Knowing Birth Practices (11945.1)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | On-campus |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Health |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| Discipline Of Midwifery | Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit | Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:1. Develop foundational knowledge and skills to understand and apply theory to practice with well women during birth and the immediate postnatal period;
2. Achieve a satisfactory WIL level as evidenced by completion of the practice portfolio;
3. Demonstrate the ability to form and maintain midwifery relationships with women during birth and the immediate postnatal period; and
4. Develop reflective skills to learn from experience and apply critical thinking to working with women.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways
Prerequisites
11946 Knowing Antenatal PracticesCorequisites
None.Incompatible units
11334 The Work of BirthEquivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Bruce, Canberra | Winter Term | 27 May 2024 | On-campus | Mrs Kai Hodgkin |
| 2025 | Bruce, Canberra | Winter Term | 26 May 2025 | On-campus | Mrs Kai Hodgkin |
Required texts
de-Vitry Smith, S. & Bayes, S. (2022). Skills for Midwifery Practice 2E, Australia and New Zealand Edition. Elsevier.
Additional resources and references
Books
Pairman S., Tracey, S., Dahlen, H. & Dixon, L. (Eds.) (2023). Midwifery: Preparation for Practice (5th edn.). Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
Published literature
Bass, J., Fenwick, J. & Sidebotham, M. (2017). Development of a model of holistic reflection to facilitate transformative learning in student midwives. Women and Birth, 30(3), 227-235.
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
Student responsibility in regard to assessment
If there is any doubt about the requirements of a particular assessment or assessment procedure, please see the Unit Convenor who is here to help you. The onus for clarifying assessment issues rests with the student. All assessments must be submitted to pass the unit. Back up your work. You must keep a copy of your assignments.
Extensions
Unlike other disciplines, the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) component of studying midwifery continues alongside the academic semester and this work can be complex, demanding and unpredictable. Therefore, students can use WIL as circumstances to apply for an extension to an assessment item due date using the assignment extension form available from the Student Forms page and the UCLearn site. Unit convenors can use their discretion to approve an extension of up to one week on these grounds and may audit Daisy documentation as evidence to support the extension. Students can also apply for an extension to the submission due date for an assessment item due to extenuating, evidenced circumstances (specific details are found in the Assessment Procedures).
An extension must be applied for before the due date.
Documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate), as per the Assessment Procedure will be expected for an extension to be granted for extenuating circumstances or illness, however this will not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Unit Convener or relevant Program Director/Course Convener will decide whether to grant an extension and the length of the extension. An Assignment Extension form is available from the Student Forms page and on the UCLearn site.
Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.
Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.
UC students have to complete the annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).
UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.
Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and 91Porn (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.
Participation requirements
Expected engagement for this unit includes:
- Work Integrated Learning and its associated documentation
- Assigned weekly pre-class activities which may include reading, watching pre-recorded lectures or online activities
- Attendance at 3 hours of class each week (in-person)
Learner engagement is monitored via class attendance, engagement in online activities, and monitoring use of the UCLearn site and watching pre-recorded lectures. Students have multi-roled lives with a variety of commitments, including continuity practice requirements which must be constantly weighed against class requirements. Therefore we have designed this class with a catch-up session at the end of the semester and students are expected to manage their own time. A high-level of engagement (at least 80%) is expected and keeping up with the content each week is considered essential for success in this unit.
If you are struggling with the content, workload or any other aspect of the unit, you are strongly encouraged to discuss this with the unit convenor or another member of the Midwifery Discipline. Most problems can be resolved with good communication and the team is here to support you.
Required IT skills
Students will need to access a computer with the internet to successfully complete this unit. Computers and internet are available for students to use on campus, or students may use their own.
The Client Services Division provides campus IT networks for the University, including computers and networked information resources for student use. For students needing help with basic IT skills, training courses are offered by the Client Services Division and some Faculty Resource Centres to help students start using the University online services. For more information please contact the Helpdesk on 6201 5500 or email helpdesk@cts.canberra.edu.au. The Library is also an excellent resource for IT skills related to information searching.
Work placement, internships or practicums
This unit involves work integrated learning: Placement or Internship and Simulation. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL Policy and WIL Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure.
This unit has pre-placement requirements. You must complete the following prior to commencement of your Placement or Internship.
You are also required to complete details in InPlace, refer to . If you have any queries related to InPlace please contact placement@canberra.edu.au.
Contact your unit convener if you have any concerns with meeting the requirements of this unit.
Additional information
Discussion of practice experiences on Social Media Networks
Please remember when discussing your experiences in practice you are discussing women's lives. Therefore, these experiences must not be discussed on social media networks such as Snapchat, Facebook or Twitter, including in private messages. Doing so breaks the confidentiality agreement by which students are governed when in practice. The appropriate place for discussion related to practice is the classroom setting, with PSMs/your mentors or in your journal. Further information can be obtained from http://www.ahpra.gov.au/ and search for social media document.
Registration as a Student Midwife
As a student enrolled in an approved midwifery program of study the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia will register you for the duration of study and associated practice. Student registration is a National Law requirement, the role of which is to protect the public. You do not need to apply for registration; the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority will work directly with the 91Porn to register all students who need to be registered. There are no fees for student registration. Further information can be found at http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Student-Registrations.aspx
Announcements
Announcements made in classes are deemed to be made to the whole group. Important announcements will be repeated on the unit website. Please check the unit website at: http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au/ and your e-mail for messages at least weekly.
The Midwifery Practice Room (10A02) is available for students for private study, group work and practising skills/tasks when it is not in use for timetabled classes. There is also a student space on level 1 (ground floor) of Building 10.
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Performance Concerns
If the unit convenor receives concerning feedback about a student's performance during WIL, or reports of unsafe practice, several steps are typically taken to address the situation. First, a consultation about the feedback will be undertaken with the student, and the student may be withdrawn from WIL.
The student may then be placed on a learning plan. This plan will outline specific areas for improvement against the midwifery standards for practice and provide targeted support to help the student enhance their skills and knowledge. The learning plan may involve additional supervision, remedial education and tasks, or focused clinical experiences in simulation or the practice setting.
Secondly, the student may face the possibility of unit failure. If their performance does not improve despite the learning plan, the learning plan is not satisfactorily completed, or the initial feedback was very serious, the student will fail the practice unit. Finally, if the behaviour breaches the Student Conduct Rules, then a referral for summary inquiry may be made.
It is essential for student midwives to be self-aware, take feedback seriously, reflect on their practice, take responsibility for their actions and actively engage in the learning process to ensure safe and effective care.
