Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 401222

Coordinator Fiona Arundell Opens in new window

Description In this subject students will develop the necessary skills to provide midwifery care to women and neonates with complex health needs. In lab based simulation environments students will gain confidence in providing midwifery care following the detection of deviations from normal. 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 fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 2 subject

Pre-requisite(s) NURS 2025 AND
NURS 2022

Co-requisite(s) NURS 2004

Equivalent Subjects NURS 2024 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. Communicate effectively with women who have complex health needs
2.  Provide evidence based, woman centred care for women and neonates with complex health needs, under guidance
3.  Implement and evaluate safe care for a woman experiencing a complex pregnancy, labour and birth or puerperium, including escalation processes
4.  Contextualise professional midwifery practice requirements in one’s practice in accordance with legislation, regulations, policies, guidelines and midwifery standards for practice. 
5.  Implement and evaluate safe care for a baby with complex needs
6.  Apply principles of safe medication administration used in complex maternal and neonatal care with a focus on non-parenteral and parenteral medication. 

Subject Content

1. Communication
• Communication skills for working with women and their families, who have complex health needs and who require additional procedures
• Documentation requirements
• Adherence to policy and legislation
• Escalation procedure following the detection of deviations from normal

2. Professional Practice Requirements
• Documentation in accordance with professional and legislative requirements.
• Policy and procedure guidelines
• Informed consent
• Privacy issues
• Confidentiality
• Infection Control
• Medication calculations
• Competency development

3. Midwifery Skills for Complex Pregnancy and Birth
• Diabetes management
• Oxygen therapy and care of the woman following surgery
• Haemodynamics (revision of A-G assessment)
• Oxygen saturation monitoring
• Appropriate use of automated mechanical blood pressure monitoring
• Interpretation of laboratory findings
• Preparation for surgery

4. Labour and Birth
• Abdominal palpation for multiple pregnancy
• Procedure for insertion of and use of prostaglandins and mechanical ripening
• Procedure for the titration of IVI Insulin
• Administer IV medications
• Assessment of meconium staining
• Care of the woman having epidural pain relief (including removal of epidural catheter)
• Management of haemorrhage – antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum
• Fetal monitoring in pregnancy and labour
• Appropriate interpretation of normal and abnormal Electronic Fetal Monitoring
• Labour and birth for multiple pregnancies
• Mechanisms of birth for malpresentations
• Management of a woman having a seizure
• Use of narcotics in labour

5. Newborn
• Receiving the newborn at caesarean section
• Saturation monitoring
• Observation of newborns following birth trauma
• Care of the baby receiving oxygen therapy
• Care of the unwell baby
• Insertion of a nasogastric tube
• Care of a baby receiving phototherapy
• NAS observation

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.

Special Requirements

To be eligible to enrol in a subject and attend a health-related placement in your course, students must meet Western Sydney University course requirements AND Special Legislative Requirements to be assessed in their first year of study against the following

1. National Criminal History Check: Students must have a current (expiring 3 years from date of issue) check valid for their entire course. A valid National Criminal history check must be an Australia wide check, include the student's full name matching their Student ID card and date of birth and not have any offences listed. If a student has a criminal history identified on their check, they must provide a Clinical Placement Authority Card (CPAC) or conditional letter from the NSW HealthShare Employment Screening and Review Unit

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/careers/student_clearance/Documents/appendix-10-student-application.pdf

2. A NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) clearance letter issued under the category of volunteer valid for their entire course.
3. A current approved first aid certificate valid for their entire course, approved provider courses can be found at http://training.gov.au

4. A completed vaccination/immunisation card with all serology results containing expiry dates and currency must be maintained by the student to ensure compliance for their entire course

5. NSW Undertaking/Declaration form
6. Completed any additional health forms required (such as NSW Health Code of Conduct, Health Student Undertaking/Declaration and Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool)
7. Relevant Local Health District specific documentation as requested.

Contact your School for further details. Resources are also available on the Placement Hub website

NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet