Gwynedd-Mercy College

Why and how did you become an educator? From 1972 to 1976, I was the supervisor of the Cardiopulmonary Laboratory at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. I discovered I enjoyed explaining the various procedures to the new residents, medical students and technical school students visiting the department. I decided to return to school to further my education with the intent of either teaching or doing research. I came to Gwynedd-Mercy College and never left. I have been a member of the faculty since 1980. This is my twenty-third year of teaching and the twentieth year as program director. How long has your program been in operation? The Cardiopulmonary Program was inaugurated in 1973. It wasn’t until 1986 that the program became the Cardiovascular Technology program. At that time, we dropped the pulmonary function-testing curriculum. However, we continued to cross-train in cardiac ultrasound and invasive until 1992. At that time, due to JRC/CVT essentials, the program became a twenty-four month track program. During the first twelve months, the students study general cardiovascular information along with natural sciences and general studies. In the second year, the student can major in either cardiac ultrasound or invasive cardiovascular technology. Can you describe your program syllabus, both clinical and classroom? The program follows a 24-month curriculum, encompassing combined classroom/campus laboratory experiences followed by closely supervised clinical experiences. In the first year of the program, students study the general sciences, such as: Chemistry Microbiology Math Human anatomy and physiology Medical physics Cardiovascular introductory courses, which are: - Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology; - Basic patient care skills (a lecture/hands-on lab experience); - Electrocardiographic principles and practices, with an accompanying hands-on laboratory. These courses serve as the foundation upon which to build further knowledge. In the second year, students study: Cardiac pathophysiology; Physical principles of invasive CVT (covering radiation safety, dosimetry and practice; cine film development, imaging and monitoring techniques; digital subtraction angiography; pressure monitoring modes; electrophysiology studies, instrument calibration and quality control); Foundations of Invasive Practice (Students study the indications and contraindications to diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization; adult and pediatric laboratory protocols; electrophysiology; collection, calculation and reporting of hemodynamic data; indications for cardiac assist devices); Foundations of Invasive CVT Laboratory (In the campus laboratory, the students learn: sterile technique; emergency and interventional protocols; patient preparation and care identification and classification and preparation of catheters most commonly used; intra-aortic balloon pump maintenance and operation) During the spring semester, sophomore students perform their first major clinical rotation, which includes a two-week period at a pediatric institution. Every Monday, the students are on campus for symposium. This course involves advanced concepts in invasive cardiology and patient care. Students also present case studies and we have guest lecturers from industry and medicine. Many are program alums. The second and final major clinical rotation is performed during the final fifteen weeks of the program. At this time, the student develops entry-level competency and knowledge in the practice of pediatric and adult cardiac catheterization techniques. Again, this course is accompanied by a symposium, which involves topics of laboratory management, clinical education, and literature review. Students also conduct applied research projects under the direction and guidance of the CVT faculty. How many students do you accept each year? Have you seen an increase in applicants over the years? Up to fifteen students per year are accepted. However, applications average around twenty per year. This year we have thirty applications to date, which is rare. What backgrounds do students generally have? Our student population is diverse. There is a mix of traditional and second career, non-traditional students. What is your program’s annual tuition? The current annual tuition is $16,600 or $370 per credit hour. What textbooks, CDs, or websites are used in your classes? Freshmen texts are: Mohrman, David E. and Heller, Lois Jane. Cardiovascular Physiology. (4th Ed.) New York: McGraw Hill, 1997. Lilly, Leonard S. (Ed) Pathophysiology of Heart Disease (2nd Ed) Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 1998. The third edition is now available. Goldberger, Ary L. Clinical Electrocardiography, A Simplified Approach (6th Ed.)St. Louis: Mosby, 1999. Huff, Jane. ECG Workout Exercises in Arrhythmia Interpretation (4th Ed.) Philadelphia: Lippincott, 2002. These texts are also utilized in the second year of the program, the Lilly text in particular. Sophomore invasive texts are: Kern, Morton J. The Cardiac Catheterization Handbook Bain, Donald S. and Grossman, William. Cardiac Catheterization, Angiography and Intervention We also utilize numerous CDs and videos. Websites: 1. Dictionaries: ADAM Medical Encyclopedia 2. Health: Ask Noah About Heart Disease and Stroke Diseases, Disorders, and Related Topics Health Topics from A-Z (from the CDC) HealthWeb Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) World Health Organization: World Health Reports 1995-2001 3.Heart Sounds: Auscultation Assistant Heart Beats Normal and Abnormal EKGs and Heart Sounds 4. Images: Echocardiographic images on the Internet 5. Organizations and Associations American College of Cardiology American Heart Association Cardiovascular Credentialing International North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals 6. Statistics: Advance Data (from Vital and Health Statistics) National Vital Health Statistics Pennsylvania Health Statistics Pennsylvania State Data Center Statistical Resources on the Web 7.Web Subject Guides: www.cathlab.com Cardio info Virtual Hospital: Information by organ System: Cardiovascular What types of clinical experiences do you offer students? The program is affiliated with twenty hospitals and medical centers throughout the Delaware Valley. All our affiliates offer excellent hands-on experiences to our students. 1. Freshman year: Four-week introductory clinical rotation. In July of freshman year, the students perform a four-week introductory clinical rotation. This rotation serves as an introduction to the hospital setting and an opportunity to perform basic electrocardiographic diagnostics and basic patient care. The student observes for one week in a cardiac catheterization laboratory and one week in a cardiac ultrasound laboratory. At the completion of this rotation, the student must declare a major, either cardiac ultrasound or invasive cardiovascular technology, before beginning the second year of the program. 2. Sophomore year: Two major clinical rotations. The first rotation is eight hours per day, four days per week, for fifteen weeks. During this time, the students are required to spend two weeks at a pediatric institution. The final clinical rotation is during the summer session. This is five days per week for fifteen weeks. During this rotation, the students spend approximately 5 days on campus for symposia. How hands-on do students become and when do they start this exposure? Students begin to develop hands-on skills in the fall semester of the freshman year with the introductory Clinical Skills Lab I, where they learn basic patient care skills. During the spring semester, they learn hands-on electrocardiographic techniques in the campus laboratory. In the fall semester of the sophomore year, the invasive majors learn sterile technique, set-ups, catheterization procedures, etc. in the campus laboratory. All clinical rotations require that the student have hands-on experiences under supervision of hospital personnel. Are your students cross-trained? Unfortunately according to the current JRC/CVT essentials and guidelines, cross-training is not feasible in the associate degree program. However cross-training is available in the third and fourth year of the program. This Baccalaureate degree has been designed to allow the registered AS degree graduate the opportunity to become multi-skilled in cardiovascular technologies. The upper level courses are offered on a part-time accelerated basis. Currently, vascular ultrasound and either invasive CVT or cardiac ultrasound are offered. We are investigating an electrophysiology option for the near future. This advanced degree program offers qualified CVT practitioners the opportunity to develop additional clinical knowledge and skills. Who does your classroom and clinical teaching? The program director teaches the freshmen courses. Mrs. Patricia Scott, BHS, RCIS (a GMC alum) is the program’s Invasive CVT Instructor/Clinical Coordinator. She is responsible for the campus classroom and laboratory experiences. Her other duties are to coordinate and oversee all invasive clinical rotation experiences. The hospital laboratory supervisor appoints a qualified preceptor to work with the students at the clinical site. What is the employment outlook for your graduates? There is a tragic shortage of educated/registered invasive and noninvasive practitioners. The outlook for employment opportunities appears to be excellent. What are typical starting salaries for graduates? The average starting salary is twenty-six dollars an hour. What career opportunities have past graduates experienced? Even in the worst employment times, most of our students have gained employment in the field by the time they complete their studies. Several graduates are now working in industry as sales representatives or applications specialists. others are now supervisors of departments. There are three physicians and two physician assistants. There are two exceptional CVT educational instructors at GMC. Another owns a mobile diagnostic business and one entrepreneurial young woman has a profitable medical/technical personnel service. An alum from the class of ‘98 recently informed us that she is now working in the UK at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. She wrote that there is a great interest in CVT educational programs since there are no training programs in the UK. GMC has already received some inquiries for program applications from the UK. How successful have graduates been at passing the RCIS exam? To date, all graduates who challenged the RCIS exam have passed. How has the CVT program evolved over the past 5 years? In the fall of 2000, we moved to a beautiful new Health/Sciences Center. This facility houses the Schools of Nursing, Allied Health Professions and the Natural Sciences. This arrangement makes it quite convenient for the CVT students, since the majority of their courses are taken in this building. The CVT campus laboratories are very well stocked with appropriate medical diagnostic equipment and student classroom facilities. We have two new dormitories for resident students. The BHS program in Cardiovascular Sciences was established in 1998. The CVT faculty continues to develop new and innovative teaching/learning strategies to make sure our students have opportunities to develop to their fullest capacity. Dr. Paul Coady, MD, FACC is our new Medical Director. We are fortunate to have him serve in an advisory capacity to our program. What advice can you give to students considering the CVT School? Your instructors will guide you through the program, but you will succeed only if you are willing to accept the challenges and responsibilities for your own learning. What do you consider unique about your program? Gwynedd-Mercy is a four-year academic institution with graduate programs. Students enjoy a collegiate atmosphere on a beautiful wooded campus in a country setting just miles from center-city Philadelphia. The program instructors have a genuine regard for the students. All the faculty genuinely care about the students’ development. The college has an Academic Resources Center to assist students in writing and tutoring. our small class sizes allow for individual attention. The clinical sites are excellent and the staff cares about our students. Can you share a particularly funny, bizarre or proud teaching moment? Honestly, the bizarre teaching moments are not fit for publication! However, looking back over the years, I honestly can say I am proud of all our graduates. It is a humbling experience to see how successful they are. I am a much richer person for having had the opportunity to know and work with these individuals.

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