NURS 2025 Midwifery Professional Practice 3
Credit Points 10
Legacy Code 401221
Coordinator Fiona Arundell Opens in new window
Description In this subject students will learn the necessary midwifery skills for the provision of woman centred post birth care. In a simulated practice environment students will gain practical skills to provide midwifery care to both the woman and her baby up until six weeks postpartum. The importance of effective communication and documentation will also be reinforced. This subject will also include blocks of practical experience in designated clinical areas and the provision of continuity of care.
School Nursing & Midwifery
Discipline Midwifery
Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp
Check your fees via the Fees page.
Level Undergraduate Level 2 subject
Pre-requisite(s) NURS 1013 AND
NURS 1004
Co-requisite(s) NURS 2022
Equivalent Subjects NURS 2023 Midwifery Practice Experience 3
Restrictions
Students must be enrolled in 4684 Bachelor of Midwifery.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
1. Provide evidence based woman centred care during the postnatal period including routine postnatal screening tests and correct documentation, under guidance.
2. Undertake safe comprehensive postnatal assessments of women and newborn including planning and performing a discharge, under guidance.
3. Apply effective interprofessional and intraprofessional communication skills related to collaborative practice
4. Discuss a variety of options for optimal breastfeeding positioning and attachment, and for supporting women experiencing difficulties with breastfeeding.
5. Apply principles of safe medication administration with a focus on non-parenteral and parenteral medication.
6. Critique midwifery practice requirements in accordance with legislation, regulations, policies, guidelines and midwifery standards for practice.
Subject Content
Appropriate communication
• Woman led
• Attentive listening
• Open ended questioning
• Suggestions and options
• Strengths based feedback
• Communications skills for completing the professional midwifery relationship
• Interprofessional and intraprofessional communication
Professional practice requirements
• Documentation in accordance with professional and legislative requirements.
• Policy and procedure guidelines
• Informed consent
• Privacy issues
• Confidentiality
• Infection Control
• Medication Calculations
Midwifery Practice (Postbirth)
• Day 0-6 Maternal postnatal assessment
― Using open and respectful communication
― Provide an opportunity for the woman to discuss her birth experience
― Assess
• the woman’s emotional needs
• comfort
• involution
• blood loss
• wound integrity (if applicable)
• nutritional intake and hydration
• elimination
• breasts and breastfeeding
• infant feeding support needs, including safe preparation of formula when necessary
― Care of the woman pre and post operatively
― Pressure bandages/ removal of sutures/staples
― Urinary catheterisation
― Promote and support hygiene needs
― Administer intramuscular and subcutaneous injections
― Blood glucose testing
― commencement and maintenance of IV Therapy
― fluid balance
― Include and involve the woman’s significant others
• Day 0-6 newborn postnatal assessment
― Using open respectful communication with the family assess newborn:
• Colour- Jaundice
• Temperature, respirations, heart rate and heart sounds, saturations
• Hydration
• Elimination
• Sleep/wake cycle
• Collection of Newborn screening test
― Blood glucose monitoring in the neonate
― IMI and SC injections for newborns, including calculation of dose
• Week 1-6 Postnatal assessment mother and infant
― All of the above plus
• maternal adjustment
• infant growth and weight gain
• infant developmental milestones
• parental concerns
Education, discharge and referral
• Safe infant care- bathing, nappy changing, SIDs information
• Breastfeeding challenges- eg. Nipple pain, the use of nipple shields and/ or breastmilk expression (as appropriate)
• Concerns about infant growth
• Infant settling and sleeping
• Information regarding formal and informal support options (community, peer and health professional options)
• Discharge Assessment
― Woman
• comprehensive physical assessment
• assessment of ongoing support needs
• evidence based information regarding contraceptive options
• consideration of domestic violence screening tool
• perinatal mental health issues
• referrals
― Newborn
• full head to toe assessment
• assessment of reflexes
• assessment of heart sounds
• assessment of growth and development
• assessment of risk of harm - Child and Family Health policies around supporting families early.
Special Requirements
Legislative pre-requisites
Special Requirements - NSW Health Legislative Prerequisites Pre-requisites
Student Compliance Information for all Health-Related Placements
Prior to enrolling in this subject, students must have submitted a Student Undertaking Form and undertake to apply for a National Police Check, which is required to be submitted before placement, and a Working with Children Check Student Declaration. Use the link to the Special Requirements webpage below for more information.
To be eligible to enrol in this subject and complete any required health-related placements or experiences, students must meet Western Sydney University program requirements as well as any special, legislated, or policy-mandated requirements.
Western Program Requirements
Visit the Special Requirements webpage for details about your program.
Mandatory NSW Health student placement policy requirements
To be able to undertake placement in any NSW Health facility you must be assessed as compliant with NSW Health student placement policy in the first year of your program, regardless of when you expect to go on your first placement. Access and read the NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet.
NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet
Please ensure that you
- Find your existing National Police Check or apply for one
- Gather documentary evidence of your vaccination history
- Print and compete all relevant NSW Health forms relevant to the campus you are enrolled at or online enrolment requirements
- Follow booklet instructions on how to have your compliance documents assessed by NSW health staff.
International students have additional requirements; the link to the booklet will inform you of these requirements.
School Requirements
Contact your School for further details regarding your School’s requirements, if any, such as
- If you live outside of NSW or Australia and need to meet your state, territory or country’s compliance requirements
- If you need to meet different state, territory or country compliance requirements.
- NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) or other state equivalent, valid for your entire program.
- Current approved first aid certificate valid for your entire program - approved program providers can be found at the Government Training website
- http://training.gov.au
- Other non-health related requirements.
Student Compliance Resources are also available on the Placements Hub web page (NSW students only)
Essential equipment
Students will require a calculator for maths in tutorials and CPU; Western Sydney University uniform for clinical placement and final skill assessment, watch with a second hand. Access to an internet enabled device is essential in order to be able to: access course materials; to participate in discussion groups; and to access additional resources provided by the lecturer during the session.
See http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/services_and_facilities/uwsonline_student_support for further information.
Assessment
The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.
| Type | Length | Percent | Threshold | Individual/Group Task | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Task | 45 minutes | S/U | Y | Individual | Y |
| Quiz | Part A - All teaching weeks and Part B - 30 minutes | S/U | Y | Individual | Y |
| Practical | All teaching weeks | S/U | Y | Individual | Y |
| Practical Exam | 25 minutes | S/U | Y | Individual | Y |
| Portfolio | S/U | Y | Individual | Y | |
| Professional Placement Performance | Duration: 100% Attendance, 224 Practicum Hours and 15 Continuity of Care hours | S/U | Y | Individual | Y |
Teaching Periods
Autumn (2024)
Parramatta - Victoria Rd
On-site
Subject Contact Fiona Arundell Opens in new window
View timetable Opens in new window
Autumn (2025)
Parramatta - Victoria Rd
On-site
Subject Contact Fiona Arundell Opens in new window