| Effective Term: | 2025/16 |
| 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 - 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. | Explore the philosophical, physiological, psychosocial, spiritual, cultural and environmental factors influencing the birth process |
|
| K2. | Identify interventions and variations in pregnancy, labour and birth and their management from the perspective of the midwife and health care team |
|
| K3. | Analyze the implications of obstetric interventions, and use of technology upon the woman and her family |
|
| K4. | Discuss grief situations related to women, her family and the midwife following pregnancy loss |
|
| K5. | Critically examine the socio-political and cultural debate in the provision of birthing services to women and their families in Australia and globally |
|
| Skills: |
| S1. | Demonstrate skills of the midwife in supporting the woman requiring assisted vaginal and operative birth |
|
| S2. | Undertake comprehensive assessment of women and their babies during the childbearing process |
|
| S3. | Examine screening tests and innovative technologies available to women during pregnancy |
|
| 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 |
|
| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Evaluate collaborative practice within challenges, disturbances and interventions during childbearing |
|
| A2. | Explore principles of clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice when providing woman-centred care |
|
| A3. | Identify a woman's need for privacy, dignity and respect, as well as the right to be informed and make decisions regarding care |
|
| A4. | Employ reflective practice strategies to develop understanding of diverse midwifery practice |
|
| A5. | Demonstrate midwifery competency based on 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. 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: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 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% | | 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 | | 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 | | 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 | | 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 |
|