Partnering in Maternity Practice (11952.1)
| 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 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 continuity of care model across the childbearing continuum;
2. Achieve a satisfactory WIL level as evidenced by completion of the practice portfolio; and
3. Collaborate with women and the health care team while maintaining a woman-centred midwifery philosophy and practice.
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 - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
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 - 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 - 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
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 - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
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
11951 Working in Maternity PracticeCorequisites
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Bruce, Canberra | Winter Term | 26 May 2025 | On-campus | Dr Glenys Frank |
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Winter Term | 08 June 2026 | On-campus | Dr Glenys Frank |
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.
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
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) 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.
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 the student's performance does not satisfactorily improve, as determined by the unit convenor with input from relevant parties, despite the learning plan, the student will fail the practice unit. The student will also fail the unit if the learning plan is not satisfactorily completed, or the initial feedback was deemed very serious by the unit convenor. 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.
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
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.
Work placement, internships or practicums
This unit involves work integrated learning: Placement or Internship/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 have completed the relevant requirements prior to commencement of your Placement or Internship.
You are also required to complete details in InPlace, refer to inplace.canberra.edu.au. If you have any queries related to InPlace please contact placement@canberra.edu.au.
