| Effective Term: | 2024/20 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Perinatal and Infant Mental Health For Midwives |
| Unit ID: | MIDBM2002 |
| Credit Points: | 30.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (MIDBM2003) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Perinatal and infant mental health is an interdisciplinary field focused on parent wellbeing and the social, emotional, and cognitive development of infants from birth to three years. This unit provides foundational knowledge around common perinatal mental health challenges, experienced by women and their infant, as well as explores the significant role that the midwife has in supporting the psychosocial wellbeing of the dyad. Students will develop midwifery knowledge and skills in identifying risk factors, screening, treatment options and the impact on women and their families. Students will develop communication skills to establish effective therapeutic relationships with women while collaborating appropriately with the multidisciplinary team. Students will also acknowledge the legal and ethical responsibilities of the midwife, including protecting the rights, dignity and autonomy of women experiencing a mental illness. |
| 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 - 5 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. | Explore the concept of mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period, considering the impact of adverse perinatal experiences on the woman, infant development, family, and her community. |
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| K2. | Demonstrate an understanding of the enablers and barriers to perinatal mental health and healthy adjustment to parenting. |
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| K3. | Review contemporary midwifery practice as part of the multidisciplinary team to provide inclusive and evidence-based strategies to support the woman and family requiring additional psychological support. |
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| K4. | Discuss how discriminatory stereotypes and other personal beliefs related to mental illness creates barriers for women accessing midwifery care. |
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| K5. | Examine the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding mental health care. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate interpersonal and therapeutic communication skills which promotes cultural sensitivity and safety when working with women experiencing emotional or psychological challenges. |
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| S2. | Undertake psychosocial screening of women, infants and families in the perinatal period using a variety of resources and tools. |
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| S3. | Understand the role of postnatal debriefing and demonstrate general counselling skills using a strengths-based approach. |
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| S4. | Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Conduct mental health screening of women and their infant at various stages across the childbearing continuum and provide safe, evidence based, culturally safe woman-centred care. |
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| A2. | Accurately evaluate screening results and identify a need to make timely referrals to appropriate services when appropriate. |
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| A3. | Use a recovery-based approach to provide extended evidence-based care to the mother, baby and family including complex discharge planning. |
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| A4. | Demonstrate a sound understanding of midwifery competencies based on the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice. |
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| Unit Content: |
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2014); NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018); NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. - Legal and professional frameworks
- Ethical issues in practice
- Common mental health conditions in the perinatal period including perinatal anxiety and depression,
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Common mental health disorders (and related pathophysiology) experienced by women of childbearing age.
- Barriers and enablers to optimum perinatal mental health
- Screening and assessment of women with perinatal mental health disorders
- Postnatal debriefing and counselling
- Diverse populations and vulnerable groups: including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, migrant or refugee women, those experiencing previous trauma, social determinants, assisted reproductive technologies, family violence.
- Societal constructs of parenthood and adjustment to parenting
- Infant mental health including normal behaviour cues and development.
- Documentation & Information systems
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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 | Learning outcomes
(KSA) | Assessment task
(AT#) | 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. | Not applicable | Not applicable | 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 | Not applicable | Not applicable | 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. | Not applicable | Not applicable | 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. | Not applicable | Not applicable | 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. | Not applicable | Not applicable |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K4, S2, S3 | Theoretical concepts, knowledge and skills required when working with a woman experiencing psychosocial challenges during the perinatal period considering the impacts on infants, family & her community. | Written Task | 30-50% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, S2, A1, A2, A3 | Application of theoretical concepts related to perinatal and infant mental health. | Oral Presentation | 30-50% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, A1 | Application of midwifery practice concepts in the context of working with women experiencing perinatal mental health concerns. | Online Task | 10-20% | | 4. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4 | Satisfactory achievement of identified NMBA Midwife Standards for midwifery practice experiences. Assessment of Midwifery Practice (Compulsory PASS required) | Midwifery Practice Portfolio & AMSAT Successful completion of 40 practice hours | S/U |
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