MW0716 - Midwifery Practice 2

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 explicitly demonstrating the use of their midwifery proficiency skills. This is the second practice module in your programme and requires that you demonstrate that you can contribute to women's care with decreasing supervision and direction (SPM 1.1). In the clinical learning context this means that the interrelationship between the supervising midwife and the student midwife adapts as appropriate to the learning opportunities as the students' skills from year 1 develop during this year of the programme. This enables more participation and less observation where appropriate.

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 emergency maternity skills in a simulated environment; and (b) flow from practice learning into university learning, for example directed reflection on clinical experiences with exploration of the relevant theory and research/evidence base. There will be opportunities to learn from your real-life experiences and those of your peers as well as case scenarios applicable to your placement stream.

The use of simulated learning is integral throughout this module ranging from group role play/discussions, through to the use of high-fidelity Sim Mom and Sim Newbie to create ‘close to reality’ scenarios to promote skill and knowledge development.

Your completion of the Midwifery Ongoing Record of Achievement (MORA) continues in this module. You will draw on the experiences you are gaining in other modules to effectively manage your own learning and with the support of your Practice Assessor (PA) and Academic Assessor (AA), you will use the skills associated with being an empowered learner to interpret Practice Supervisor (PS) feedback and offer appropriate responses and actions. PSs will facilitate the learning identified by the PA, and AA, as relevant for this stage of your programme. It is expected that Universal Midwifery Skills are well developed.

In relation to your ongoing development as a professional, your skills and knowledge will be enhanced and applied to the expectations of the NMC Code. In order to provide care in complex situations you will develop your knowledge and skills in relation to patient safety, referral and decision-making. These areas of practice require that you are able to understand and collaboratively work across professional boundaries, recognising the impact of the context of care provision on the personal and professional leadership skills you need to demonstrate in practice.

As with all modules on the programme, successful achievement requires a robust system of support and guidance to help focus your learning needs. You will be supported in both the academic and practice learning environments. In university, lecturers and personal tutors will continue to provide you with support to develop your academic and clinical skills. In clinical practice, your Practice Assessor, Practice Supervisors and Academic Assessors will guide and support you to identify your learning needs to support and prepare you to meet the learning outcomes that will be assessed.

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. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

You will be expected to:

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Debate and systematically apply the relevant theory that underpins care practices through which midwives may meet the needs of women who require additional care and or emergency care across the childbirth continuum.
2. Develop a comprehensive body of knowledge and practical understanding to ensure the wellbeing the fetus/neonate, including when challenges, complications or long-term conditions are present.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

3. Work more independently to perform a variety of specified clinical skills safely and effectively.
4. Critique the role of the midwife in maintaining a safe and supportive environment for women and infants experiencing complex care pathways.
5. Formulate one’s own knowledge and develop new skills to a high level through the use of critical self-reflection to develop safe medicines practice, including the required numeracy skills.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
6. Critically reflect upon your ability to communicate with women, families and members of the multidisciplinary team in challenging circumstances.
7. Debate the principles of ethical and professional midwifery practice whilst adhering to the NMC Code.

Formative assessment:

You will be given ongoing feedback from tutors during skills teaching, practicals and tutorials, and peer feedback is encouraged. Online learning materials, relating to childbirth emergencies, pathophysiology and high dependency care and medicines management will enable you to self-assess your learning needs.

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. 30 minute Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) (100%)
Demonstration of the skills required for the effective management of a range of childbirth emergencies.
(MLO’s 1, 3, 4, 6, 7)

2. 60 minute SafeMedicate exam (or equivalent drug calculation/medicines management exam platform) (pass/fail)
(MLO 5)

3. Completion of MORA (pass/fail)
Practice evidence that MORA has been completed for Domain 6 proficiencies relevant to this stage in the programme (ALL MLOs).

Written feedback for the OSCE will be provided via Turnitin.

N/A

N/A

Building on the skills and knowledge developed in year one and applying your theoretical learning from this and other modules, you will be able to demonstrate and discuss the care required to monitor the wellbeing of a woman and her fetus/neonate when challenges, emergencies, complications or long-term conditions are present. You will have the opportunity to work across professional boundaries, in providing care in hospital-based services for those with additional needs; this will include transitional care of the neonate. As midwives are pivotal in organising and referring women to the appropriate health professionals, learning in this module will enable you to identify deviations from the normal, institute emergency measures and/or refer to other professionals, and work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the women and their babies.