Proper documentation of a student’s clinical education is a critical component of a diagnostic medical sonography program’s administrative functions. Traditional paper documents have been used for decades to record and verify a student’s clinical training. However, these paper records can rapidly become a paperwork nightmare, especially for large sonographic programs spread over a broad geographical area. This article examines the reasons for keeping accurate clinical records, discusses paper clinical records systems, and reviews some of the new electronic systems for student clinical records that are now emerging in the allied health professions.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. http://www.caahep.org/documents/ForProgramDirectors/DMS%20Final%20Standards%202007.pdf . Accessed February 11, 2008.
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American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, Standard Clinical Verification Form. http://www.ardms.org/downloads/StandardCVForm.pdf. Accessed March 7, 2008.
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Clark DR: Instructional System Design Concept Map. 2004. http://nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/ahold/isd.html. Accessed March 7, 2008.
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Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography Educational Foundation. http://www.sdms.org/products/thescan.asp. Accessed March 7, 2008.
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Fisdap: Paramedic Student Field Internship and Hospital Clinical Tracking Software. https://www.fisdap.net/ . Accessed June 26, 2008.
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DataArc. http://www.dataarc.ws/public/public.lasso?&type=About%20DataArc. Accessed June 26, 2008.
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Trajecsys: Data Systems for Allied Health Programs. http://www.trajecsys.com/index.htm. Accessed June 30, 2008.
