| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| 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 first midwifery practice unit will provide the foundation knowledge required by midwifery students to effectively care for women during preconception through to early parenting. The focus will be on the role of the midwife as a primary carer in relation to: the preparation of women for pregnancy; physiological and psychological adaptation of women during pregnancy and birth, the first weeks after birth; and care of women and their babies during this continuum. Essential elements of effective woman-centred partnership, including evidence-based assessment frameworks, communication in assessment, strategies for decision making, problem solving and critical thinking for assessment practice, as well as basic psychomotor skills essential for health and pregnancy assessment will be explored. This unit will explore pregnancy, childbirth, care of the mother and baby from the perspective of wellness through to variations of normal. Biomedical and midwifery concepts of childbearing will also be examined. Women-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 - 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. | Describe in detail the anatomy & physiology of the human reproductive system, including; pre-conception, pregnancy, fetal development, birth, lactation, maternal recovery and newborn adaptation; |
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| K2. | Articulate a beginning philosophy of midwifery including concepts of woman-centred care and continuity of care. |
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| K3. | Relate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics & quality use of medicines to the context of midwifery and maternity care settings |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Conduct comprehensive health and pregnancy assessment of women and their babies at various stages across the childbearing continuum to provide safe, woman-centred care. |
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| S2. | Demonstrate midwifery practice of working with women through effective communication, clinical decision-making and problem solving skills. |
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| S3. | Utilise critical thinking, problem solving and reflective practice skills to provide culturally safe woman-centred care throughout the childbirth continuum |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Apply principles of with woman, in partnership, and continuity of care to midwifery; |
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| A2. | Employ reflective practice and implement evidence based care for the woman, newborn and their families across the childbearing continuum; |
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| A3. | Apply biomedical and midwifery core concepts and skills in relation to the pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal continuum providing care of mother and newborn within the framework of normal and variations of patterns and progress. |
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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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| Unit Content: |
The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (draft 3 2020); NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018); NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018), Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) and National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards (2019) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit. Modules Midwifery theory 1. Pre-conception Pre-conception health Environmental issues The female reproductive system The male reproductive system Conception 2. The role of the midwife NSQHS Partnering with Consumers Standard Primary health counselling and education Preparation for parenting roles: mother and father and others Integration of primary, secondary, tertiary and community services Maintaining a woman-focus in a multidisciplinary environment Maintaining continuity of care and/or carer 3. Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy General embryology, fetal growth, development and assessment The placenta: Maternal-fetal interaction Physiology of the pelvic floor and uterus Pregnancy testing and estimation of gestational age Alteration & adaptation during pregnancy Principles and practices for screening and diagnosis/referral (maternal, fetal and neonatal) Promotion of simple measures to manage common discomforts Maintenance of health Pregnancy assessment 4. The 1st stage of labour – cervical effacement and dilatation Physiological and psychosocial alteration and adaptation during birthing Facilitating a physiological process of birth NSQHS Preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infection standard Assessment of labour progress The onset and progress of labour: normal onset and duration variations including induction, augmentation and malposition. Physiology of pain, stress and anxiety 5. The 2nd stage of labour – birth of the baby Second stage of labour; normal and variations Indications for and performance of episiotomy Mechanisms of birth Assessment and simple resuscitation of the newborn 6. The 3rd stage of labour – Birth of placenta and membranes Third stage of labour; normal and variations Physiological management of third stage Active management of third stage Assessing the woman in third stage Checking the placenta and membranes 7. The 4th stage of labour – The first hour post birth Adaptation of the newborn to extra-uterine life Newborn circulation Newborn thermoregulation Infant feeding Physiology of the breast and lactation Skills for promoting initiation and maintenance of lactation Breast milk substitutes Skin to skin care 8. Care of woman and baby in the postpartum Physiology of the puerperium Newborn examination; common conditions affecting the newborn Nutritional needs of woman and baby in the neonatal period NSQHS Medication Safety Standard Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics & quality use of medicines in the maternity setting Assessment of mother & baby in the postpartum period Characteristics of the newborn in the first six weeks Newborn growth and development Discharge planning Ongoing health practices including safety and immunisation |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K3 | Theoretical concepts of pregnancy, fetal development, labour, birth and postnatal | Online activities | 10-30% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, A1, A2, A3 | Evidence-based care of the well woman and baby | Written assessment | 20-40% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3 | Theoretical concepts of pregnancy, fetal development, labour, birth and postnatal | Written test | 40-50% | | 4. | S1, S2, S3, A3, A4 | Satisfactory achievement of identified NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice in midwifery practice experiences. (Compulsory PASS required) | Midwifery practice portfolio 1. Completion of five (5) Midwifery Clinical Assessment Tools (MCAT) to ‘assisted-proficient’ level. 2. Completion of 200 midwifery practice hours. Submit completed AMSAT. | 20% Hurdle requirement |
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