MID524 Challenges in Midwifery Practice (8)

Abstract

MID524 provides the student with the opportunity to explore topics that impact on the health and well-being of the woman and the fetus/newborn; including alcohol, tobacco and other substance misuse, environmental and occupational risk factors. Ethical challenges and legal issues in midwifery practice, having been briefly explored in previous subjects are a focus of this subject. Midwifery care of the unwell neonate and their family is explored in depth. Breastfeeding when difficulties are experienced by the woman or baby and formula feeding are covered in this subject. The subject concludes with an exploration of the benefits and risks of ‘over the counter’ medications and an introduction to complementary therapies. Students are encouraged to apply knowledge gained in this subject to their practice as a midwife.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Session 1
Online	Wagga Wagga Campus
Session 2
Online	Wagga Wagga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: MID524
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration	Grading System	School:
One session	HD/FL	School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health

Enrolment restrictions

Available to students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery course as a compulsory subject for pre-registration midwifery students. Available as an elective to currently practising, registered midwives enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery, Master of Midwifery, Bachelor of Nursing Science or Master of Nursing courses.

Prerequisite(s)
MID441 and MID452 and MID443 or MID444

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

Be able to outline the theoretical underpinning to providing woman-centred midwifery care when the childbearing woman uses alcohol, tobacco, over the counter pharmacological and other non-prescribed drugs;
Be able to identify environmental and occupational risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum;
Be able to recognise ethical dilemmas in midwifery and suggest methods / strategies to help resolve them in order to base midwifery practice on ethical decision making;
Be able to analyse national and international midwifery codes of ethics to enhance critical thinking and moral reasoning;
Be able to function in accordance with legislation and common law affecting midwifery practice, accepting accountability and responsibility for own actions within midwifery practice;
Be able to assess, plan, provide and evaluate safe and effective midwifery care for the newborn with complex needs, providing woman-centred (by definition includes those who the woman identifies as being significant to her) midwifery care when the newborn has complex needs;
Be able to assess, plan, provide and evaluate safe and effective midwifery care when the baby is stillborn or dies soon after birth;
Be able to demonstrate the theoretical underpinning of how to optimise nutrition when the newborn is formula fed;
Be able to critically appraise the use of complementary therapies in midwifery practice.

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:

Module 1: Risk factors related to the environment, occupation and substance use
Module 2: Ethical challenges and legal issues in midwifery practice
Module 3: Midwifery care of the unwell neonate
Module 4: Newborn nutrition in complex situations
Module 5: Complementary therapies

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The information contained in the 2017 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 25 August 2017. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.