Unit Outline

This unit extends your understanding of the role and scope of practice of midwifery. You will critically explore strategies to empower women and their families to determine how they can be supported in playing an active role in decision-making about their health during pregnancy. The ethical and legal rights of the pregnant woman are also explored. As part of this unit, you will develop knowledge of maternal and fetal pathophysiology during pregnancy... You will examine current evidence to implement best practice for the safe care of women who experience a complication during pregnancy. As a member of the multidisciplinary team, you will develop capabilities and accountabilities in decision-making, consultation, and referral. This unit is one of two specialist midwifery practice units that contribute to the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes/attributes required for competent beginning-level midwifery practice. By the completion of the course, you are required to demonstrate your acquisition of the current NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Integrate and synthesise midwifery theories to critically analyse complex pregnancy presentations in a culturally safe manner that respects the diverse experiences and expectations of each woman and their family.
2	Detect and appraise deviations from normal during pregnancy and consult, refer and collaborate with other healthcare professionals in a timely and appropriate manner.
3	Design and justify strategies that ensure women experiencing pregnancy remain central to decision-making about the health and wellbeing of themselves and their unborn infants.
4	Demonstrate application of midwifery theory and evaluate professional capabilities and accountabilities in practice in the context of pregnancy, as defined by the current Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Co-requisite	CNA624 Introduction to Midwifery

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This is the first time this unit has been delivered.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Midwifery Practice Readiness	Week 2	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Professional Conversation	Week 5	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Midwifery Practice Experience (MPE) Portfolio	Refer to Assessment Description	0 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Midwifery Practice Readiness

Task Description:

You are required to attend and actively participate in a five-day on-campus intensive focused on the development of new midwifery practice knowledge and skills. Through a combination of pre-reading, online assessment, face-to-face workshops and simulation-based learning, you will demonstrate beginning readiness in foundational midwifery skills, professional communication, and clinical reasoning across the continuum of maternity care. During the intensive, you will complete a series of Objective Structured Clinical Assessments (OSCAs) designed to assess safe, ethical, and woman-centred care in simulated clinical scenarios. You must demonstrate safe and professional practice across all components with a focus on readiness to engage in clinical learning environments.
You must successfully complete this hurdle assessment task (receive a PASS) to be able to continue in the midwifery practice experience.

Task Length:

Combined tasks equivalent to 2000 words, including online assessment and OSCA

Due Date:

Week 2

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrate foundational midwifery skills in simulated scenario(s), recognising abnormal findings and escalating care appropriately.	LO2
2	Contextualise effective, culturally safe communication and professional behaviour in simulated midwifery interactions.	LO1, LO3
3	Assess and adapt clinical reasoning in simulation through preparation, situational awareness, reflection, and professionalism.	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Professional Conversation

Task Description:

For this assessment task, you will have three checkpoints with your tutor during the study period. You will participate in a professional conversation with your tutor, simulating a peer debrief. This conversation will focus on your portfolio of evidence and your progress in developing midwifery capabilities and accountabilities using the Australian Midwifery Standards Assessment Tool (AMSAT). You will be expected to discuss your learning, reflect on your clinical experiences, and demonstrate how your practice aligns with culturally safe, woman-centred care in the context of pregnancy and antenatal care.

Due Date: Week 5, Week 12 and Week 19

Task Length:

10-15 min professional conversation

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrate progress in midwifery capabilities and accountabilities.	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
2	Integrate relevant theory to interpret clinical experiences in the context of pregnancy and antenatal care.	LO1, LO2, LO3
3	Analyse deviations from normal and outline appropriate consultation or referral pathways.	LO1, LO3
4	Justify and incorporate strategies that support culturally safe, woman-centred care.	LO1, LO4
5	Critically reflect on collaborative and culturally safe decision-making in practice	LO2, LO4

Assessment Task 3: Midwifery Practice Experience (MPE) Portfolio

Task Description:

Commence and maintain contemporaneous records in your MPE Professional Experience Portfolio to demonstrate progression in clinical knowledge and skill acquisition throughout the study period.
Your progress will be evaluated based on reasonable advancement towards completing the supervised practice requirements outlined in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Midwife Standards 2021. You are expected to have completed at least one- third of the required skills.

This is a Hurdle Task, and you must receive a pass in this assessment to be eligible to pass the unit.

Due week 20.

Task Length:

Equivalent of 2000 words

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

0 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Complete set hours in the practice settings in accordance with ANMAC Midwifery Accreditation Standards.	LO1, LO2, LO3
2	Complete the expected number of care experiences in the MPE Portfolio in accordance with ANMAC Midwifery Accreditation Standards.	LO1, LO2, LO3
3	Demonstrate satisfactory progress towards gaining capabilities and accountabilities against the current NMBA Midwifery Standards for Practice. Specific clinical skills attained for each unit will be set out in your MPE portfolio.	LO1, LO2, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass all hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.