Course

Bachelor of Midwifery

Approved Abbreviation: BMid

Western Sydney University Course Code: 4684.1

AQF Level: 7

This version of the course is available to new and continuing students. Students should follow the course structure for the course version relevant to the year they commenced. This version applies to students whose commencement year in the course was 2013 or later.

This course prepares graduates for eligibility to apply for registration throughout Australia as beginning professional registered midwife. This course will develop midwives for the future who can integrate local and international knowledge for the benefit of pregnant and birthing women in Western Sydney, and beyond. Graduates will work in partnership with women (and their families) in order to provide effective ‘woman centred’ care. Graduates will practice according to the International Definition of the Midwife and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council National Competency Standards for the Midwife. Students will apply critical, reflective and intellectual skills to the provision of evidence based midwifery care. The acquisition of midwifery knowledge and skills occurs initially in campus-based simulated clinical practice settings and consolidation occurs as students undertake clinical placements in a variety of health care settings. Prospective students should be aware that full disclosure of any issues of impairment or misconduct is a declaration requirement when applying for registration as a registered midwife.

Study Mode
Three years full-time.

Advanced standing

Applications for advanced standing are assessed on a case by case basis except where there is an agreed pattern of advanced standing for a particular qualification or pathways.

Accreditation
The Bachelor of Midwifery has accreditation and approval from Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency via their partner board the Nurses and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Please note: from 1 July 2010 practitioners applying for registration as a nurse or midwife for the first time in Australia are required to demonstrate English language proficiency as specified by the NMBA. These requirements include: a) the IELTS examination (academic module) with a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking); or b) completion and an overall pass in the Occupational English Test (OET) with grades A or B only in each of the four components. For further details, refer to the NMBA website. Http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx

Inherent requirements

There are inherent requirements for this course that you must meet in order to complete your course and graduate. Make sure you read and understand the requirements for this course online.

Inherent requirements

Admission

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Special Requirements Prerequisites
Students will need to have completed the NSW Health Special Requirements for clinical practicum attendance. At present these include: a Working with Children Check student declaration; a Student Undertaking Form and have applied for a National Police Certificate; Adult Health Immunisation Schedule and Workcover accredited Senior First Aid Certificate. International Students must also provide an Overseas Police Check (with English Translation)

Course Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

Full-time

Year 1

Autumn session

401001Primary Health Care in Action
401002Bioscience 1
401030Midwifery Knowledge 1
401045Introduction to Midwifery Practice Experience

2H session

401033Midwifery Practice Experience 1

Spring session

401005Human Relationships and Life Transitions
401031Bioscience for Midwifery
401032Midwifery Knowledge 2

Year 2

1H session

401035Midwifery Practice Experience 2

Autumn session

401009Health in a Culturally Diverse Community
401011Research Principles for Nursing and Midwifery
401034Midwifery Knowledge 3

2H session

401038Midwifery Practice Experience 3

Spring session

401013Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing 1
401036Complex Care 1
401037Legal and Ethical Issues in Midwifery

Year 3

1H session

401042Midwifery Practice Experience 4

Autumn session

401039Complex Care 2
401040Collaborative Care
401041Midwifery Practice - Teaching and Learning

2H session

401043Midwifery Practice - Models of Care
401044Midwifery Practice Experience 5

Spring session

401021Being a Professional Nurse or Midwife
401022Leadership in Nursing and Midwifery

Midwifery Practice Experience

To enable students to experience midwifery practice across the calendar year as required by ANMAC, all Midwifery Practice Experience units (MPE’s) are offered as ‘H’ units. The major types of experiences are in blocks of learning and in a woman-centred continuity of care model. Practice experiences for the Bachelor of Midwifery are documented within the practice units.

Practice Block

A number of practice experiences, in a variety of practice placements, are scheduled throughout the three year course. There are fewer hours of clinical practice in first year (approximately 25%) compared to second year (50%), with the most clinical practice allocated to the third year (75%) to enable students to consolidate their practice in readiness to meet the ANMC Competencies for practice as a midwife.

This practice occurs in blocks of time (from one day a week to five days per week) and includes working in hospital areas such as antenatal clinics; antenatal wards; birthing units; postnatal wards; newborn nursery; postnatal home visiting; operating theatres for caesarean sections; ultrasound clinics; fetal and maternal assessment units and gynaecology wards. The practice also includes working in such areas as community centres with child and family nurses; midwives in group practice; rural hospitals; and ambulance services.

Continuity of Care

Continuity of care/carer enables women to develop a relationship with the same caregiver(s) throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. Continuity of care/carer facilitates relationships and consistent information, which is essential to the provision of care that is safe, sensitive and appropriate. Students undertaking this course will be introduced to the theoretical concepts and evidence the bases for continuity of care/carer model within the Midwifery Knowledge units, while continuity of care / carer experience will be gained within the Midwifery Practice Experience units. Throughout the course, students will refine and develop their understanding of continuity of care/carer, underpinned by a woman-centred care philosophy, where women are involved in their own care, making informed choices and having control over both their care and their relationships with their caregivers. In this relationship-based care model, women generally feel that their choices are respected and supported (Johnson & Stewart, 2003). Students will follow 20 women over the course of the BMid within this model of care.

Students will begin their first midwifery practice placement within eight weeks of commencing the course in the Autumn semester or as soon as they have met all the pre-requisites. Students will attend well women’s antenatal clinics on a weekly basis and begin by observing the practice of midwifery care. They will practice their midwifery skills on campus and as they gain confidence they will begin to have more ‘hands on’ approach under the supervision of a midwife. During the antenatal clinic placements it is expected that students will meet and work in partnership with five women in the continuity of care model in first and second years, while in third year they will follow 10 women, providing most of the ‘hands on care’ under the supervisor of a midwife. Students will follow the women throughout their pregnancy, labour and birth and during the postnatal period for up six weeks as determined by the woman, and the supervising midwife. This may include visits to the woman’s home.

The practice blocks, together with the 20 continuity of care experiences across the calendar year, provide the BMid curriculum with approximately fifty percent clinical practice and fifty percent theory, which is a requirement of ANMC.



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