Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 401220

Coordinator Kye Porritt Opens in new window

Description In this subject students will develop skills for the provision of midwifery care across the birthing continuum. The primary focus of this subject will be the acquisition of skills for supporting women during normal pregnancy and birth. Students will apply knowledge gained from Midwifery Knowledge 1 and 2 in simulated practice environments and will gain a comprehensive understanding of the practical aspects of midwifery care for women experiencing normal labour and birth. Students will gain practical experience in designated clinical areas and will follow women through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period in a continuity of care experience.

School Nursing & Midwifery

Discipline Midwifery

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 1 subject

Pre-requisite(s) NURS 1012 AND
NURS 1009

Co-requisite(s) NURS 1010

Equivalent Subjects NURS 1011 Midwifery Practice Experience 1

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in 4684 Bachelor of Midwifery.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Communicate with women, and colleagues, in an open and respectful way.
2. Assess pregnancy history and its application to labour and birth.
3. Assess, monitor and provide safe midwifery care to the woman during normal labour and birth.
4. Explain the mechanism of birth in a variety of positions.
5. Discuss the benefits of physiological labour and birth.
6. Provide safe midwifery care and management for physiological and active third stage of labour.
7. Provide safe post-birth care and management of the woman including breastfeeding support.
8. Perform an examination of the newborn including initial assessment of newborn adjustment to extra uterine life.
9. Fulfil professional midwifery practice requirements including continuity of care.
10. Demonstrate principles of safe medication administration.

Subject Content

1. Communication:
- Attentive listening
- open communication
- Working in partnership
- woman-centred approach
2. Midwifery Practice Requirements:
- documentation
- adherence to policy and procedure guidelines
- principles of informed consent
- Confidentiality
- Privacy
- medication calculations
3. Professional Midwifery Practice:
A. Assessment and monitoring of early labour:
- collecting A Pregnancy and labour onset history
- reviewing antenatal history and Screening to assess Maternal and fetal wellbeing
- performing An Abdominal Examination in labour
- Assessing uterine contraction and pattern
- Assessing fetal wellbeing in labour
- collecting Maternal observations
- Assessing Maternal needs and plans
- Assessing hydration/ elimination
- applying The principles of infection control
B. Assessment and monitoring of labour progress:
- Maternal cues
- fetal position and descent
- contraction pattern
- vaginal loss
- hydration and nutrition
- Assessing Maternal Comfort
- Assessing The need for vaginal Examination
- documentation - partogram, and Progress notes
- Escalation procedure for deviations from normal
C. Skills for promoting physiological labour and birth:
- Rationale for upright positions and movement
- use of massage and complementary therapies
- The use of heat
- The use of water/water birth
- The use of Nitrous Oxide
D. Skills for supporting Birth:
- preparation for birth
- sterile/Clean technique
- Midwives role in supporting The birthing woman (including waterbirth)
- mechanism of birth in A variety of positions
- physiological and active third stage
- Assessing perineal Trauma
- Examination of The placenta
- collection of cord blood
E. Skills for supporting newborns:
- Immediate care of The newborn
- APGAR scoring
- Initiating skin to skin
- supporting The first breast feed
4. Introduction to post-birth care:
A. Maternal post birth assessment including:
- emotional wellbeing
- Comfort measures
- vital signs
- assessment of vaginal loss and uterine involution
- assessment of pain and discomfort
- elimination
- nutrition
- procedure for dispensing of oral medication
B. Initial newborn assessment including:
- identification
- initial measurements
- head to toe Examination
- routine Vit K supplementation
- Hep b Immunisation
5. Medication Administration:
- medication Calculation
- Safe administration procedures
- using MIMS
- legal requirements for medication administration- consent/documentation
- Five rights of medication administration
- Accepted medication abbreviations

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites