankle
• Hip and knee
• Rheumatology
• Neonatal hips
• Lumps, bumps and hernias
• Ultrasound guided injections.

In all cases, learning contracts will include review of:

• Rationale for the development of a musculoskeletal ultrasound service
• Current relevant international, national and local legislation, healthcare policy, professional guidelines
• Relevant anatomy, physiology and pathology
• Vetting and justification of ultrasound requests
• Purpose of scan, common Indications, contraindications and limitations
• Patient presentation, preparation and consent
• Importance of clinical history and clinical examination
• Dynamic ultrasound assessment of the relevant area, image optimisation and interpretation
• Imaging and reporting protocols
• Comparison of ultrasound with other diagnostic tests and the relevance of ultrasound findings in patient management
• Clinical governance, self-audit and learning from discrepancies
• Raising concerns, safeguarding, statutory requirements for reporting vulnerable patients
• Liaison within medical and surgical teams; professional conduct and accountability.

An individual learning strategy will be agreed with each student. This will include a mixture of self-directed learning, tutorial support and supervised scanning practice.

Placement learning

In line with CASE requirements, you will require access to a suitable clinical placement.

The total number of scanning hours will vary according to your own specific learning needs. You will be expected to have access to supervised training sessions throughout the duration of the module.

The goal of training is competency, and this must be demonstrated rather than rigid adherence to a fixed number of training scans.

All students must have access to a work place who has the necessary skill and experience to assess final competence in the student’s specialist area. Normally, the mentor will be based within your own Trust.

Who is this course for

Health care professionals.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the complex skills necessary to plan, perform and interpret dynamic ultrasound assessment in a negotiated range of musculoskeletal applications
• Critically evaluate and, where required, report upon the ultrasound findings within a negotiated area of musculoskeletal practice. Where necessary, arrange, advise or undertake further investigations appropriate to local policies and contribute effectively to the multi-disciplinary healthcare team.

Reflect critically on the development of a musculoskeletal ultrasound service within your clinical setting, the implications for patient management and your own role extension. 

Contact us

If you want to find out more about studying a short course, please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Additional information about your studies

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.