DMSO Requirements

Criminal Background Check

Some of our Clinical Affiliation Agreements require that students complete and submit a criminal background check before being granted access to those facilities. There are two categories of crimes.

Students may never have convictions, including a conviction for an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation at any time from any state or jurisdiction for an offense listed in section 250.006(a) or (c) of the Texas Health and Safety Code or in section 301.4535 of the Texas Occupation Code as may be amended or recodified. The list as of June 7, 2021 includes:

1. Murder
2. Capital murder
3. Manslaughter
4. Criminally negligent homicide
5. Unlawful restraint
6. Kidnapping
7. Aggravated kidnapping
8. Continuous sexual abuse of young child or children
9. Indecent exposure
10. Indecency with a child
11. Improper relationship between educator and student
12. Improper photography or visual recording
13. Sexual assault
14. Aggravated assault
15. Aggravated sexual assault
16. Intentional, knowing, or reckless injury to child, elderly individual, or disabled individual
17. Intentional, knowing, or reckless abandonment or endangerment of child
18. Deadly conduct
19. Terroristic threat
20. Aiding suicide
21. Prohibited sexual conduct (incest)
22. Agreement to abduct child from custody
23. Violation of certain orders in family violence case
24. Violation of protective order preventing hate crime
25. Sale or purchase of child
26. Arson
27. Robbery
28. Aggravated robbery
29. Burglary
30. Online solicitation of minor
31. Money laundering
32. Medicaid fraud
33. Cruelty to animals
34. Compelling prostitution
35. Causing sexual performance by a child
36. Possession or promotion of child pornography
37. Any other offense for which registration as a sex offender is required

Students may not have convictions in the last five (5) full years from any state or jurisdiction for an offense listed in section 250.006(b) of the Texas Health and Safety Code as may be amended or recodified. The list as of June 7, 2021 includes:

1. Assault punishable as a Class A misdemeanor or felony
2. Theft punishable as a felony
3. Misapplication of fiduciary property of financial institution punishable as a Class A misdemeanor or felony
4. Securing execution of a document by deception punishable as a Class A misdemeanor or felony (not tampering with government record)
5. False identification as a peace officer
6. Disorderly conduct

The clinical sites reserve the right to amend these lists.

Drug Screening

Some of our Clinical Affiliation Agreements require that students complete and submit a drug screening before being granted access to those facilities. The drug screening must be completed every two years, or the student must not be continuously enrolled in EMS courses. Students who test positive for the following substances without providing a prescription will not be allowed to complete clinical rotations:

1. Amphetamines
2. Barbiturates
3. Benzodiazepines
4. Cocaine Metabolites
5. Marijuana
6. Methadone
7. Methaqualone
8. Opiates
9. Oxycodone
10. Phencyclidine
11. Propoxyphene

The clinical sites may amend this list. In addition, students are subject to further drug screening for cause. For additional information, please refer to the Temple College Student Handbook and the EMS Student Handbook.

Technical Standards for the Sonographer and Vascular Technologist

The professional responsibilities and technical standards of the Sonographer and Vascular Technologist include, but are not limited to:

Physical

1. Push and pull routinely.
2. Bend and stoop routinely.
3. Have full use of both hands, wrists, and shoulders.
4. Distinguish audible sounds.
5. Adequately view sonogram images, including color distinctions.
6. Work standing on their feet 80% of the time.
7. Assist patients on and off examining tables with assistance or immobilization equipment.
8. Transport ultrasound equipment.

Clinical

1. Provide quality patient care.
2. Interact compassionately and effectively with the sick or injured.
3. Communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare professionals.
4. Obtain and record an accurate patient history.
5. Organize and accurately perform the individual steps in a sonographic procedure in the proper sequence.
6. Analyze technical information.
7. Use independent judgment in recognizing the need to extend the scope of the procedure according to the diagnostic findings.
8. Provide an oral or written summary of the technical findings to the physician for medical diagnosis.
9. Collaborate with physicians and other members of the health care team.

Mental/Emotional

1. Possess the emotional maturity and stability to approach highly stressful human situations in a calm and rational manner.
2. Make clinical judgments using critical thinking.
3. Adhere to ethical standards of conduct as well as applicable state and federal laws.
4. Provide effective written, oral, nonverbal communication with patients and their families, colleagues, health care providers, and the public.
5. Because of the unique responsibilities involved in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, the Department reserves the right to require that the student who is unsuited for the program therein withdraw from the program and be advised into another curriculum of study at the College.
6. An individual who poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or themselves may be denied admission, progression, or graduation. The determination by the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Department that a person possesses a direct threat will be based on an individualized assessment. This assessment will rely on current medical evidence or on the best available evidence, to assess the nature, duration, and severity of the risk and the probability that the potential injury will occur.

Program Goals

To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the following concentration(s):

• Abdominal Sonography – Extended
• Adult Cardiac Sonography
• Obstetrics and Gynecology Sonography
• Vascular Sonography