The Work of Birth (7943.2)

Required texts

Required texts

Pairman, S., Tracy, S., Thorogood, C. & Pincombe, J. (2015) Preparation for practice. 3^rd Ed. Sydney, Australia: Elsevier

Recommended texts

Coad, J. (2011). Anatomy and physiology for midwives. (3^rd ed.). Edinburgh, Scotland: Elsevier Mosby. RG 558.C63 2011

Fraser, D. & Cooper, M. (2009). Myles textbook for midwives. Edinburgh, Scotland: Churchill Livingstone RG524.M98 2009

Johnson, R. & Taylor, W. (2010). Skills for midwifery practice. (3^rd ed). Edinburgh, Scotland: Elsevier. RG950.J64 2010 

Jordan, S. (2010). Pharmacology for midwives: The evidence base for safe practice. (2^nd ed). New York, USA: Palgrave.  RG528.J67 2010

Other useful sources

Allen, T., Eby, L., & Malden M. (2007). The Blackwell handbook of mentoring: a multiple perspectives approach. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Arney, W. (1982). The power and the profession of obstetrics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Bowden, J., & Manning, V. (2006). Health promotion in midwifery: Principles and practice. (2nd ed.). London: Hodder Arnold.

Browning, C.J.,& Thomas, S.A. (2005). Behavioural change: an evidence-based handbook for social and public health.  Edinburgh: Elsevier/Churchill Livingston.

Bryar, R., & Sinclair, M. (2011). Theory for midwifery practice. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Byrom, S., & Downe, S. (2015). The Roar behind the Silence: Why Kindness, Respect and Compassion Matter in Maternity Care, UK: Printer & Martin.

Chester, P. (1997). Sisters on a journey. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

Coad, J., & Dunstall, M. (2011). Anatomy and physiology for midwives (3^rded). Edinburgh: Elsevier Mosby.

Cochard, L. (2012). Netter's atlas of human embryology. Philadelphia, USA:  Saunders.

Davies, L., Daellenbach, R., & Kensington, M. (2011). Sustainability,Mmidwifery and Birth. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Davis, E. (1997). Heart and hands: A midwife's guide to pregnancy and birth (3rd ed). Berkley, California, USA: Celestial Arts.

Edwards, G., & Byrom, S. (2007). Essential midwifery practice: Public Health. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. Ltd. 

England, P. & Horowitz, R. (1998).  Birthing from within. Albuquerque, NM: Partera Press.

Fahy, K., Foureur, M. & Hastie, C. (Eds.). (2008). Birth Territory and Midwifery Guardianship. Edinburgh, UK: Butterwork Heinemann Elsevier.

Flint, C. (1986). Sensitive midwifery. London, UK: Heinemann.

Gatford, J., & Phillips, N. (2011). Nursing calculations. (8^th ed.). Sydney: Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier Australia.

Gaskin, I.M. (2002). Spiritual midwifery (4^th ed). Summertown, TN: Book Publishing Co.

Goer, H. (1999). The thinking woman's guide to a better birth. New York, USA: Berkley Publishing.

Guilliland, K. & Pairman, S. (1995). The midwifery partnership. A model for practice. Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington.

Homer, C., Brodie, P., & Leap, N. (2008). Midwifery Continuity of Care: A practical guide, Sydney: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Kitzinger, S. (2005). The politics of birth. Edinburgh, Scotland: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann.

Kirkham, M. (Ed) (2010). The midwife-mother relationship (2nd ed). Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Leap, N. & Hunter, B. (2016). Supporting women for labour and birth: a thoughtful guide. Oxon, UK: Routledge.

Murphy-Lawless, J. (1998). Reading birth and death: a history of obstetric thinking.  Bloomington, USA:  Indiana University Press.

Nettleton, S. (2006). The sociology of health and illness (2^nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Malden, MA : Polity Press.

New Zealand College of Midwives. (2008). Midwives handbook for practice. Christchurch, NZ: New Zealand College of Midwives.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (2018). Midwife standards for practice Retrieved on 4th July 2018 from http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/

Noble, C (Ed).(2002). Birth stories. Sydney, Australia: Homebirth Access.

O'Brien, K. (2005). Birth stories. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

Odent, M. (1995). Birth reborn. London, UK:  Blackwelll.

Page, L., & McCandlish, R. (2006). The new midwifery: science and sensitivity in practice (2nd ed). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Staunton, P., & Chiarella, M. (2013). Law for nurses and midwives (7^th ed). Sydney, Australia: Elsevier.

Stewart, M. (Ed). (2000). Pregnancy birth and maternity care: A feminist perspective. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science.

Tew, M. (1995). Safer childbirth?  London, UK: Chapman Hall.

Wagner, M. (1994). Pursuing the birth machine: The search for appropriate birth technology. Sydney, Australia: Ace Graphics.

Journals

Birth

Breastfeeding Review

British Journal of Midwifery

Evidenced Based Midwifery

Health Care for Women International

Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health

MIDIRS Midwifery Digest

Midwifery

New Zealand College of Midwives Journal

The Practising Midwife

Women and Birth

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

General guidelines for a written paper:

Presentation: The paper should be word-processed, with 1.5 line spacing.  Each page should have a 2.5 cm margin on all sides. Pages should be numbered.

Structure: Academic writing style must be maintained throughout the assessments.  There are many texts available about organising and presenting papers in the library and bookshop. 

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 6th method of referencing throughout their assessments. The following useful resource on referencing is available at: https://canberra.libguides.com/referencing

Returning Assessments and Feedback to students: Assessments will be returned electronically via the unit's Canvas site with feedback attached.

Late submission

“Penalties for late submission of assessed work will be applied. Marks will be deducted at the rate of 5% of the value of the assessment item per day it is overdue (including weekends). For example, if an assignment is worth 100 marks, 5 marks will be deducted each day”

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 (2013).  Because we understand that students have multi-rolled lives, three seminar absences (the equivalent of 3 hours each) in the period from the beginning of planned classes until the end of the semester, will be accepted.  However, these absences are tolerated based on the expectation that students will seek out information on content and processes which they have missed.  If students regularly miss timetabled seminars, they will be expected to write a 500 word synopsis about their learning on the topic/s of any missed sessions (beyond the three) for possible submission to the Unit Convenor/s. 

Required IT skills

Students are expected to use the online database DAISY.  Please speak to the unit convener if you need assistance.

In-unit costs

You do not have to purchase texts for this unit but as busy students who are also involved in midwifery practice, you may find it most useful to do so. Texts recommended for the unit will be used throughout the Bachelor of Midwifery course.

Work placement, internships or practicums

Students are rquired to complete a student placement form to undertake their practice-based work. This form is available on the unit site of Canvas.

Students are required to undertake midwifery practice in a ‘continuity of care' experiences model this semester.  Based on being ‘paired up' with 7 named childbearing women, students undertake antenatal visits, are on call for and attend the women's labours and undertake postnatal visits. There are variations of course between women and between experiences, so each ‘continuity experience' will be slightly different.  For the purposes of this semester's requirements, students need to attend 3 antenatal visits for each of the 7 women, 3 postnatal visits for each of the 7 women and attend 5 of the 7 women's labours and births (a minimum for each student in working with 7 women equals 21 antenatal visits, 21 postnatal visits and 5 labours and births).  In this semester, progress towards midwifery competency and towards achieving the ‘midwifery minimum practice requirements' is build upon the student's continuity work.  A total of 10 continuity experiences are required in the 1st full year of the Bachelor of Midwifery. Seven (7) is the required number of continuity experiences for this unit if 3 have been undertaken in Semester 1.  

Midwifery continuity experiences both in the community setting and in hospital maternity units are an essential part of the Bachelor of Midwifery. They enable knowledge to be embedded in a practical context through the use of trained preceptors. This experience cannot be attained in any other settings. The control of access to hospital facilities derives from contractual arrangements with ACT Health and other hospitals and the University is obliged to accept the rules and regulations that govern whom they will accept into those premises. It is beyond the University's control to pressure the health facilities to change their acceptability requirements.

The successful completion of the midwifery practice is a mandatory element of this unit and the assessment of the unit. Some or all of the external agencies require a police check prior to permitting a student to undertake the practice. The results of the police check may be used as a basis to refuse access to practice at the external agency. This decision is solely at the discretion of the external agency. Students unable to gain access to midwifery practice at agencies approved by the University are unable to complete the mandatory requirements of the course. In this case the student will receive a NX (fail) grade and will not be eligible for a refund of any fees. If the successful completion of a unit is a mandatory requirement for the completion of a course, an inability to complete the unit means the student is unable to complete the requirements of the course.

Students also need to note that the external agency reserves the right to withdraw access to practice at any time prior to or during a placement at the sole discretion of the agency.  In these circumstances the same implications noted above will apply.
 
Students also need to note that the student bears the full risk in relation to loss of access to practice and the University will not be liable if an agency withdraws access to practice because of the actions or omissions of a student.

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 or the Midspace forum in Moodle. Further information can be obtained from http://www.ahpra.gov.au/ and search for social media document.

Student Registration

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

Additional information

Midwifery is a complex course because of both the theory and practice requirements, so please do not remain quietly worried.  The Course Convenor, the Unit Convenor, and your midwifery mentor are here to help you.  We want you to become useful and connected midwives by learning in a supported environment, so please let us know if you feel very challenged.  Most things can be sorted out quickly and easily if we know.  We will also help with more complex issues.

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 ‘The Work of Birth' website at http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au/ for messages at least weekly.

The Health Resource Centre (HLRC) is located in 12C24. It is a facility designed to enhance the learning and university experience for health students with a particular emphasis on students in their first year. A drop-in service of students helping students is also available. Visit the HLRC Coordinator for more details. The Midwifery Practice Room (10A2) is available for students to use when it is not in use for timetabled classes.  

• Semester 2, 2018, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (180386)