92686 Midwifery Practice 6: Transitioning to Professional Midwifery Practice
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Credit points: 12 cp
Result type: Pass fail, no marks
Requisite(s): 92682 Midwifery Practice 5: Preparing for Professional Practice
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
Situated in the final session of the course, this subject is the capstone subject of the Bachelor of Midwifery. Students consolidate their understanding of the professional role of the midwife and recognise and display the professional attributes of a midwife. Students work in simulated learning environments to learn and further develop the requisite midwifery practice skills before midwifery registration.
Students also engage in midwifery practice and have the opportunity to reflect on their practice, formulating plans for continuous professional development. In the midwifery practice setting, students implement care based on clinical decisions developed in collaboration. In this subject, students are expected to finalise their midwifery continuity of care experiences and all midwifery practice assessments. In preparation for their registration as midwives, students review the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice and Code of Professional Conduct, the International Code of Ethics for the Midwife, and reflect on their practice in relation to these and other regulatory frameworks. They identify their role as a member of the maternity health care team and explore the issues related to working in this environment.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Assess, plan, implement and evaluate midwifery practice to the full scope of practice of a midwife as defined by the International Confederation of Midwives. |
|---|---|
| B. | Administer medications safely, and demonstrate competency in drug calculations. |
| C. | Complete all midwifery clinical practice experiences including midwifery continuity of care experiences. |
| D. | Review and reflect on their practice through the use of a professional portfolio and demonstrate achievement of the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice and the Midwifery Graduate Attributes. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Participate effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team (3.3)
- Interpret and value the evidence to underpin practice and influence change (6.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Woman centred care
In this subject, students will complete their continuity of care experiences that demonstrate woman-centred care acknowledging the physiological, psychological, cultural and spiritual needs of women, their babies and family members. Students will appreciate the centrality of the relationship with each woman to the practice of midwifery and promote continuity of midwifery care regardless of settings providing the optimal child bearing environment for each woman.
Professional competence
This subject requires students to work towards professional competence as midwives who provide safe and effective midwifery care using intelligent kindness. Students will consolidate their learning in this subject and have a sound and thorough knowledge base about anatomy and physiology. They will demonstrate critical thinking and sound clinical judgment that is based on evidence and reflects appropriate reasoning within the relevant professional codes and guidelines. Students will be able to communicate effectively using spoken, written and non-verbal language across a range of contexts and to diverse audiences. At the completion of the subject students will demonstrate competence in all clinical skills at the level of a new graduate midwife and be eligible to apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for registration as a midwife.
Collaboration
Students will be able to collaborate in order to provide excellence in maternity care. Through specifically designed learning activities students will participate effectively as a member of an inter-disciplinary health care team, through respectful and collegial collaboration with women, professional peers and other stakeholders. At the completion of the subject students will be in a position to influence change and contribute to the development of midwifery as a strong profession through leadership, mentoring and positive role modelling.
Professional engagement
In this subject, students will build on and consolidate their professional engagement as critical thinkers who take a lively and questioning approach and embrace lifelong learning. At the completion of the subject students will be able to interpret and value the evidence to underpin practice and influence change. They will integrate strategies for ongoing personal and professional development and actively contribute to the development of midwifery as a profession.
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.
Learning modules and workbooks
The subject benefits from the provision of online learning modules and workbooks as preparation for learning in the clinical simulation laboratories and clinical practice.
Tutorials
Tutorials are provided to enable students to clarify, discuss and develop subject concepts. The tutorials are supported by learning activities and followed up in group discussions for those who make use of the optional Zoom drop-in session in each of the teaching weeks.
Clinical Skills, communication and simulation
Students participate in simulated practice of clinical skills used in midwifery practice, including the safe administration of medications and competency in drug calculations. Students also participate in assessing fetal welfare and responding to abnormal fetal heart rate patterns through simulation and online discussion. Simulated activities include the use of mannequins, teaching staff or other students as simulated women. Students learn and engage in clinical and interpersonal skills with case scenarios in the classroom. These scenarios incorporate the development of professional communication skills including consultation and referral to medical colleagues. Students' development of clinical skills in providing midwifery care for women includes venepuncture, cannulation and perineal repair in simulated practise with mannequins. Readiness for practice is assessed through simulation, case studies and reflection on providing continuity of care for a woman using the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Standards for the Midwife. Students complete and submit their Professional Experience Practice (PEP) Portfolio and AMSAT.
Clinical placement
In this subject students complete 232 hours of clinical placement experience. Under supervision, students provide midwifery care to women and their families within multi-disciplinary teams to develop and consolidate their knowledge, skills and attributes.
Content (topics)
Medication administration
- Revision of pharmacology and medication administration
- Drug calculations
- Responsibility in relation to medication administration
- Consultation and referral in relation to medication administration
- Documentation of medication administration
Assessment of fetal wellbeing
- Revision on continuous electronic fetal monitoring
- Problems in the assessment of fetal wellbeing
- Responsibility for clinical assessments in relation to fetal wellbeing
- Consultation and referral in relation to the assessment of fetal wellbeing
- Documentation of fetal wellbeing
Midwifery practice skills
- Perineal repair workshop and practice of skills in simulation setting
- Cannulation and venepuncture in simulation setting
- Students will practise skills in alignment with their professional learning plan
Responsibility, accountability and leadership
- Reflection on the responsibility and accountability that comes with being a midwife
- Understanding of the need for responsibility and accountability and how this is articulated in practice
- Reflection on the leadership role that the midwife plays in health care and consideration of your place in the future of the profession
- Understanding of supporting students through adult learning principles and group skills
Quality and safety
- Communication skills
- Clinical handover
- Documentation
- Consultation and referral including escalation of care
- Recognition and response to clinical deterioration
- Recognition of the importance of continuity of care for all women
- National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards
Skills table
- Consolidation of knowledge on fetal welfare assessment and demonstration of correctinterpretation of fetal heart rate traces including consultation and referral and escalation of care
- Consolidation of knowledge on the assessment and grading of perineal injury from childbirth.
- Beginning proficiency in perineal repair in a simulated manner
- Consolidation of knowledge on the use of intravenous medication
- Beginning proficiency in the venepuncture and cannulation in a simulated manner
- Consolidation of knowledge of and administration of medications
- Demonstrated competency in communication skills necessary for midwifery practice including handovers, electronic medical records, incident reporting, consultation and referral processes.
- Consolidation of the clinical skills developed over the three-year program through simulated practice
- Completion of all clinical practice requirements including a minimum of 30 continuity of care
experiences.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Assessment 1 - Medication Safety
| Intent: | This medication quiz, completed during scheduled laboratory time, will enable the student to demonstrate in-depth knowledge and safety focus regarding medications used in the maternity setting. The student will be encouraged to reflect critically about medications used in the maternity setting, the medication scope of use and intended action on the relevant body system. |
|---|---|
| Type: | Examination |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | Students will complete this task during their scheduled laboratory time. |
| Criteria: | Demonstrate appropriate knowledge of safe and effective administration of medications. |
Assessment task 2: Assessment 2 - K2 Fetal Welfare Learning Pathway
| Intent: | This assessment is intended to further develop students' critical midwifery skills and consolidate their clinical learning using evidence-based resources. Students will provide documented evidence of completion of an online fetal welfare Learning Pathway. |
|---|---|
| Type: | Case study |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | All modules as instructed above and allocated in K2MS, to each student, for completion online. |
| Criteria: | K2MS will provide students with feedback. The assessments must be achieved with a minimum mark of 80%. All five (5) SIM cases need to achieve a minimum mark of 70% agreement with the simulator. |
Assessment task 3: Assessment 3 - GynZone Learning Pathway
| Intent: | This assessment is intended to further develop students' critical midwifery skills and consolidate their clinical learning using evidence-based resources. Students will provide documented evidence of completion of an online GynZone perineal care and repair Learning Pathway. |
|---|---|
| Type: | Case study |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | All modules as instructed above and allocated in GynZone, to each student, for completion online. |
| Criteria: | Quiz answers will be available within the relevant quizzes on GynZone. No extensions will be possible as the task needs to be completed prior to the perineal suturing laboratory. If an extension needs to be sought, the student must organise a make-up laboratory session with the subject coordinator. |
Assessment task 4: Assessment 4 - Workbooks
| Intent: | The worksbooks (perineal suturing | venepuncture & cannulation) intend to provide students with an opportunity to revise and apply the knowlege from the activities that were set for each of the content topics. This will ensure preparedness for the clinical laboratory sessions where these skills will be practised. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A and B This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 3.3 and 6.1 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Criteria: | Workbook answers will be discussed on request during the Zoom drop-in tutorial sessions. No extensions will be possible as the task needs to be completed prior to the relevant laboratory session (perineal suturing | venepuncture & cannulation). In the case where a student is unable to complete the workbook in time, an extension needs to be requested (prior to the due date), this may also include the request for a make-up laboratory session with the subject coordinator. |
Assessment task 5: Assessment 5 - Midwifery Practise Experience Portfolio (PEP) completion and midwifery AMSAT
| Intent: | Students are required to complete and submit their clinical placement documentation i.e. the Midwifery Professional Experience Portfolio (PEP), a minimum of twenty completed (and meeting required criteria) Continuity of Midwifery Care Experiences and the Australian Midwifery Standards Assessment Tool (AMSAT). |
|---|---|
| Type: | Laboratory/practical |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | Mandatory task that does not contribute to subject mark |
| Length: | Please submit the portfolio in a normal ring binder and clearly labelled with the student's full name and student number. Do not bunch multiple sheets into a single plastic sleeve. Experiences in the PEP must be presented in numerical order (page number), presented neatly and must be complete when handed in. Incomplete or out of order portfolios will not be accepted. |
| Criteria: |
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Required texts
Bayes, S., & De-Vityrs Smith, S. (2022). Skills for Midwifery Practice ( Australia and New Zealand 2nd edition) Elsevier.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S. K., Dahlen, H., & Dixon, L. (2019). Midwifery: Preparation for practice; book 1 (4th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S. K., Dahlen, H., & Dixon, L. (2019). Midwifery: Preparation for practice; book 2 (4th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
References
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (2017). National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2nd ed.).
Bayes, S., & De-Vityrs Smith, S. (2022). Skills for Midwifery Practice ( Australia and New Zealand 2nd edition) Elsevier.
Catling, C., Cummins, A. & Hogan, R. (2016). Stories in midwifery: Reflection, inquiry, action. Elsevier Australia.
Gray, J. & Smith, R. (2021). Midwifery essentials (3rd ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Gray, J., Smith, R. & Homer, C. (2021). Illustrated dictionary of midwifery (3rd ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Johnson, R. & Taylor, W. (2019). Skills for midwifery practice, 4th edn. Elsevier.
Marieb, E. & Hoehn, K. (2018). Essentials of human anatomy & physiology (11th ed.). Pearson Education Ltd.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S. K., Dahlen, H., & Dixon, L. (2019). Midwifery: Preparation for practice; book 1 (4th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
Pairman, S., Tracy, S. K., Dahlen, H., & Dixon, L. (2019). Midwifery: Preparation for practice; book 2 (4th ed.). Elsevier Australia.
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