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Introduction to Professional Practice

  • Module code: MW4002
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 4
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

This module will introduce you to midwifery professional practice. It identifies the role of the midwife and locates the responsibilities of the midwife within the scope of midwifery practice. Professional values and culture will also be explored.

Aims

  • Begin to understand the role and responsibilities of the midwife in supporting women and their families during childbearing
  • Gain insight into the professional, legislative and cultural context of the midwifery profession

Learning outcomes

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

  • Participate in the safe evidence-based provision of care for women and their families during childbearing
  • Identify the legal and ethical issues affecting midwifery practice
  • Demonstrate the ability to use appropriate interpersonal skills when providing care for women and their families
  • Demonstrate an awareness of midwifery professional values when caring for childbearing women

Curriculum content

  • Promote safe and satisfying experiences
  • Skills to enable women to make fully informed decisions
  • Application of ethical theory to practice eg. autonomy, consent
  • The legal and professional framework of midwifery and its application to practice (to include NMC information, regulation and relevant legislation for practice)
  • Provision of antenatal, intrapartum, postnatal and neonatal care (evidence based)
  • Provision of breastfeeding support (evidence based)
  • Medicines management
  • Midwives as a profession and their role in the inter-professional team
  • Organisational culture and its impact on women and their families.
  • Professional and community cultures (medical and midwifery led care models)
  • Reflective models
  • Reflection on personal values/culture / prejudice / diversity and how it relates to an individual's practice.
  • Coping strategies eg. managing stress, mindfulness, debriefing process,
  • Communication theory to underpin practice eg. verbal, nonverbal and written communication
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Dignity and respect
  • Developing compassion and sensitivity
  • Clinical midwifery skills eg. observations, infection control, abdominal palpation,
  • Development of IT skills to support practice eg. Information storage and retrieval
  • Record keeping and data protection

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 discussions will enable students to explore topics in depth. 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.

  • Clinical practice and experience
  • Lectures - scenarios and group work
  • Portfolio - case study
  • Seminars
  • Reflection
  • E-learning
  • Clinical practice
  • Tutorials
  • Maths workshops

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 Assessment Document (midpoint assessment) to enable feedback and formulation of action plan if outcomes not achieved.

Peer assessed OSCE to include medicines management assessment to enable skills rehearsal and feedback

Summative assessment

Practice Assessment Document (PAD) - 70% mark

OSCE as 30%

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
1) Participate in the provision of care for woman and their families during childbearing Formative: PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: PAD
2) Identify the legal and ethical dimensions of midwifery practice Formative: PAD (midpoint assessment) Peer assessed OSCE Summative: PAD & OSCE
3) Demonstrate the ability to use appropriate interpersonal skills when providing care for women and their families Formative: PAD (midpoint assessment) Peer assessed OSCE Summative: PAD & OSCE
4) Demonstrate an awareness of midwifery professional values when caring for childbearing women Formative: PAD (midpoint assessment) Summative: PAD

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
OSCE 30%
Practice assessment (PAD) 70%
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

England, C. (2012) Communication skills for midwives: challenge in everyday practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Hutton, M. (2009) Essential calculation skills for nurses, midwives and health practitioners. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

MacDonald, S. and Magill-Cuerden, J. (eds) (2011) Mayes' Midwifery: a textbook for midwives. 14th edn. London: Harcourt Health Sciences.

Bibliography recommended reading

Griffith, R. (2010) Law and professional issues in midwifery. Exeter: Learning matters

Walsh, D. (2012) Evidence and skills for normal labour and birth a guide for midwives. 2nd edn. London: Routledge

Winson, N. V. and McDonald, S. (2005) Illustrated dictionary of midwifery. Edinburgh: Elsevier

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