| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Midwifery Practice Foundations |
| Unit ID: | MIDBM1002 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (MIDBM1001) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This first midwifery practice unit will provide the foundation knowledge required by midwifery students to effectively care for women during preconception through to early parenting. The focus will be on the role of the midwife as a primary carer in relation to: the preparation of women for pregnancy; physiological and psychological adaptation of women during pregnancy and birth, the first weeks after birth; and care of women and their babies during this continuum. Essential elements of effective woman-centred partnership, including evidence-based assessment frameworks, communication, strategies for decision making, problem solving and critical thinking for practice, as well as basic psychomotor skills essential for health and pregnancy assessment will be explored. This unit will explore pregnancy, childbirth, care of the mother and baby from the perspective of wellness. Women-centred continuity of care and midwifery partnerships will be explored in the context of the midwife’s professional responsibilities, scope of practice and role as a member of the maternity multidisciplinary team. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | Yes - 10 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 | | | | | | |
|
| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Explain the theoretical understandings of the physiology of childbearing when working with women and newborns |
|
| K2. | Recognise the importance of women's social context in the provision of midwifery services |
|
| K3. | Outline the relative merits of different choices in infant nutrition |
|
| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate safe midwifery practice based on theoretical knowledge and reasoning |
|
| S2. | Perform detailed physical health assessment of childbearing women and newborns |
|
| S3. | Develop professional communication skills to address midwifery practice |
|
| S4. | Practice incorporating current research findings into clinical practice |
|
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Demonstrate developing clinical and communication skills necessary to provide woman-centred care |
|
| A2. | Apply theoretical knowledge of midwifery to a woman-centred approach to midwifery practice |
|
| A3. | Support women to initiate and establish breastfeeding |
|
| A4. | Document the ongoing relationship with the women they have engaged in continuity of care in a way that reflects their own involvement and actions and the rationale for these |
|
| A5. | Demonstrate midwifery competency based upon the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice |
|
| Unit Content: |
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2021); NMBA National Competency Standards for the Midwife (2018); NMBA Code of Professional Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and International Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit.
Communication with women
Social context, cultural safety
Pregnancy care; history taking, booking-in, antenatal clinic, birth plan
Admission to birth suite, process, assessments, progress
Abdominal palpation, fetal heart rate assessment
Mechanism of birth, first stage of labour, second stage of labour and third stage of labour
Reception of the newborn
Care in the first hour post birth, mother and baby
Postnatal care following vaginal birth, caesarean section
Transition to parenting
Overview of neonatal resuscitation
Newborn care in the first weeks, screening, infant feeding, hygiene, nappy changing, settling techniques
Professional scope of practice, codes, standards, guidelines, documentation
Introduction to midwifery practice portfolios
Reflective practice |
| 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.
|
| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor |
|
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K2, K3, S3, S4, A1, A2, A5 |
Theoretical concepts and skills required for normal pregnancy, labour, birth, postnatal and care of the neonate. |
Written assignment - case study |
25-45% |
|
| 2. |
K1, K2, K3, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 |
Theoretical concepts and skills required for normal pregnancy, labour, birth, postnatal and care of the neonate. |
Test Part A – Objective Structured Clinical Test (OSCE) Part B – Written Test |
Part A 5-15%, Part B 45-55% |
|
| 3. |
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 |
Satisfactory achievement of identified NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice in midwifery practice experiences. Assessment of Midwifery Practice (Compulsory PASS required). Continuity of Care experience. |
Midwifery Practice Portfolio 1. Completion of one (1) Clinical Assessment Tool (CAT) to an ‘assisted’ level. 2. Completion of 80 midwifery practice hours. Submit completed AMSAT. 3. Recruit one (1) woman for continuity of care experiences. |
5-15% |
|
| 4. |
K1, K2, K3, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 |
Successful competion of Objective Structured Clinical Test (OSCE) |
Objective Structured Clinical Test (OSCE) |
S/U Hurdle |
|
| 5. |
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 |
Successful completion of one (1) Clinical Assessment Tool (CAT) to an ‘assisted’ level, 40 midwifery practice hours and AMSAT. |
Midwifery Practice Portfolio |
S/U Hurdle |
|
|