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Bachelor of Midwifery

Approved Abbreviation: BMidwif

Western Sydney University Course Code: 4684.4

AQF Level: 7

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 this course was 2022 or later.

Units may be revised or replaced to ensure students are provided with up to date curriculum throughout their studies, and this may result in a new course version. Refer to the Check My Course Progress page in MySR for the most up to date information for your course.

For Commencement Year 2018 to 2021, please refer to: 4684.3 Bachelor of Midwifery

For Commencement Year 2013 to 2015, please refer to: 4684.1 Bachelor of Midwifery

This course prepares graduates for eligibility to apply for registration throughout Australia as a 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 Greater Western Sydney, and beyond. Graduates will work in partnership with women (and their families) in order to provide effective ‘woman centred’ care. Graduates from Western Sydney University will practice according to the International Definition of the Midwife and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council Midwife standards for practice. 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.

An English language skills registration standard is also applicable to all students applying for registration

http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au

Study Mode
Three years full-time.

Accreditation
The Bachelor of Midwifery has accreditation and approval from the Nurses and Midwives Board Australia. From 1 July 2010 the approval, recognition and accreditation of courses has been transferred to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMAC). Course accreditation can be checked on their website. http://www.anmac.org.au/accreditation-services. Please note: from 1 July 2020 applicants are to provide evidence of meeting the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, English language skills registration standard prior to enrolling in the program. 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 must be met in order to complete the course and graduate and can be viewed via the following link.

Inherent requirements

Admission

Selection is on the basis of

Academic merit (ATAR or its equivalent), and

Performance at an interview, conducted by the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

No provision for direct entry with the exception of Western Sydney University alternative entry pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

This course in not available to International students.

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.

Additional Information

An additional admission requirement for applicants is to provide evidence of meeting the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, English language skills registration standard prior to enrolling in the program. Applicants are to provide evidence of achieving the required minimum scores in one of the following English language tests and meet the requirements for test results specified in this standard.

IELTS (academic module) with a minimum overall score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Note: test results will only be accepted under one of the following two test conditions

  • 1. From one test sitting, or
  • 2. A maximum of two test sittings in a six month period and only if, you achieve a minimum overall score of 7 in each sitting, and you achieve a minimum score of 7 in each component across the two sittings, and no score in any component of the test is below 6.5.

OET with a minimum score of B in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Note: test results will only be accepted under one of the following two test conditions

  • 1. From one test sitting, or
  • 2. A maximum of two test sittings in a six month period only if, you are tested in all four components in each sitting, and you achieve a minimum score of B in each component across the two sittings, and no score in any component of the test is below C.

PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Note: test results will only be accepted under one of the following two test conditions

  • 1. From one test sitting, or
  • 2. A maximum of two test sittings in a six month period only if, a minimum overall score of 65 is achieved in each sitting, and you achieve a minimum score of 65 in each of the communicative skills across the two sittings, and no score in any of the communicative skills is below 58

TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum score in each section of the test, 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing, and 23 for speaking.

Note: test results will only be accepted under one of the following two test conditions

  • 1. From one test sitting, or
  • 2. A maximum of two test sittings in a six month period only if, a minimum total score of 94 is achieved in each sitting, and you achieve a minimum score of 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing and 23 for speaking across the two sittings, and no score in any of the sections is below, 20 for listening, 19 for reading, 24 for writing, and 20 for speaking.

Special Requirements

To enrol in the Bachelor of Midwifery, students must meet Western Sydney University course requirements. To attend a health-related placement in this course, Special Legislative Requirements will be assessed from the first year of study.

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

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/learning_futures/home/placements_hub/placements_hub/student_compliance

Work Integrated Learning

Western Sydney University seeks to enhance student learning experiences by enabling students to engage in the culture, expectations and practices of their profession or discipline. This course includes a placement or other community-based unpaid practical experience.

There is a mandatory work component required for completion of this course. Please contact the Course Advisor listed above for information.

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
401219Midwifery Professional Practice 1

2H session

401220Midwifery Professional Practice 2

Spring session

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

Year 2

1H session

401221Midwifery Professional Practice 3

Autumn session

401206Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
401208Research for Nursing and Midwifery
401034Midwifery Knowledge 3

2H session

401222Midwifery Professional Practice 4

Spring session

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

Year 3

1H session

401223Midwifery Professional Practice 5

Autumn session

401039Complex Care 2
401040Collaborative Care
401225Psychosocial Issues in the Perinatal Period

2H session

401224Midwifery Professional Practice 6
401226Midwifery Practice - Global Maternal Health

Spring session

401021Being a Professional Nurse or Midwife
401213Clinical Leadership and Professional Relationships

Midwifery Practice Experience

To enable students to experience midwifery practice across the calendar year as required by ANMAC, all Midwifery Professional Practice units (MPP’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 NMBA 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 base for continuity of care/carer model within the Midwifery Knowledge units. 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 10 women over the course of the Bachelor of Midwifery within this model of care; two women in the first year, three in the second year and five in the third year.

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 a 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 women in the continuity of care model. 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 10 continuity of care experiences across the calendar year, provide the Bachelor of Midwifery curriculum with approximately fifty percent clinical practice and fifty percent theory, which is a requirement of ANMAC.



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