92384 Midwifery as Primary Healthcare: a Public Health Strategy
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 3 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject contributes to students' understanding of midwifery as a public health strategy situated in a woman-centred and primary healthcare framework. Students explore midwifery within a broad social context influenced by particular social, cultural, political and economic environments. Students are supported to appreciate the impact that social disadvantage and other vulnerabilities have on women and their families. The subject encourages critical examination of systems and practices designed to support and promote optimal health outcomes within the context of maternal and newborn health.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Appraise midwifery as a global public health strategy and identify aspects of practice that relate to public health. |
|---|---|
| B. | Illustrate the impact that social disadvantage, poverty and other vulnerabilities have on women’s ability to access safe and appropriate maternity care. |
| C. | In a simulated environment, demonstrate skills in specific aspects of midwifery as public health practice including smoking cessation, limiting weight gain, promotion of breastfeeding and health promotion. |
| D. | Critically examine how the Australian health care system facilitates a framework of primary health care in relation to the provision of and access to midwifery care. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Practice woman centred care (1.0)
- Provide an optimal child-bearing environment for each woman (1.4)
- Are professionally competent midwives who provide safe and effective midwifery care using intelligent kindness (2.0)
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge that includes the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in a new or existing discipline or professional area (2.9)
- Are socially responsible citizens who value the diversity of people (5.0)
- Practise midwifery within a primary health care philosophy (5.1)
- Demonstrate knowledge of the broader health system and advocate for midwifery as a local and global public health strategy (5.2)
- Practise with the knowledge that midwifery can make the biggest difference to the least advantaged women and families (5.3)
- Communicate and provide effective care for women from diverse backgrounds and needs (5.4)
- Are professionally engaged critical thinkers who take a lively and questioning approach and embrace lifelong learning (6.0)
- Actively contribute to the development of midwifery as a profession and the politics that influence midwifery (6.2)
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, students participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage them to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to practice midwifery in a primary healthcare framework as part of a public health strategy.
ONLINE LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Students access online learning resources including podcasts, videos, and professional and grey literature to build their knowledge of where midwifery fits in primary health care. This subject comprises online modules which students can work through at their own pace. A face-to-face workshop is scheduled where the whole group will come together to meet and work through core aspects of the subject.
STORIES AND SCENARIOS
Stories and scenarios are used to help students explore health and wellbeing-related scenarios. Cases depict women and their families in a primary healthcare setting. Students use these scenarios to learn concepts, interpret information, form judgments and develop creative solutions. Students develop critical thinking through analysis, interpretation of and reflection on issues or situations.
FACE-TO-FACE WORKSHOP
Students will attend one face-to-face workshop on campus. In this workshop role plays will be provided to simulate an environment for students to practise new skills learnt through theory and knowledge development. Scenarios from relevant situations are used to depict real-life experiences in midwifery. Students interact, observe and provide feedback within the facilitated debriefing, and reflect on their skills, values and experiences.
Content (topics)
Overview of public health as a health and wellness strategy
- The social determinants of health
- Primary health care and universal health coverage
- Health promotion and disease prevention
Primary health care system in Australia
- Maternity service provision in Australia including models of continuity of midwifery care
- The primary health care system (primary maternity services, primary care services, GP services)
- Collaborative practice including consultation and referral
Specific areas for public health emphasis in maternity services
- Motivational interviewing theory and techniques
- Breastfeeding – a public health approach
- Public health priorities in midwifery - non-communicable diseases; alcohol, obesity, tobacco and other drug use (AOD) and vulnerable populations
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Discussion of Midwifery Public Health Strategies
| Intent: | Midiwifery care has been shown to improve the health and wellbeing of women and their families around the world. The State of the World's Midwifery Report provides a rich source of evidence of the positive impact of high-quality midwifery care on women and families. This assignment encourages students to explore this impact in low-, middle- and high-income countries. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A and B This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.4, 2.9, 5.0 and 6.2 |
| Type: | Essay |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 1500 words (excluding references) |
Assessment task 2: World Breastfeeding Week Campaign Poster
| Intent: | This assessment provides midwifery students with an opportunity to explore breastfeeding as a public health strategy. Students will be challenged to translate breastfeeding recommendations into a resource that is culturally sensitive and founded in best practices for developing public health strategies e.g. developed with health literacy, readability and addressing issues of equity and socio-economic disparity. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 and 6.0 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 60% |
| Length: | Poster: Max 300 words Background paper: Max 1,000 words |
Required texts
Eddy, A. (2019). Midwifery as Primary Health Care. In S. Pairman, et al. (Eds.), Midwifery preparation for practice (4th ed., pp.79-88). Elsevier, Australia.
Recommended texts
The Reading List in Canvas contains much of the reference material students will need.
References
Bowden, J. & Manning, V. (Eds) (2017). Health Promotion in Midwifery (3rd edn). CR Press.
Eddy, A. (2019) 'Midwifery as Primary Health Care'. In Pairman, S., Tracy, S., Dahlen, H. & Dixon, L. (eds), Midwifery preparation for practice, (4th edn). Elsevier.
Homer, C., Brodie, P. Sandall, J. & Leap, N. (2019) Midwifery continuity of care: a practical guide. 2nd edn. Churchill Livingstone.
Other resources
UTS Student Centre
Building 10
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)
Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts
For other resources/ information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health) and Canvas at: https://canvas.uts.edu.au/.
UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, health literature databases, workshops and bookable study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with your questions available via online chat, phone and in person. W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666.
Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.
HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733.
Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.
The Accessibility and Financial Assistance Service
The Accessibility Service can support students with disabilities, medical or mental health conditions, including temporary injuries (e.g., broken limbs). The Accessibility Service works with Academic Liaison Officers in each Faculty to provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ such as exam provisions, assistive technology, requests and strategies for managing your studies alongside your health condition. If you’re unsure whether you need assistance, we recommend getting in touch early and we can provide advice on how our service can assist you. Make an appointment with an Accessibility Consultant (AC) on +61 2 9514 1177 or Accessibility@uts.edu.au.
The Financial Assistance Service can assist you with financial aspects of life at university, including Centrelink information, tax returns and budgeting, interest-free student loans and grants to assist with course-related costs. Check eligibility and apply online and make an appointment on +61 2 9514 1177 or Financial.assistance@uts.edu.au.