Working in Maternity Practice (11951.1)
| 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 |
| Midwifery | Level 2 - Undergraduate Intermediate 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. Apply midwifery cognitive and technical skills within a woman-centred framework across the childbearing continuum;
2. Achieve a satisfactory WIL level as evidenced by completion of the practice portfolio;
3. Collaborate with women and the health care team while maintaining a woman-centred midwifery philosophy and practice; and
4. Articulate the transition from reflective to reflexive practice and apply critical thinking to working with women experiencing complexity.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
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 - evaluate and adopt new technology
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
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
Prerequisites
11335 Growing a Family AND11334 The Work of Birth or 11947 Knowing Postnatal Practices AND
10298 Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology or 6529 Systemic Anatomy and Physiology.
Corequisites
None.Incompatible units
11295 Women In Pregnancy and BeyondEquivalent units
None.Assumed knowledge
None.| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 16 February 2026 | On-campus | Dr Glenys Frank |
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | On-campus | Dr Glenys Frank |
Required texts
de-Vitry Smith, S., & Bayes, S. (2022). Skills for Midwifery Practice Australian & New Zealand Edition 2E (2nd ed.). 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.
Guidelines
Australian College of Midwives. (2021). National Midwifery Guidelines for Consultation and Referral (4th edn.). Australian College of Midwives.
Department of Health. (2020). Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy Care. Australian Government Department of Health. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/11/pregnancy-care-guidelines-pregnancy-care-guidelines.pdf
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.
Websites
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/transition-quality-use-medicines-programs
Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Guidelines http://ranzcog.edu.au/resources/statements-and-guidelines-directory/
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
Submission of assessment items
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. Back up your work. You must keep a copy of your assignments.
General guidelines for a written paper
Presentation: Journals should be submitted in a word document, with 1.5 line spacing and a normal (2.5 cm) margin on all sides. Pages should be numbered. Font size should be 10 -12 and the Font style used must be clear and easily read. A title page should be included with your unit name and number, student ID (not name), date due/submitted, any extensions, word limit and actual word count Structure: Academic writing style must be maintained throughout the assessments. There are many texts available about organising and presenting papers in the library and online.
Clarity and Expression: Concepts should be discussed clearly and concisely. Assessments must demonstrate correct grammatical expression and spelling. Poor grammar obscures meaning. It is very useful to ask someone else to proof read your submission to eliminate errors.
Referencing requirements: Students must use the APA 7th method of referencing throughout their assessments. The following useful resource on referencing is available at: https://canberra.libguides.com/c.php?g=599301&p=4148716. The library chat (widget on library home page) and the Ask Advisors in the library are great resources for referencing help.
Returning Assessments and Feedback to students: Assessments will be returned electronically via the unit's UCLearn site with feedback attached.
Special assessment requirements
Gen AI Restricted
The use of GenAI is NOT allowed in completing the assessments for this unit.
Students are permitted to use Studiosity Writing Feedback Plus to seek feedback on the drafts of their assignments.
Additional Extension Information
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. Students need to factor in WIL requirements when completing assignments. Students can apply for an extension using the Assessment Policy to an assessment item due date using the assignment extension form available from the Student Forms page and the Canvas site. Unit convenors can use their discretion to approve an extension of three days on these grounds.
An extension must be applied for before the due date.
Documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate) 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 Academic Integrity Module 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 University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.
Participation requirements
Attendance at classes is compulsory in this course, as per the Bachelor of Midwifery curriculum approved by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Board in 2023. We understand that your lives are multi-roled and complex, and that sometimes being on call will mean students will be attending women in labour during our face-to-face sessions. We will record sessions thus providing an opportunity for students to catch up on missed content. Students will be required to write a 500 word synopsis about their learning on any missed major topics and submit the 500 words within two weeks of their absence (or as negotiated with the Unit Convenor). In this way, students both demonstrate their learning on missed content and still share the learning processes with their co-students. ‘Attendance modifications will be allowed for regional students who have discussed attendance with the unit coordinator.
Note well: Please do not make 'FirstVisit' (Booking in/PAC) appointments with women during scheduled classes and please arrive at all practice with appropriate ID and dress.
Expected engagement for this unit includes:
- Pre-placement activities
- 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 2 hours of class each week (in-person)
- Reflective journalling
In total, this work is expected to equal approximately 10 hours of work each week.
Learner engagement is monitored via class attendance, engagement in online activities, and monitoring use of the UCLearn site. 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 IT ServiceDesk on 6201 5500 or email servicedesk@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.
Students are required to undergo a number of requirements to undertake practice placement for this course. These include medical assessments, vaccinations, police check and a Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) background check. Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their own checks through the Australian Federal Police and the ACT Office of Regulatory Services.
You are also required to complete details in InPlace, please refer to inplace.canberra.edu.au. If you have any queries related to InPlace please contact placement@canberra.edu.au.
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 Facebook or Twitter. 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 your mentors or in your journal. Further information can be obtained from http://www.ahpra.gov.au/ - 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 University of Canberra 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 at seminars are deemed to be made to the whole group. Important announcements will be repeated on the unit website. Please check the ‘Knowing Antenatal Practice' website at: http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au/ and your e-mail for messages at least weekly.
Professional boundaries
Midwifery students need debriefing about many experiences that occur during the Bachelor of Midwifery course, particularly in the clinical areas. Midwifery students are able to ring the university lecturers, staff, and the practising support midwives to receive this debriefing. As a midwifery student, unless it is an urgent phone call that is needed, students should refrain from approaching the above staff out of hours, which includes texting. We understand that as a midwifery student, you may also approach the clinical midwife that you are working with, but also be cognisant about doing this within working hours for these midwives as well. We provide our mobile phone numbers for a very good reason, for those circumstances that need addressing immediately. For those matters that could be addressed during the work hours, please be respectful of the staff's availability at that time.
When following your COC women on the pregnancy journey, ensure that you do not have a conflict of interest with this woman. An example of a conflict of interest is that you are her friend, or a family member. This ensures that you have a professional relationship with the woman and reduces the chance of you working outside your scope of practice as a midwifery student.
Makeup shifts
All students please be aware that if you are falling behind in your birth catches, there will be plenty of opportunities to do makeup shifts as we are working closely with the ACT Clinical Placement Office. If you are in NSW and need to do make up shifts, please notify Sophie Wrigley if you are falling behind in your catches.
