| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Woman-centred Midwifery Practice |
| Unit ID: | MIDBM1003 |
| 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 introduces students to the foundational principles of midwifery practice, with a strong emphasis on professional identity formation, ethical conduct, cultural safety, self-care, and the application of midwifery standards and codes. Students will be introduced to the philosophy of woman-centred care and begin developing foundational skills in health assessment of the woman and neonate. The unit integrates critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and reflective practice to support safe, evidence-based midwifery care. Students will also develop communication and documentation skills to enhance safety and foster collaborative interprofessional maternity care. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| 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. | Describe the role, scope, and professional identity of the midwife within a multi-disciplinary team and the healthcare system. |
|
| K2. | Explain the principles of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgement in midwifery practice. |
|
| Skills: |
| S1. | Apply evidence-based frameworks to perform foundational health assessments of the woman and neonate. |
|
| S2. | Demonstrate professional behaviour, accurate documentation, culturally safe and effective communication in midwifery contexts. |
|
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Reflect on personal and professional development using self-care strategies to sustain ethical midwifery practice. |
|
| A2. | Identify and demonstrate foundational inter-professional communication strategies to support safe and respectful interactions within healthcare teams. |
|
| 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. Topics may include: · Professional identity and scope of midwifery · NMBA standards and codes · Woman-centred care and partnership · Health assessment of the woman and neonate · Vital signs and physical examination techniques · Basic life support · Infection control · Manual handling · Reflective practice and self-care · Communication and documentation in midwifery · Cultural safety, ethical and legal frameworks · Introduction to the Clinical Reasoning Cycle · Interprofessional collaboration |
| 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 1 - Students require directions and boundaries from mentor | 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 | | 1. | K1, K2, S1, S2, A2 | Case study: Health assessment of woman and neonate | Case study | 40-60% | | 2. | K2, S1, S2 | Practical Assessment: Maternal and/or Neonatal | Clinical skills | 40-60% | | 3. | K1, K2, S1, S2, A1, A2 | Attendance at Clinical Laboratory sessions | 100% attendance at clinical laboratory sessions | S/U Hurdle | | 4. | K1, K2, S1, S2, A1, A2 | Attendance at Active Learning Sessions | 80% attendance at Active Learning Sessions | S/U Hurdle |
|