| Effective Term: | 2027/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Women Centred Midwifery Care |
| Unit ID: | MIDGD6201 |
| Credit Points: | 30.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This foundational unit introduces students to the professional role of the midwife as primary carer in the provision of woman-centred and evidence-based midwifery care across the childbearing continuum. Students will explore contemporary maternity care contexts, and the midwife’s scope of practice within multidisciplinary teams. The unit covers anatomy and physiology of reproduction from preconception through pregnancy, labour and birth, postpartum, and lactation, examining both physiological and psychological adaptations. Students will develop essential midwifery skills including maternal and neonatal assessment and care, critical thinking and problem solving, therapeutic communication, and decision-making in partnership with women. This unit will explore pregnancy, childbirth, and care of the mother and baby from the perspective of wellness through to variations of normal. Woman-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 - 25 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. | Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the midwife, and articulate an emerging philosophy of midwifery, incorporating principles of woman-centred care and continuity of care. |
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| K2. | Explain the anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system across the childbearing continuum, including preconception, pregnancy, fetal development, labour and birth, lactation, maternal recovery and newborn adaptation. |
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| K3. | Apply principles of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and quality use of medicines within midwifery and maternity care contexts. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Provide comprehensive midwifery care for women and their babies throughout the childbearing continuum, ensuring safe, woman-centred practice. |
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| S2. | Demonstrate midwifery partnership with women through effective communication, clinical decision-making and problem-solving skills. |
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| S3. | Apply critical thinking and reflective practice skills to provide culturally safe, woman-centred care across the childbirth continuum. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply principles of working in partnership with-woman and providing continuity of care in midwifery practice. |
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| A2. | Employ reflective practice and integrate evidence-based care for women, newborns, and their families across the childbearing continuum. |
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| A3. | Apply midwifery and biomedical knowledge to support physiological processes and respond to individual variations across pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. |
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| A4. | Demonstrate midwifery competency based upon the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice (2018). |
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| Other outcomes: |
| Unit Content: |
This foundational midwifery unit focuses on: - Midwifery as a profession - Philosophies and underpinning frameworks of midwifery practice - International Definition of a Midwife and Scope of practice - Models of maternity care and continuity of midwifery care - Professional, legal, and ethical frameworks for midwifery practice. - Anatomy and physiology of reproduction, including applied physiology throughout the childbearing continuum - Pre-conception health care - Working with women in pregnancy - Promoting physiological birth - Supporting women in labour and birth (including working with pain in labour and using water for labour and birth) - Supporting women becoming mothers - Supporting the newborn, including basic newborn resuscitation - Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding - Pharmacology and diagnostics in midwifery practice - Promoting sexual and reproductive health including contraception - Principles and practices for screening, referral, and collaborative practice
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2021), Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice (2018), the NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and the Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. |
| 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 | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | Y - Present | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | Y - Present |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | Professional Standards |
| 1. |
K1, K2, K3, S2 |
Theoretical concepts of pregnancy, fetal development, labour, birth and postnatal care of women and babies. |
Online activities |
10-40% |
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| 2. |
K1, K2, K3, A1, A2, A3 |
Evidence-based midwifery care of the well woman and baby |
Written assessment |
20-40% |
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| 3. |
K1, K2, K3 |
Theoretical concepts of pregnancy, fetal development, labour, birth and postnatal care of women and babies. |
Written test |
30-40% |
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| 4. |
K1, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3, A4 |
Satisfactory achievement of identified NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice in midwifery practice experiences. (Compulsory PASS required) |
Midwifery Practice Portfolio - Completion of 200 midwifery practice hours
- Completion of five (5) Midwifery Clinical Assessment Tools (MCAT) to ‘assisted-proficient’ level.
- Evidence of recruiting three (3) women for CoCE experiences
- Submit completed AMSAT assessed at 'Satisfactory' overall performance or above.
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10% Hurdle requirement |
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| 5. |
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3, A4 |
Attendance at all on-campus intensive sessions |
100% Attendance |
S/U Hurdle |
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