University of Technology Sydney

92480 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health

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.

UTS: Health
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): (92438 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92450 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92024 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92322 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92454 Medical Surgical Nursing)) OR ((93211 Clinical Practice 2B OR 93225 Clinical Practice 2B) AND (93207 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2A OR 93200 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2A) AND (93224 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2B OR 93210 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2B) AND (93214c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A OR 93228c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A)
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.

Note

92480 ISP Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health is not offered in 2024.

Description

This subject provides an overview of global issues in reproductive, maternal and child health (RMCH). Students gain an enhanced understanding of the burden of global RMCH. The subject uses a human rights perspective to explore the impact of social determinants and inequalities in reproductive, maternal and child health, as well as the systems and policies needed to address these factors.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
A. Consider the burden of reproductive, maternal and child health in Australian and global settings
B. Identify reproductive, maternal and child health care services and information gaps across the continuum of care
C. Evaluate the importance of a rights-based approach to sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health
D. Analyse the impact of social determinants of RMCH
E. Discuss key policies underpinning the delivery of reproductive, maternal and child health

Teaching and learning strategies

Each 6-unit subject requires at least 140 hours of work (including face-to-face and self-directed learning activities) to successfully complete academic requirements.

In this subject, students will participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage you to engage with nursing care of adults and children in settings that relate to the learning objectives of this study.

Lectures
Online lectures are provided to enable students to clarify, discuss and develop subject concepts.

Clinical skills, collaboration, communication and simulation
Students participate in clinical laboratory sessions that focus on integration of key concepts and skills. In these sessions, students are introduced to a range of nursing skills, including assessment and interventions and simulation activities. Simulation activities are practical learning experiences designed to give students exposure to a range of scenarios that may be encountered in practice. Activities include the use of audio-visual aids and clinical equipment set-ups with mannequins, teaching staff or students as simulated patients/consumers. Students learn and practice clinical and interpersonal skills in groups with case scenarios in the laboratories. These practice scenarios incorporate the development of professional communication skills including professional and therapeutic communication required for nursing practice. Students are provided feedback and with the opportunity to collaborate and develop skills to work effectively as a team member.

Patient stories and clinical case scenarios
Cases are used to help students explore health related scenarios. Cases depict patients/consumers and their families in mental health settings. Students use these scenarios to learn concepts, interpret information, form clinical judgements and develop creative solutions. Critical thinking is developed through analysis, interpretation of and reflection on issues or situations

Content (topics)

  • Reproductive, maternal and child health indicators in Australia and globally
  • Reproductive, maternal and child health care, services and information provision
  • Policies involved in the delivery of global reproductive, maternal and child health care
  • Advocacy and social marketing strategies and initiatives that promote global reproductive, maternal and child health
  • A rights-based approach to sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health and the challenges from such an approach
  • Social determinants of reproductive, maternal and child health

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Synopsis/abstract

Intent:

Students Identify a global reproductive, maternal and neonatal/child health issue that addresses one or more of the subject objectives. Discuss the issue briefly, outlining the causal factors and cultural/geographical/ gender, social/religious and other barriers to the issue.

Weight: 10%
Length:

500 words

Assessment task 2: Policy proposal

Intent:

Students are required to write a policy brief that would be submitted to a government advisor that addresses the issue you identified in Assessment 1. The brief should provide advice to the Australian Minister responsible for Overseas Aid funding about the issue and what needs to be done to support improvements in the issue. The brief needs to take into consideration the resources available and the related cultural/geographical/ gender/social/religious aspects pertinent to the country where the issue has been identified.

Weight: 50%
Length:

1500 words

Assessment task 3: Poster

Intent:

Students are required to create a poster that creatively outlines the issue that you identified in Assessment 1. The poster needs to include the policies that you proposed in Assessment 2. The audience for the poster would be the Australian government’s Overseas Aid program manager. The poster will be presented as a short oral presentation in your final class.

Weight: 40%

References

Cohen, S. 2009, ‘Promoting sexual and reproductive health advances in maternal health’. Guttmacher Policy Review, vol. 12, no.2, pp 8-12.

Hiarlaithe, M., Grede, N., de Pee, S., & Bloem, M. 2014, ‘Economic and Social Factors are Some of the Most Common Barriers Preventing Women from Accessing Maternal and Newborn Child Health (MNCH) and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Services: A Literature Review’. AIDS and Behavior, Vol. 18:S516–S530. pp1-15

Malarcher, S. 2010, Social determinants of sexual and reproductive health: Informing future research and programme implementation. WHO Geneva

ten Hoope-Bender, P., de Bernis, L., Campbell, J., Downe, S., Fauveau, V., Fogstad, H., Homer, C., Kennedy, H., Matthews, Z., McFadden, A., Renfrew, M. & Van Lerberghe, W. 2014, ' Improving maternal and newborn health through midwifery', The Lancet, vol. 384, pp. 1226-35.

UNFPA 2014, Promoting Gender Equity: Engaging Men and Boys, viewed 1 February 2014, <http://www.unfpa.org/gender/men.htm>.

UNFPA, ICM & WHO 2014, State of the World's Midwifery, UNFPA, ICM and WHO, Barcelona.

UNICEF 2012, Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed, United Nations Children’s Fund, New York.

United Nations 2013, The Millennium Development Goals Report United Nations, New York.

WHO 2013a, Every Woman, Every Child: Strengthening Equity and Dignity through Health: the second report of the independent Expert Review Group (iERG) on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s health, World Health organization, Geneva.

Wang, G. Z., & Pillai, V. K. 2001, Women's reproductive health: a gender-sensitive human rights approach. Acta Sociologica, Vol 44 no 3, pp231-242.

WHO 2013b, Nursing and midwifery progress report 2008–2012, World Health Organization, Geneva.