POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF MIDWIFERY - 2020/1

Module provider

School of Health Sciences

Module Leader

PILLAY Leontia (Health Sci.)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

JACs code: B720

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

 Directed reading

Module content

The role of the midwife, including:

• What is midwifery?


• History, politics & philosophy of midwifery


• Feminism


• Royal College of Midwives


• Autonomous practice


• Record keeping


• Facilitation of choice


• Becoming a reflective practitioner

The planning and delivery of midwifery care during a normal, low risk pregnancy including:

• assessment and planning of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care of

      mother and baby

• screening and diagnostic testing


• effects of alcohol and smoking on pregnancy and fetus


• keeping babies safe

Infant feeding, including:

• breastfeeding attitudes and trends


• Baby Friendly Initiative


• what is and is not helpful in the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding


• choices available to women 

Pharmacology, including:

• pharmacological and non-pharmacological analgesia for labour


• the effects of drugs on mother, fetus and neonate


• the administration of medicines

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of specific module learning outcomes, namely:

·         Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the midwife in providing complete, holistic, individualised care to women and their families in the childbearing continuum

·         Show an awareness of the potential influences on women’s decision making, and how they can empower women to make choices regarding their own care

·         Understand the importance of working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, with particular reference to effective communication and problem solving

 

Whilst students are expected to elude to the other learning outcomes, particularly the need for midwives to work within a regulatory framework, this is not expected to be examined in depth

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

·         A 2000 word essay – 100%

·         This essay shall address the marked learning outcomes of the module, clearly linking the midwives role and responsibilities to the above scenario. This will include reference to the information that the midwife might give Alison to empower her to make informed choices in regard to care planning, as well as demonstrating a critical understanding of the information gathered at the booking appointment. 






Do this by giving a general, overarching,  critical discussion of the booking appointment (which may include some or all of the following), and then examining two of the following areas in detail:

• Maternal screening


• Fetal screening


• Dietary advice


• Lifestyle advice – smoking, alcohol, exercise


• Mental health

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Whilst learning outcome 3 is not expected to be addressed in detail, it is expected that the student will demonstrate an understanding of the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) Code in relation to this scenario

·         It is expected that in this assignment the student will go beyond listing what takes place at a booking appointment, and will undertake a critical examination of why procedures discussed are undertaken by the midwife.

·         The student should demonstrate breadth, depth and understanding of the subject by supporting any arguments/discussion with a range of appropriate literature, which must go beyond using just textbooks. It is expected that students will use current journal articles to support their arguments/discussions.

·         Critical engagement with source material, using skills learnt from other modules, will increase marks (see undergraduate grade descriptors). It is expected that source material will be from primary sources; do not use of patient information leaflets as source material, although it is acceptable to use examples of information to be given to Alison.

·         The essay is expected to be clearly structured, with a logical flow. It is expected that it will be written in the third person, and that the student will demonstrate effective interpretation and paraphrasing of sources. The references will follow the Health and Social Care Guidelines

 

Formative assessment -  individual discussion of essay plan and a section of the essay in a timetabled tutorial

Feedback - At formative tutorial meeting and throughout module

Module aims

• Students will begin to explore the role of the midwife, and how this role relates to the women in their care. They will develop an understanding of the philosophy behind providing women-centred midwifery care in a safe and professional manner, with the emphasis being on normality within the childbearing continuum. They will recognise the importance of being able to work within a multicultural context, respecting the values and beliefs of others, be they clients or colleagues
•  This module will compliment the other modules within the semester, and enable students to gain the knowledge required for aspects of caring for, and providing advice to, low risk mothers and their babies.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The module will be delivered utilising different approaches depending on the content being taught. Approaches to be used will include lectures, workshops, seminars, self-directed learning and workbooks

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

Reading list for POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF MIDWIFERY : http://aspire.surrey.ac.uk/modules/nur1034

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.