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Effective Midwifery Practice

  • Module code: MW6013
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 6
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: Transition to Midwifery Practice and Social and Political Context of Maternity Care
  • Co-requisites: Improving Practice Through Research

Summary

This module enhances your professional development in preparation for the role of an autonomous and reflective midwife. You are facilitated to critically explore and analyse the factors that influence decision making, including your own attitudes and beliefs and influence upon your practice. The contribution of effective midwifery care to the provision of safe and sustainable maternity services is also considered.

Aims

  • Explore the factors that influence decision making in clinical practice.
  • Evaluate professional and ethical frameworks for midwifery practice.
  • Examine the contribution of midwifery to maternity care provision locally, nationally and internationally and its impact upon the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate competency as a lead professional for women by providing safe, effective care in all aspects of practice whilst engaging with other professionals and organisations as appropriate.
  • Critically analyse ethical theories and concepts in relation to midwifery practice in order to refine decision making skills.
  • Explore and analyse personal experience as a focus for the development of ideas and insights into midwifery practice.
  • Critically discuss professional, legal and ethical issues and the implications for midwifery practice.
  • Explore maternity care provision locally, nationally and internationally. and its contribution to maternal and neonatal health. 

Curriculum content

  • Professional and ethical values, advocacy, autonomy and accountability
  • Decision making
  • Defining and evaluating the role of the midwife
  • Facilitating choice and control
  • Issues related to power and empowerment
  • Maintaining professional standards and relationships
  • Strategies for supporting women during childbirth
  • Midwifery practice 'master classes' focusing on specific practice issues to be revisited in more detail eg. bereavement, support
  • Reflection and reflexivity in practice
  • Self-awareness and assertiveness in relation to autonomous practice
  • Emotional intelligence and promoting confidence
  • Regulation of midwifery practice
  • NMC requirements, medicines management, role of supervision
  • Continuing Professional Development
  • Maintaining professional competence and fitness to practice
  • Midwife/Supervisor relationship
  • Global inequalities in relation to maternity care. eg.  poverty, globalisation. maternal  mortality, lack of skilled care, access to services
  • Strategies and agencies for improving global health eg. Safe Motherhood, White Ribbon Alliance, International Planned Parenthood federation, the role of the World Health Organisation
  • Midwives contribution to safe and effective birth, locally, nationally and internationally eg. skilled attendance at birth, working with others to improve services such as the education and training of traditional birth attendants.

Teaching and learning strategy

A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be utilised within this module. The use of lead lectures, time for directed reading and reflection on case load will enable students to explore topics in depth. Seminars will be used to develop the student's ability to analyse the evidence when planning care, these sills will be required for viva voce. Study space will be used to support the teaching and learning, relevant materials will be available within the module including power point presentations and other E-learning materials.

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Individual guided study
  • E-learning activities
  • Simulation and skills laboratory sessions

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching 96
Guided independent study 24
Clinical practice 180
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

Formative Assessment

Practice Viva Voce

Formative assessment of practice through PAD

Summative Assessment

Viva Voce: time = 25 minutes (50%)

Discussion of a selected  situation /scenario formulated by the module leader which focuses on safe practice, decision making, accountability and a consideration of legal and ethical issues that may arise.

Summative assessment of practice through PAD (50%)

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
1. Demonstrate competency as a lead professional for women by providing safe, effective care in all aspects of practice whilst engaging with other professionals and organisations as appropriate. Formative: Viva voce & PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: Viva voce & PAD
2. Critically analyse ethical theories and concepts in relation to midwifery practice in order to refine decision making skills. Formative: Viva voce & PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: Viva voce & PAD
3. Explore and analyse personal experience as a focus for the development of ideas and insights into midwifery practice. Formative: Viva voce & PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: Viva voce & PAD
4. Critically discuss professional, legal and ethical issues and the implications for midwifery practice. Formative: Viva voce & PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: Viva voce & PAD
5. Explore maternity care provision locally, nationally and internationally and its contribution to maternal and neonatal health. Formative: Viva voce & PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: Viva voce & PAD

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Viva Voce 50%
Practice Assessment Document 50%
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It is a requirement that the elements of assessment are passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

Dimond, B (2006) Legal aspects of midwifery 3rd edition Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth Heinneman

Downe, S, Byrom, S and Simpson, L (2011) Essential midwifery practice: Leadership, expertise and collaborative working. Oxford:Blackwell Publishing.

Bibliography recommended reading

Foster, I and Lasser J (2011) Professional ethics in midwifery practice Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett

Griffiths, R, Tengnah,C and Patel C (2012) Law and professional issues in midwifery. Exeter: Learning Matters

Steen, M (2012) Supporting women to give birth at home: a practical guide for midwives. Abingdon. Routledge.

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