Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 401093

Coordinator Lisa Cutajar Opens in new window

Description During this subject students will continue to gain practical experience in designated clinical areas and follow their 10 women throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period in a continuity of care model. They will strengthen their skills in undertaking psychosocial assessment, effectively engaging women in services, facilitating groups and working in collaboration with other professionals to support women. In addition, they will work with women with complex health issues. This subject provides students with the knowledge to collaborate with all health professionals and includes assessing procedures for managing obstetric emergencies; transferring women or newborns with complex health issues; and assessing referral pathways.

School Nursing & Midwifery

Discipline Midwifery

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Level Postgraduate Coursework Level 7 subject

Pre-requisite(s) NURS 7011 AND
NURS 7034

Co-requisite(s) NURS 7017

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in 4697 Graduate Diploma in Midwifery and be a registered nurse employed in a participating NSW Health Local Health District facility in the position of a midwifery student.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate competence in complex midwifery skills and care for women with complex needs;
2. Demonstrate competence in the assessment and care of women with complex needs during pregnancy, labour and birth and the postnatal period;
3. Demonstrate competence in the assessment and care of the sick neonate;
4. Identify and appropriately manage emerging and escalating situations that may require referral or additional care including the referral processes and collaborative care arrangements;
5. Identify emergency situations related to childbirth and the role of the midwife and other health professionals in providing emergency care;
6. Implement appropriate midwifery management during emergency situations;
7. Demonstrate safe Midwifery standard of practice and capacity to critically reflect on the professional requirements for midwifery practice.

Subject Content

1. Introduction to Midwifery Practice 2
- Midwifery Practice Portfolio: Midwifery Continuity of Care Case Notes and reflections, Midwifery Log of Practice Experience, Midwife standards for practice

2. Communication
- Respectful communication
- Midwifery language for working with women
- Midwifery terms and acronyms

3. Skills
- Care of the woman having Epidural pain relief
- Amniotomy and application of Fetal Scalp Electrode
- Episiotomy, assessment of the perineum following birth and perineal repair
- Third stage complications
- Receiving the baby at LSCS
- Neonatal resuscitation
- Care of the unwell baby, insertion of a nasogastric tube, care of the baby receiving phototherapy
- Venepuncture / Intravenous cannulation
- Mechanism of birth/procedure for malpresentations and malpositions
- Care of the woman and/or baby following death
- FONT / K2Ms

4. Escalating complexities
- Warning flags
- Midwifery actions
- Midwives responses
- Communication
- Documentation

5. Skills for managing emerging and escalating emergency situations
- Communication skills for complex and emergency situations
- Obstetric emergencies: postpartum haemorrhage / disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), maternal seizures / Eclamptic fit, Cord presentation / prolapse, Obstetric shock (amniotic fluid embolism, Ruptured uterus / Uterine inversion)
- Shoulder dystocia
- Maternal resuscitation