MW0718 - Midwifery Practice 3

This year long module provides you with the theoretical knowledge to enable learning from a diverse range of clinical learning contexts in which midwives are effectively selecting and utilising ‘Universal’ and ‘Additional’ midwifery skills to optimise the outcomes for mothers and babies. This is the third and final practice module in your programme and requires that you demonstrate proficiency with appropriate supervision (this may be direct or indirect supervision). The interrelationship between the supervising midwife and the student is founded upon an expectation of learning discussions developing to the level of ‘professional to professional’ across all settings. To support and self-monitor their progress towards this level of proficiency, students will participate in peer review and peer teaching opportunities in both clinical learning contexts and academic learning contexts.

You will learn through practice learning, independent learning, peer-assisted learning, interprofessional learning, buddy online groups, e-learning and lectures. There will be opportunities to learn from your real-life experiences and those of your peers as well as case scenarios applicable to your practice learning. You will undertake self-assessment of your own needs for the achievement of proficiency as a midwife; the content you identify will act as triggers for you to explore relevant theory and develop the evidence base which supports assessment of your competence. We are mindful that you will have a range of preferences for student-led and group work, but we do expect you all to thoroughly prepare for and participate in these sessions.

In order to support the application of theory into the practice context the module expects (a) flow from university learning into practice learning, for example, you will learn about and rehearse approaches to enhance personal and professional resilience in order to contribute and learn within continuity of care and carer models and approaches. (b) flow from practice learning into university learning, for example student reflection on clinical experiences that demonstrate register-readiness, with exploration of the relevant theory, research/evidence base/NMC Code and other legislation.

Practice learning will be provided by clinical colleagues; those facilitating and assessing your learning have undertaken appropriate post-registration preparation in order to offer constructive feedback and to make robust assessment of practice outcomes. The use of simulated learning is integral to this module, ranging from group role play/discussions, through to the use of high-fidelity Sim Mom and SimNewbie to create ‘close to reality’ scenarios. This simulation will be developed appropriately from year 1 and 2 of the programme; in year 3 simulation is used to consolidate the inter-relationship between the knowledge and skill selection that enable midwives to proficiently respond to women’s needs. Clinical skills teaching will be offered so that students can provide simulation experience evidence towards those proficiency standards that describe care needs that are not commonplace and may not be encountered during the clinical learning associated with the programme; for examples SPM 10.19: providing care and support required by parents who have more than one baby and experience both loss and survival at the same time, recognising the psychological challenge of dealing with bereavement while also adapting to parenthood. IP9.10 providing care for women who have experienced female genital mutilation. You will also continue to develop your competence around numeracy and the safe management of medication (including drug calculations via SafeMedicate or equivalent drug calculation/medicines management exam platform) (SPM 1.23, 3.19).

Completion of your Midwifery Ongoing Record of Achievement (MORA) reaches its conclusion in this module. With the support of your Practice Assessor (PA) and Academic Assessor (AA) you will secure the opportunities to ensure that you demonstrate proficiency in all the skills required by midwifery students to achieve registration. You will use the skills associated with being an empowered learner to elicit, interpret and effectively respond to Practice Supervisor (PS) feedback and your own reflections, with minimal direction. Through your MORA you will evidence experience of:

• Support and care for women during pregnancy via undertaking no less than 100 antenatal examinations
• Support and care for no less than 40 women in labour and facilitate the birth. In exceptional circumstances this may be reduced to a minimum of 30 births but with care for an additional 20 women giving birth
• Participate in the support and care of women in labour having a breech birth. Where there is no opportunity in practice to obtain this experience, simulation used.
• Support and care for no less than 100 women postnatally and 100 healthy newborns.
• Support and care for no less than 40 women who have additional care needs or develop complications, including those related to physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual factors.
• Support and care for newborn infants requiring additional care or have complications including in a neonatal unit
• Care for women across the life course with additional sexual and reproductive health needs.

You will explore contemporary debates through working together to consider the key issues facing women and midwives to critically engage with research to inform practice. You will be supported by your peer group of students who will give you informal feedback and formative feedback as you participate in the learning activities. Your module team will encourage you to access the extensive online support to enable you to participate in the University’s commitment to technology enhanced learning, resulting in developing the skills to present your opinions and viewpoint across a variety of media and techniques.

You will be encouraged to engage and demonstrate your leadership qualities in a variety of learning opportunities including directed study, practical sessions, and seminars. Developing your evidence-based care for the women, as an autonomous practitioner as you prepare to be register ready for NMC registration. You will be afforded the opportunity to develop your skills in leadership and further education, supporting students in other year groups and progressing in your confidence and role as Practice Supervisor (PS) on qualification.

As with all modules on the programme, successful achievement requires a robust system of support and guidance to help you focus your learning needs. You will be supported in both academic and practice learning environments. In university your lecturers, personal tutor and Academic Assessors (AA) will encourage your engagement with the variety of support services both available at the university and external to the university, to develop your academic and clinical skills. In practice, your PSs, PA and AA will support you to identify your learning development opportunities and your learning needs through regular practice learning formative feedback from your PA, with oversight from your AA. This is usually in action planning cycles, to meet the specified outcomes for practice learning and progress towards assessment and achievement of NMC registration.

The University’s Electronic Learning Platform (eLP), Blackboard Ultra, offers remote access to learning materials used by tutors and signposts you to a range of resources that complement and reinforce face-to-face learning. The University Library can help you enhance your learning skills, including academic writing, academic reading, searching, and referencing. You can access the interactive training via the library webpages or the following link: http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/learning-skills . In addition, the module team will provide group tutorials at relevant points in the year and respond to questions via the eLP and MORA e-folio workspace, so that the whole group, and their practice learning teams (Practice Assessors and Practice Supervisors) can benefit.

Ask4Help online (accessed through your student portal) provides a comprehensive range of answers to frequently asked questions and is of benefit to students as a central point of reference for information about many different topics. Ask4Help face to face service points are located at Coach Lane Library (ground floor).

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

You will be expected to:

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Convey and critique your knowledge and understanding across midwifery practice, demonstrating how midwives can optimise biological, psychological, social, and cultural outcomes for women, neonates and families.
2. Utilise critical self-reflection to develop safe medicines practice, including the required numeracy skills to pass the SafeMedicate assessment, and the skills needed for onward development in medicines management.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Demonstrate completion of the minimum requirements, proficiencies, skills and attributes required for final progression to registration as a midwife.
4. Critically evaluate the impact of different models of clinical leadership and midwifery practice on the provision of high-quality maternity care.
5. Critically analyse your own contribution to midwifery care in relation to decision-making and courageous transformational leadership.
6. Appraise your contribution to contemporary midwifery practice and demonstrate proficiency in the provision of the Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE).

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
7. Display the requirements of the NMC Code and adhere to the legal and ethical frameworks related to the registered midwife as you consider the challenges arising in contemporary maternity care, reflecting on the link to your own values.

Formative assessment:

You will be given ongoing feedback from tutors during skills teaching and practicals, and peer feedback is encouraged. Online learning materials will again enable you to self-assess your learning needs. Seminars and assessment tutorials will utilise peer and tutor feedback to discuss proposed topics and the search strategy for the essay.

You will be guided to consider the evidence required to inform the practice assessment. In the clinical area, formal formative review of your progress by your Practice Supervisors and Practice Assessor is embedded within the MORA.



Summative Assessment:

1. 3000-word leadership assignment (50%)
(MLO 1, 4, 5)

2. OSCE (50%) – 30-minute demonstration of the skills required for NIPE.
(MLO 6)

3. 60-minute SafeMedicate exam (or equivalent drug calculation/medicines management exam platform)(pass/fail)
(MLO 2)

4. Completion of MORA (Pass/Fail)
Practice evidence that MORA has been completed (this includes that all the NMC range, experience, volume and time requirements for the practical and clinical aspects of the midwifery programme have been achieved).
(MLO 1, 2, 3, 7)

Written feedback for the leadership assignment and the OSCE will be provided via Turnitin.

N/A

N/A

This final year module will support you in consolidating theory and contemporary practice, ready for your professional career in midwifery. Practice learning focuses upon increasing autonomy by enabling you to meet the proficiencies required and rehearse these with appropriate supervision by a registered midwife. Whilst demonstrating the skills for universal and additional care, you will develop your own personal style to deliver safe and effective midwifery practice. The module will be assessed through a holistic review of practice performance in which you utilise your continuity experience and practice learning achievements to demonstrate how you meet the module learning outcomes and your readiness to join the NMC register as a midwife.