MW0638 - Professional Practice in Midwifery

On this module you will engage with a variety of teaching and learning strategies including lectures, seminars and directed learning. Activities will be blended to create a mix of face to face and online activities supported by the University’s Electronic Learning Platform (eLP), Blackboard Ultra. Practice scenarios which illustrate women’s journeys and use women’s stories will aid in the application of theory and enable you to understand the woman’s perspective. Lectures will introduce key concepts. These will then be further explored within seminars and workshops, designed to facilitate collaborative learning, developing your inquiry and communication skills, and to signpost you to further reading and learning activities. A range of resources will be used to consolidate your research and communication skills, including technology-enhanced learning and engagement with social media. A fundamental aspect of learning on the module will come from self-reflection of your own academic and professional development, supported by your personal tutor.

The academic staff involved in delivering this module will also provide guidance, to ensure that you are able to confidently engage with the module content. Learning materials, including directed and e-learning will be made available on the eLP. Seminars will form an opportunity for peer support and feedback throughout the module, helping you to develop the evaluation and feedback skills required for effective professional practice and lifelong learning. You will also receive formative feedback from academic staff informally during seminars, to enable you to review your learning in a safe and supportive environment. Group and individual tutorials will further support preparation for the module assessment.

In addition, the module will be supported by University library staff and resources, including study skills support packages. You can access the interactive training via the library webpages or the following link: http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/learning-skills

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 include that 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. Discuss the professional expectations of the midwife in relation to the NMC code.
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the range of research methodologies and evaluation strategies and methods commonly used in midwifery, and their application.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Discuss effective communication skills pertinent to midwifery practice.
4. Critically appraise legal and ethical considerations in relation to midwifery research and professional practice.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Demonstrate skills of reflection and awareness of personal competence and values to inform professional development as a midwife.

Formative Assessment:

Ongoing feedback will be available from tutors throughout the module. Seminars and assessment tutorials will utilise peer and tutor feedback to discuss proposed topics and the search strategy for essay.


Summative Assessment:

A 3000 word essay to meet the learning outcomes of the module (MLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Written feedback will be provided via Turnitin.

N/A

N/A

This module focuses on the midwifery profession and the professional and academic skills required to become an effective midwife whose care will benefit women, their babies and families. Midwives make a critically important contribution to the quality and safety of maternity care. This requires a commitment to continuous professional development, personal reflection and excellent communication skills, and the skill to identify and utilise the best available evidence. Midwives need the knowledge and capability to identify and appraise the quality, appropriateness and sufficiency of the evidence used to inform and evaluate practice; thesekey skills are developed in this module. The professional expectations of midwives isalsoexplored, with a focus on the experience of women and concepts such as informed choice and consent. Ethical considerations within research and practice are explored, including the engagement of service users in research, and legal and professional issues. In addition, the module provides the opportunity to rehearse and develop advanced communication skills.