92363 Complex Labour, Birth and the Puerperium
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Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 92359 Women with Complex Pregnancies AND 92361 Midwifery Practice 3: Complex Pregnancy
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject prepares students to assess, plan, implement and evaluate midwifery care for women who have complex needs during labour, birth and puerperium. The subject provides theoretical underpinnings that engage students to explore how midwives can support these women and builds student capacity to acquire the knowledge, skills and attributes for midwifery practice in complex situations.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Demonstrate an understanding of the underlying physiology/pathophysiology in relation complexities in labour, birth and the postnatal period |
|---|---|
| B. | Apply knowledge of deviations from normal to plan, implement and evaluate care of the woman experiencing complex problems during labour, birth and the postnatal period |
| C. | Describe the role of the midwife in supporting women who develop complexities in labour, birth and the postnatal period |
| D. | Appraise common interventions used when managing the care of women whose labour and birth deviates from normal |
| E. | Articulate the theoretical underpinnings related to the complex situations |
| F. | Apply legal, ethical and professional responsibilities to midwifery practice |
| G. | Evaluate the use of evidence based practice in relation to complex labour and birth |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Practice woman-centred care (1.0)
- Are professionally competent midwives who provide safe and effective midwifery care using intelligent kindness (2.0)
- Work collaboratively in order to provide excellence in maternity care (3.0)
- Are professionally engaged critical thinkers who take a lively and questioning approach and embrace lifelong learning (6.0)
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, you will participate in a range of online teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage you to engage with Midwifery care for women with complexities in pregnancy, birth and the puerperium.
The teaching and learning strategies used to explain concepts will include topic-related case studies discussed throughout the workshops. Students will be required to engage in critical thinking and collaborative group work activities and whole group discussions. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their clinical practice skills (including communication skills) and the impact of these on women and their families during their pregnancy.
Online pre-workshop activities
This subject benefits from the provision of online pre-workshop reading of journal articles, reading of women’s stories accessible via websites and watching videos via YouTube. These activities are foundational and will be built upon during the online workshops.
Case-based workshops
Online workshops are provided to enable students to clarify, discuss and develop subject concepts. The workshops are supported and enhanced by the online pre-workshop activities.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Case study on a woman with complex needs during labour or birth
| Intent: | This assessment relates to subject objectives A - G and is intended to develop students' knowledge on the professional responsibilities of caring for a woman with complex needs during labour and birth. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, C, D, E, F and G This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 6.0 |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 1500 words |
Assessment task 2: Case study based examination
| Intent: | This assessment relates to subject objectives A - G and is intended to prepare students to assess, plan, implement and evaluate midwifery care for women who have complex needs during labour, birth and the puerperium. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, C, D, E, F and G This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 6.0 |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 2 hours |
Required texts
Marshall, J. & Raynor, M. (eds) (2014). Myles textbook for Midwives, 16th ed, Churchill Livingstone, Sydney.
Pairman, S. Pincombe, J., Thorogood, C. & Tracy, S. (2015). Midwifery: Preparation for practice, Churchill Livingstone, Sydney.
Recommended texts
Catling, C., Cummins, A. & Hogan, R. (2016). Stories in Midwifery: Reflection, action, enquiry, Elsevier, Sydney.
Chapman, V. & Charles, C. (2013). The midwife’s labour & birth handbook, 3rd edn, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, U.K.
References
Austin, M.P., Priest, S.R. & Sullivan, E.A. (2008). Antenatal psychosocial assessment for reducing perinatal mental health morbidity. Cochrane Database Systematic Review, no. 4, CD005124.
Australian College of Midwives, (2014). National midwifery guidelines for consultation and referral. (3rd edn). ACM, Canberra.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2015). Postnatal care up to 8 weeks after birth. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg37/chapter/1-Recommendations#maternal-health.
Chapman, V and Charles, C. (2013). The midwife's labour and birth handbook. (3rd edn). Wiley-Blackwell, Sydney.
Foley, M.R., Strong, T.H. & Garite, T.J. (2014). Obstetric intensive care manual. (4th edn). McGraw-Hill Medical, New York.
Norwitz, E.R. (2010). Obstetric clinical algorithms: management and evidence. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.
Poole, N. & Greaves, L. (eds) (2012). Becoming trauma informed, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto.
Riordan, J. & Wambach, K. (2014). Breastfeeding and human lactation. (5th edn). Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury MA.
Simkin, P., Ancheta, R. & Myers, S. (2011). The labor progress handbook: early interventions to prevent and treat dystocia. (3rd edn). Blackwell, Oxford.
Simpson, M. & Catling, C. (2015). Understanding psychological traumatic birth experiences: A literature review. Women and Birth.29(3). 203-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2015.10.009
Walsh, D. & Downe, S. (2010). Essential midwifery practice: Intrapartum care. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.
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