Cardiovascular Perfusion Course Descriptions
ECT-301. Perfusion Technology I. This course is designed to give the beginning student a practical and theoretical orientation to the environment of extracorporeal circulation. This course presents the history, basic components, equipment, and physiology related to extracorporeal circulation. The students will be exposed to ethical issues facing health care providers in today’s environment. 4 s.h. Fall.

ECT-310. Introduction to Statistics and Research Methods. This is an introductory course in statistical and research methodology. Included in this course are descriptive and inferential statistical methods including confidence intervals; t-tests, correlation and regression; analysis of variance; and non-parametric methods. Computer-based statistical programs will be demonstrated and a relevant clinical class project will be completed. 3 s.h. Fall.

ECT-313. Clinical and Laboratory Instrumentation. This introductory course presents the principles of electronic physiological monitoring and measurement. The practical application of monitoring equipment is stressed during laboratory. 4 s.h. Fall.

ECT-320. Seminar I. Discussion of current practices and techniques in extracorporeal circulation. 1 s.h. Fall.

ECT-330. Seminar II. Discussion of current practices and techniques in extracorporeal circulation. Advanced students present case studies. 1 s.h. Spring.

ECT-331. Principles and Practices of Perfusion Technology. This course prepares the student for clinical experience. The principles of extracorporeal circulation are presented in lecture and practices in the animal laboratory. Instructions are provided in the aspects of extracorporeal circulation including device theory, physiology, diseases of the heart, pathophysiology, fluids, and electrolytes. Hands-on lab experience and reporting in these techniques prepares the student for the clinical experience. Prerequisites: ECT-301, ECT-313, ECT-335. 8 s.h. Summer.

ECT-332. Current Professional and Clinical Issues in Healthcare. This course promotes the student’s learning of current professional and clinical issues faced by perfusion technologists in today’s health care environment. The course design will reflect the most current issues in coagulation and hemostasis, cardiac pharmacology, clinical ethics and health care management. Prerequisites: Permission of the CP Faculty. 2 s.h. Spring.

ECT-335. Perfusion Technology II. Students’ first course in clinical perfusion with an introduction to clinical activities during open-heart surgery. Students are taught the perfusion assistant role during equipment selection, set-up, and operation of a life support system. 4 s.h. Spring.

ECT-340. Fundamentals of Clinical Acid Base Chemistry. Through lecture and self-study, the student masters the principles of acid base physiology and the interpretation and treatment of clinical acid base blood gas disorders. Prerequisite: Permission of CP faculty. 2 s.h. Spring.

ECT-345. Clinical Experience I. This clinical course provides an introduction to the basic concepts of clinical perfusion and cardiac evaluation. The equipment and supplies used by the CP will be demonstrated in addition to assistance with circuit assembly. In addition, invasive and non-invasive cardiac evaluation techniques will be discussed and demonstrated regarding the pre-operative selection of open-heart surgery patients. 8 s.h. Summer.

ECT-348. Computers in Perfusion Technology. Students learn and practice the application of computer assisted data management and clinical monitoring techniques through hands-on computer laboratory activities. Computer software for data-basing, spreadsheets, statistical analysis, and graphic presentation are introduced as tools to facilitate the student’s educational experience and enhance their clinical skills. Prerequisite: Permission of the CP faculty. 1 s.h. Fall.

ECT-355. Research Planning and Design I. The course will include writing for publication, literature review, IRB requirements, and the research proposal format. Students select a clinical hypothesis to test and complete a research proposal in a topic pertinent to ECT. The topic will become the student’s research project for ECT-461, 462, and 463. 1 s.h. Spring.

ECT-360. Pathophysiology for Perfusion Technology. Presents in block format a survey of the concepts of human disease. It includes a study of immunological defense mechanisms, acute and chronic inflammation, repair mechanisms, modes of injury, diseases of development and growth, and blood disorders and neoplasia. It also presents diseases of the organ systems and correlates the pathology of the major diseases occurring in the individual organ systems of the human body. 4 s.h. Spring.

ECT-410. Seminar III. Students discuss problems arising during their Clinical Experience courses. This is accomplished through the use of case presentations to the faculty. Each student also prepares a seminar presentation on a current selected topic in extracorporeal circulation. 1 s.h. Fall.

ECT-420. Seminar IV. Students discuss problems arising during their Clinical Experience courses. This is accomplished through the use of case presentations to the faculty and first year students. Each student also prepares a seminar presentation on a current selected topic in extracorporeal circulation. 1 s.h. Spring.

ECT-451. Clinical Experience II. This course is designed to provide the necessary clinical experience so that a student can perform the routine extracorporeal circulation procedures. The student will also be provided adequate experience in other clinical service activities, monitoring, ward rounds, intra-operative surgery, and postoperative management. 12 s.h. Fall.

ECT-452. Clinical Experience III. This advanced course is designed to complete the student’s clinical experience. The student will be expected to perform as though unsupervised in all routine cardiovascular procedures and will operate more complex devices. The student will be “on call” for weekend and emergency procedures and will be introduced to administration of departmental activities. 12 s.h. Spring.

ECT-461. Research Planning and Design II. This course allows the student to complete a pilot study based on the proposal submitted in Research Planning and Design I. The topic will become the student’s research project for ECT-462 and ECT-463. The student is required to present and critique relevant research literature in a journal club conference. Presentation and defense of the preliminary results of their pilot study is required. 1 s.h. Summer.

ECT-462. Special Projects I. Students continue to investigate the research project selected in ECT-461 as supervised by the faculty. Oral defense and a written report to include background, methods, and results of the independent research are required. Prerequisite: ECT-461. 1 s.h. Fall.

ECT-463. Special Projects II. Students complete the defense and written report of their independent research project as a continuation of ECT-461 and ECT-462. Students will submit their work for presentation at a regional or national professional meeting, or for publication in an appropriate peer-reviewed journal. Prerequisite: ECT-462. 1 s.h. Spring.

ECT-464. ECT in Pediatric Heart Surgery. Students study the anatomical and physiological characteristics of congenital heart defects and their implications for the conduct of perfusion. Special considerations in the conduct of perfusion for congenital heart surgery are discussed and modeled. Through analysis of case clinical reports and histories, students learn about the surgical treatment of congenital heart defects. Prerequisite: Permission of the CP Faculty. 2 s.h. Fall.

ECT-621. Pharmacology. Teaches the fundamental principles and concepts of pharmacology. This course is a study of the selective biologic activity of chemical substances on living matter. It presents the principles of drug absorption, distribution, and metabolism, the concepts of drug-receptor interaction, and the therapeutic uses and mechanisms of action of prototype drugs in each major drug group. 4 s.h. Spring.

PHYSO-510. Physiology. The purpose of this course is to acquaint the student with the basic principles of human physiologic function. Organ, tissue and cellular function is integrated through exploration of the major elements of overall homeostasis (i.e., health). Emphasis is placed on the regulatory mechanisms, which integrate the functional systems of the body and maintain the adult organism in a dynamic steady state. Basic concepts of normal function are reinforced by consideration of many clinical and pathophysiological applications. 6 s.h. Fall.