92667 Midwifery Practice 1: Preparation for Practice
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Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Pass fail, no marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject contributes to the overall course by preparing students for initial midwifery practice. Students focus on learning clinical skills related to midwifery practice including observations, palpation, abdominal auscultation, urinalysis and psychosocial assessments. Students are prepared for their entry to the practice environment including professional responsibilities and conduct, occupational health and safety, the requirements for clinical practice and completion of professional portfolios. Students are expected to provide midwifery care (under the direct supervision of a midwife) based on the clinical decision making of others.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Conduct a physical and mental health assessment of a childbearing woman and relate the findings of the assessments to normal ranges, recognise deviations from normal ranges, document and report findings from assessments |
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| B. | Conduct an assessment of a newborn baby, relate the findings of the assessment to normal ranges, recognise and report deviations from normal ranges |
| C. | Demonstrate beginning level proficiency in medication administration calculations |
| D. | Demonstrate woman-centred and professional communication skills when interacting with women and their newborn babies during the processes of assessment |
| E. | Provide beginning level midwifery care (under the direct supervision of a midwife) based on the clinical decision-making of others and meet the relevant competencies |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Demonstrate woman centred care acknowledging the physiological, psychological, cultural and spiritual needs of women, their babies and family members (1.1)
- Appreciate the centrality of the relationship with each woman to the practice of midwifery (1.2)
- Work in partnership with women (1.5)
- Demonstrate an awareness of sustainability of physiological processes to reduce the environmental footprint (1.6)
- Demonstrate thorough knowledge of the discipline of midwifery (2.1)
- Demonstrate critical thinking and sound clinical judgment that is based on evidence and reflects appropriate reasoning within the relevant professional codes and guidelines (2.2)
- Communicate effectively using spoken, written and non-verbal language across a range of contexts and to diverse audiences (2.3)
- Supporting women to make informed decisions (4.2)
- Integrate strategies for ongoing personal and professional development (4.4)
- Communicate and provide effective care for women from diverse backgrounds and needs (5.4)
- Interpret and value the evidence to underpin practice and influence change (6.1)
- Comply with intellectual academic writing practices and use information ethically, legally and respectfully (6.3)
- Demonstrate respect and value for world view differences and in particular Australian Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing (7.1)
- Critically reflect upon the impact of ongoing colonisation and its pervasive discourse on Indigenous Australians and their health and wellbeing (7.2)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
- 1.0 Woman Centred Care
- 2.0 Professional Competence
- 4.0 Resilience
- 5.0 Diversity
- 6.0 Professional engagement
- 7.0 Indigenous Cultural Respect
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, students participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage them to engage with contemporary, evidence-based midwifery care and practice, particularly around normal birth and foundational skills of midwifery practice.
ONLINE LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Via the online platform Canvas, students will be exposed to a variety of online materials that have been specifically developed to support first year midwifery students. Students access online learning resources including Before Class Activities, Pre-Lab Activities and Learning for Skill Consolidation (for example, videos, interactive quizzes, journal article readings and clinical websites and guidelines).
FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES
Face-to-face tutorials, activities and group work enable students to clarify, discuss and develop their understanding of the foundational skills required by a midwife. These classes require student interaction and collaboration with student peers. These classes are supported by follow-up online activities.
CLINICAL SKILLS, COMMUNICATION AND SIMULATION
Students participate in the simulated practice of clinical skills used in midwifery practice. Students learn and practise clinical and interpersonal skills with case scenarios in the lab and classroom. These practice scenarios incorporate the development of professional communication skills including consultation and referral to medical colleagues. Readiness for practice is assessed through a care plan and a reflection on clinical experience using the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice. Students must also successfully complete the required period of clinical practice as part of this subject and submit their professional experience placement portfolio for assessment at the end of the semester.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PORTFOLIO
In keeping with the ANMAC Accreditation Standards for the Midwife students must keep a written record and reflect on their required supervised midwifery practice experiences in their Midwifery Professional Experience Placement (PEP) Portfolio.
Content (topics)
Clinical skills
- Clinical skills related to midwifery, for example, observations, palpation, percussion, auscultation, urinalysis and mental health assessments
- Basic hygiene and mobility needs
- Effective and timely documentation
- Strategies to support normal birth
- Newborn assessment
- Communication skills including ISBAR
- Consultation and referral including escalation of care
- Adult, neonatal and infant basic life support
- National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
Theoretical support of practice skills
- Standard precautions principles
- Occupational health and safety
- Manual handling skills
Clinical assessment in practice
- Principles and practicalities of the continuity of care experiences, including setting professional boundaries, time management and scope of practice.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Medication Administration Assessment
| Intent: | The intent of this assessment is to establish competency in foundational maths skills and start to develop students' competence regarding the safe administration of medications to women and babies in their care. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): C This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.1 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Criteria: | This assessment is graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. |
Assessment task 2: Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
| Intent: | The intent of this assessment is to assess the clinical knowledge and skills that students learned in this Autumn Session. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.6, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 4.4, 6.1 and 6.3 |
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Criteria: | This assessment is graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. |
Assessment task 3: Midwifery clinical placement documentation
| Intent: | In keeping with the ANMAC Accreditation Standards for the Midwife, students must keep a written record and reflect on their required supervised midwifery practice experiences in their Midwifery Professional Experience Placement (PEP) Portfolio. The PEP Portfolio is required as evidence of meeting the minimum clinical requirements in order to be eligible to apply for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia at the completion of the course.The intent of this assessment item is to assess students' clinical learning and development in accordance with the Standards for the Midwife. This portfolio is kept for the duration of the course. Students need to ensure that the PEP portfolio is safety kept at all times and that appropriate copies are kept in case of loss. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 2.2, 2.3, 4.2, 4.4, 5.4, 7.1 and 7.2 |
| Type: | Portfolio |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Criteria: | This assessment is graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. |
Required texts
Please purchase:
Johnson, R., Taylor, W., de-Vitry, S. & Bayes. S. (2019). Skills for midwifery practice. (Australia and New Zealand ed.). Churchill Livingston.
The 4th edition of the following is available online in the UTS Library if you are unable to purchase:
Pairman, S., Tracy, S., Dahlen, H. & Dixon, L. (Eds) (2022). Midwifery: preparation for practice: Book 1. (5th ed.). Elsevier.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S., Dahlen, H. & Dixon, L. (Eds) (2022). Midwifery: preparation for practice: Book 2. (5th ed.). Elsevier.
References
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2021). National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards. (2nd ed.). Sydney, ACSQHC.
Catling, C., Cummins, A. & Hogan, R. (2016). Stories in Midwifery: Reflection, inquiry, action. Elsevier.
Gray, J. & Smith, R. (2018). Midwifery essentials. (2nd ed.). Elsevier.
Gray, J., Smith, R. & Homer, C. (2018). Illustrated dictionary of midwifery. (2nd ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Johnson, R., Taylor, W., de-Vitry, S. & Bayes. S. (2022). Skills for midwifery practice, Australia and New Zealand 2nd edn, Churchill Livingston, Edinburgh.?
Marshall, J.E. & Raynor, M.D. (2020). Myles' textbook for midwives. (17th ed.). Churchill Livingston.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2018). Midwife Standards for Practice, NMBA, Canberra.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S., Dahlen, H. & Dixon, L. (Eds) (2022). Midwifery: preparation for practice: Book 1. (5th ed.). Elsevier.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S., Dahlen, H. & Dixon, L. (Eds) (2022). Midwifery: preparation for practice: Book 2. (5th ed.). Elsevier.
Rankin, J. (2017). Physiology in childbearing with anatomy and related biosciences. (4th ed.). Elsevier.
Waugh, A. & Grant, A. (2018) Ross and Wilson anatomy and physiology in health and illness. (13th ed.). Churchill Livingstone.
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