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Unit of Study MWF93003 - Integrating Science into Midwifery Practice (2014)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    N/A

Unit description

Extends students’ application of knowledge from psychophysiology, epigenetics, fetal programming and neuroscience to reproductive physiology and midwifery practice.  Students will further develop their skills in holistic health assessment, clinical reasoning and decision making through case studies which focus on physical health assessments and care provision for the woman and fetus/baby.

Unit content

Module 1 Scientific Foundations of Midwifery Practice

  • Homeostasis and Allostasis
  • Psychophysiology applied to reproductive physiology
  • Epigenetics applied to reproductive physiology
  • Neuroscience applied to reproductive physiology

Module 2 Health Assessment, Clinical Reasoning in Midwifery Practice

  • Holism, person/health environments
  • Holistic health assessment skills within a therapeutic relationship with the woman and family
  • Revision and extension of systems-based physical assessment of the woman
  • Revision and extension of mental health assessment for the woman and baby
  • Revision and extension of assessment of fetal wellbeing
  • Revision of newborn health assessment
  • Clinical reasoning and expert judgement applied to pregnancy, labour, birth, postnatal and breastfeeding
  • Consultation and Referral
  • Diagnosis and care planning within a therapeutic relationship with the woman and family
  • Health promotion education for individuals and groups
  • Evaluation of the effects of midwifery care and education

Module 3 Technical Skills for Midwifery Practice

  • Venepuncture
  • Cannulation
  • Genital tract repair
  • Speculum examination
  • Pap smears
  • ALSO certification (or equivalent)
  • Fetal monitoring certification.

Availabilities

Not currently available in 2014

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 critically evaluate knowledge in the fields of psychophysiology, epigenetics, fetal programming and neuroscience to the conceptualisation of reproductive physiology.
2 integrate and apply contemporary scientific knowledge in the fields of psychophysiology, epigenetics, fetal programming and neuroscience to midwifery practice.
3 investigate holistic and focussed health assessments for women and babies.
4 analyse clinical reasoning skills in midwifery practice.
5 evaluate own growth in clinical decision making skills.
6 analyse competence in masters level midwifery skills.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. critically evaluate knowledge in the fields of psychophysiology, epigenetics, fetal programming and neuroscience to the conceptualisation of reproductive physiology.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. integrate and apply contemporary scientific knowledge in the fields of psychophysiology, epigenetics, fetal programming and neuroscience to midwifery practice.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. investigate holistic and focussed health assessments for women and babies.
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  4. analyse clinical reasoning skills in midwifery practice.
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  5. evaluate own growth in clinical decision making skills.
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  6. analyse competence in masters level midwifery skills.
    • GA4:
    • GA5: