| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Advanced Clinical Practice in Child and Family Health |
| Unit ID: | HEALM5002 |
| Credit Points: | 30.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Building on the foundational knowledge and skills developed in the preceding unit, students undertaking this subject will demonstrate increased independence and proficiency in applying theoretical and practical competencies within Maternal and Child Health (MCH) community settings. Students will conduct individual consultations, home visits, and group sessions with growing confidence, consolidating and refining clinical skills in physical assessment for children aged birth to six years. They will perform psychosocial screenings with new mothers, facilitate community linkages, and apply advanced understanding of the MCH Key Ages and Stages framework to support child development and family wellbeing. Students will continue to engage in collaborative partnerships with families, while deepening their application of relevant legislation, professional guidelines, and ethical considerations in MCH practice. This unit includes a further 150 hours of supervised, supernumerary clinical placement within Local Council MCH services and affiliated specialty services. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| Student is undertaking work experience in industry where learning and performance is not directed by the provider, but support is received from the provider. Fees (provider may charge a student contribution amount or tuition fee). |
| 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. | Critically analyse the principles of primary health care to plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion activities in child, family, and community health practice. |
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| K2. | Critically evaluate and apply contemporary research to deliver comprehensive, safe, and effective evidence-based health care for children, families, and communities. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Develop advanced clinical maternal and child health nursing skills including infant and child physical and developmental assessment, maternal health assessment and competent use of screening tools. |
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| S2. | Demonstrate high-level communication skills to engage and collaborate with children, families, groups, other health professionals, and community organisations. |
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| S3. | Demonstrate increased independence and proficiency in supervised clinical placement, applying advanced knowledge of the MCH Key Ages and Stages framework to support child development and promote family wellbeing. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply reflective thinking and critical analysis to evaluate and enhance professional practice in maternal and child health nursing, demonstrating understanding of relevant legislation, ethical codes, and professional guidelines across diverse community contexts. |
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| A2. | Apply specialist maternal and child health knowledge to assess, discuss, and manage a range of child and family health issues, recognising when further assessment or intervention is required and referring appropriately. |
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| Unit Content: |
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2014); NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2021); NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018), Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014), NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2020); NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses (2018), Code of Ethics for nurses (2012); Maternal and Child Health Service Standards (2019); and VAMCHN Professional Standards for Practice (2024) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. - Working with families experiencing vulnerabilities
- Recognising the sick child
- Clinical issues for children in the community
- Protective factors and strength-based approaches
- Immunisations
- Common childhood illnesses, congenital abnormalities and syndromes
- Sleep & Settling
- Family emotional health
- Developmental concerns
- Vision, hearing and speech concerns
- Appropriate referrals and professional relationships
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| 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 will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods • Active listening for meaning and influencing • High-level empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments • Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth • Inspiring and enabling others • Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others • Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically on complex problems • Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry • Proposing creative solutions in problem solving | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: • Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research • Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: • The responsible conduct of research • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts • Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable • Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | 1 - Yes |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, A2 | Clinical audit of documentation in CDIS, using the framework and legislation relevant to MCH Practice. | Written Audit | 40-60% | | 2. | K1, K2, S1, S2, A1, A2 | Case Study highlighting red flags and appropriate interventions and referrals. | Case Study | 40-60% | | 3. | K1, K2, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2 | Completion of 150 hours of supervised, supernumerary clinical placement. Minimum 120 hours in the Universal MCH service, and 30 hours in affiliated specialty services. | Clinical Placement (hurdle) | S/US | | 4. | K1, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2 | Completion of mandatory training modules. | Training Modules (hurdle) | S/US |
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