HNM111 - Introduction to Midwifery Practice

Unit details

Content

This midwifery specific unit forms part of the Professional Studies in Nursing and Midwifery cluster and it introduces students to the local and global issues influencing midwifery practice. In this unit students are provided with the opportunity to examine the role of the midwife and the political processes influencing the status and practice of midwifery in contemporary society. Legal and ethical standards expected of the midwife; concepts and principles of the midwife’s role for clinical risk management, practicing in multidisciplinary teams and in collaboration with other health professionals; and safety in models of care are also addressed. Students will have opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge and skills learned in this unit and previous units during a one (1) week clinical placement.

Assessment

Assignment: 40% (equivalent to 1000 words)

This assessment will allow students to increase their knowledge of the midwife’s role by learning about the journey related to Continuity of Care experiences. To be able to do this, students will apply theoretical concepts related to the scope of professional midwifery practice.

Assignment: 60% (equivalent to 2000 words)

This assessment will allow students to increase their knowledge of the midwife’s role and responsibilities as a primary health practitioner. To be able to do this, students will apply theoretical knowledge related to midwifery practice.

Clinical assessment: Pass/Fail (equivalent to 500 words)

Failure of the clinical component will lead to a fail in this unit and may lead to exclusion.

Clinical assessment involves the students successfully completing a one (1) week practicum together with the completion of documenting their midwifery experiences in the Midwifery Portfolio. The successful completion of the Midwifery Portfolio and clinical practicum is considerable and requires students to safely integrate knowledge and skills, apply theory in practice situations, and demonstrate progression and consolidation of clinical competencies across a range of professional domains. Although no numerical weighting is attributed to the clinical assessment in terms of the final unit result, clinical is competency-based and has therefore been given a weighting relative to the total student workload. The School thereby acknowledges that the clinical assessment is valid, worthwhile, and requires commitment from the student whilst supporting the competency-based nature of this assessment as pass/fail gradings.

Midwifery Portfolio (equivalent to 500 words)

To meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's midwife endorsement requirements students, upon completion of clinical placement, are required to submit their Midwifery Portfolio.

Department of Human Services policy and Working with Children Act
In accordance with Department of Human Services policy*, all students are required to undertake a National Police Record Check prior to clinical placements in each calendar year of their course. In accordance with the Working with Children Act 2005**, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at commencement of the course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check and a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of clinical placement will not be able to undertake clinical placement and this will impede progress in the course. Students may also be required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health organisations where they will be undertaking their clinical learning experience. A health organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if the student’s immunisation status is not satisfactory to the health organisation.

* Department of Human Services 2007, Service agreement information kit for funded organisations 2006–2009, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, retrieved 1 July 2007.
** Department of Justice 2007, Working with Children Act 2005, Victoria, Australia retrieved April 2012

Unit Fee Information

* Rate for all CSP students, except for those who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
** Rate for CSP students who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
Please note: Unit fees listed do not apply to Deakin Prime students.