| Effective Term: | 2026/08 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Context of Midwifery |
| Unit ID: | MIDBM2004 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (MIDBM2003) |
| Co-requisite(s): | (NURBN2026) |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
The focus of this unit is to develop midwifery knowledge and skills related to the transition from pregnancy to labour and childbirth. Progress and interventions during labour will be explored. Mechanisms of normal labour and management of childbirth complications will be overviewed. Current trends in the provision of birthing services including issues sensitive to rural and urban differentials and specialist follow up and access to acute and specialised services will be discussed. Managing unexpected outcomes, emotional pain and grief in the maternity setting together with interprofessional practice will be investigated. The focus of midwifery care within the unit is that of a midwife-women partnership model. The role of partner and family for birth support with the importance of culturally safe practice will be considered. |
| 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 | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Explore the philosophical, physiological, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural and environmental factors influencing the birth process |
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| K2. | Identify interventions and variations in pregnancy, labour and birth and their management from the perspective of the midwife and health care team |
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| K3. | Analyse the implications of obstetric interventions and the use of technology on the woman and her family |
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| K4. | Discuss grief situations related to women, her family and the midwife following pregnancy loss |
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| K5. | Critically examine the socio-political and cultural debate in the provision of birthing services to women and their families in Australia and globally |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate skills of the midwife in supporting the woman requiring assisted vaginal and operative birth |
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| S2. | Undertake comprehensive assessment of women and their babies during the childbearing process |
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| S3. | Examine screening tests and innovative technologies available to women during pregnancy |
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| S4. | Demonstrate awareness and interpretation of women's rights, values and cultural beliefs in creating an appropriate and culturally safe environment for women and their partners to birth |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Evaluate collaborative practice within challenges, disturbances and interventions during childbearing |
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| A2. | Explore principles of clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice when providing woman-centred care |
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| A3. | Identify a woman's need for privacy, dignity and respect, as well as the right to be informed and make decisions regarding care |
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| A4. | Employ reflective practice strategies to develop understanding of diverse midwifery practice |
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| A5. | Demonstrate midwifery competency based on the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice |
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| 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. Philosophical, physiological, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural and environmental factors influencing the birth process Appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s perspectives Effect on mechanism of labour Clinical decision making, ethical decision-making, concepts of risk, evidence based practice, woman-centred care. Use of technology. NMBA decision-making framework. Privacy, dignity, respect, informed decision-making Fetal abnormality and termination of pregnancy Bleeding in early pregnancy, early pregnancy loss, APH management Multiple pregnancy, malpresentation, malpositions. Emotional pain, grief and coping with unexpected outcomes. Fetal Death in Utero (FDIU), care of the stillborn baby and supporting women and families. Working with women needing obstetric intervention e.g. Operative birth, instrumental Pre and post-operative care in the maternity setting Midwifery scope of practice; collaboration in the healthcare team. 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.
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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 | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, S3, S4, A5 |
Reflection on working in a multidisciplinary team with women and families experiencing unexpected outcomes. |
Written assessment: Critical reflection |
20-30% |
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| 2. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A2, A3 |
Theoretical concepts and skills required for variations and interventions in pregnancy, labour, birth, postnatal and care of the neonate. |
Test Part A: Written test Part B: Objective Structured Clinical test (OSCE) |
Part A 40-60%, Part B 5-15% Hurdle |
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| 3. |
K1, K2, 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 four (4) Clinical Assessment Tools (CAT) to ‘assisted-proficient’ level. 2. Completion of 80 midwifery practice hours. Submit completed AMSAT. 3. Recruit a further two (2) women for continuity of care experiences. |
5-15% & S/U |
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| 4. |
K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A2, A3 |
Successful completion of Objective Structured Clinical test (OSCE) |
Objective Structured Clinical test (OSCE) |
S/U Hurdle |
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| 5. |
K1, K2, S1, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 |
Successful completion of four (4) Clinical Assessment Tools (CAT) to ‘assisted-proficient’ level. Completion of 80 midwifery practice hours. Submit completed AMSAT. |
Midwifery Practice Portfolio |
S/U Hurdle |
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