| Effective Term: | 2027/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Midwifery as a Profession |
| Unit ID: | MIDGD6202 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit explores the professional identity, scope of practice and contemporary context of midwifery, underpinned by the principles of woman-centred care. Students will examine the role of the midwife in providing care for women, infants and families from diverse and vulnerable backgrounds, including those affected by perinatal and infant mental health challenges and family violence, across a range of practice settings. The unit includes a clinical placement component that provides opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in contemporary midwifery practice environments.
The midwifery scope of practice will be explored in detail, underpinned by professional codes, standards and legislative frameworks. To gain an understanding of the midwifery profession, students will review the historical development of midwifery in Australia and globally and use this foundation to explore the future of the profession, maternity services reform, and the evolving role of the midwife in supporting the health and wellbeing of women, infants and families. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | Yes - 20 days |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Analyse the development of the midwifery profession and maternity care, from legal, ethical, historical and current perspectives. |
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| K2. | Critically evaluate the scope of midwifery practice in contemporary Australian maternity care, including the professional and legislative frameworks, codes and guidelines and provide a critique of this scope against the ICM International Definition of a Midwife. |
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| K3. | Analyse the roles and functions of professional organisations, locally, nationally, and globally, that have an impact on the delivery of maternity services and the health and wellbeing of women and babies. |
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| K4. | Critically examine how the midwifery profession engages with and supports women from diverse and vulnerable populations, including its role in perinatal screening and other public health activities to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Discuss and critique the boundaries of care in midwifery including legal, ethical and professional standards and competencies. |
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| S2. | Employ reflective practice and identify evidence-based care for women, babies and their families across the childbearing continuum. |
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| S3. | Demonstrate an understanding of the use and applications of psychosocial screening tools in the perinatal period. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Demonstrates integration of ethical and legal principles into the provision of woman-centred care. |
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| A2. | Critically examine the politics of childbirth and develop a critique of maternity service delivery in Australia informed by professional literature, government reports and observation and experience. |
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| A3. | Demonstrate skills providing care in partnership with women based on individual women’s needs according to the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice. |
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| Other outcomes: |
| Unit Content: |
This unit focuses on midwifery as a profession, contextual issues in midwifery practice, and midwifery and organisational support of women's psychosocial health and wellbeing, including:
- Midwifery as a Profession
- Contextual Issues in Midwifery Practice
- Midwifery as primary health care
- Women's psychosocial health and wellbeing
- Professional Organisations and Advocacy
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2021), Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice (2018), the NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and the Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | Y - Present |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2 |
Application of woman-centred midwifery practice concepts in context of working with vulnerable women and families |
Case study |
40-60% |
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| 2. |
K2, K3, K4, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3 |
Theoretical concepts of midwifery history, professional issues and professional and legislative frameworks |
Audio/visual assessment |
30-50% |
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| 3. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2 |
Satisfactory achievement of identified NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice in midwifery practice experiences. (Compulsory PASS required) |
Midwifery practice portfolio 1. Completion of five (5) Midwifery Clinical Assessment Tools (MCAT) to minimum ‘assisted-proficient’. 2. Completion of 160 midwifery practice hours. Submit completed AMSAT assessed at a minimum level 'Satisfactory' overall performance or above. |
10% Hurdle requirement |
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| 4. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2 |
Attendance at all on-campus intensive sessions |
100% Attendance |
S/U Hurdle |
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