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Course Outline

HLT123 Midwifery Practice 1

Course Coordinator:Anna Robins (arobins@usc.edu.au) School:School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine

2026Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

In this course you develop foundational midwifery knowledge and skills. You undertake clinical experience placements across the maternity care continuum (120 hours). You will be supported and supervised by experienced practitioners and critically self-appraise your practice. Your facilitator will evaluate your work at an introductory student level against the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice. In addition, you will work towards meeting the required midwifery practice experiences for the program and continue your Continuity of Care experiences (CONNECT).

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Laboratory 1 – On campus 2hrs Week 1 8 times
Placement – Clinical placement 120hrs Refer to Format Once Only

Course Topics

Antenatal assessment and care 

Safe medication administration – oral

Safe medication administration – intramuscular and subcutaneous

Early labour assessment, nitrous oxide and water immersion

Vaginal examination, intermittent auscultation, perineal compresses

Normal vaginal birth and variations of normal

Birth of the placenta, postnatal assessment of the woman and newborn

Assessment and care of the newborn, infant nutrition, postnatal care and discharge planning

CONNECT Program – Continuity of Care experiences

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
1 Demonstrate a satisfactory level of midwifery practice according to the national practice standards for registered midwives at an introductory student level. Ethical
Engaged 
1, 2, 3
2 Know and behave in accordance with the National Code of Professional Conduct for Midwives and the Code of Ethics for Midwives. Ethical
Engaged 
3
3 Complete the allocated practice hours and demonstrate progress in meeting the required midwifery practice experiences for the program. Ethical
Engaged 
3, 4, 6

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
1 Standard 1: Promotes health and wellbeing through evidence-based midwifery practice
2 Standard 2: Engages in professional relationships and respectful partnerships
3 Standard 3: Demonstrates the capability and accountability for midwifery practice
4 Standard 4: Undertakes comprehensive assessments
6 Standard 6: Provides safety and quality in midwifery practice

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

HLT121 and HLT132 and enrolled in Program SC393

Co-requisites

HLT121 and HLT132 and students who have received RN pathway credit

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Awareness of the practice of professional communication which is addressed in the pre-requisite pathway.

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Limited Grading (PNP)

Pass (PU), Fail (UF). All assessment tasks are required to be passed for successful completion of the course.

Details of early feedback on progress

You will receive ongoing feedback from clinical supervisors and facilitators as a formative and developmental process. A midway assessment will be completed.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Activity Participation Individual 
10 minute demonstration of practice
750 word self appraisal and action plan
 Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Portfolio Individual 
Refer to format
 Refer to Format Online Submission
All 3 Placement performance Individual 
120 hours
 Refer to Format To Supervisor
All - Assessment Task 1:Practical/Laboratory Skills
Goal: 
To demonstrate your knowledge of clinical skills and woman-centred midwifery practice
Product: Activity Participation
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Video of practice demonstration.
Self appraisal of preparation for practice and development of an action plan for on-going learning including: identification of strengths and learning opportunities; consideration of further development required for clinical confidence and competence; goals set to develop future practice; cohesion and structure in written communication.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrates evidence based practice principles
 1 2
2 
Demonstrates self appraisal and ability to create an action plan for ongoing learning.
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 2:ANMAC Midwifery Practice Experience (MPE)
Goal: 
Evidence of progress towards your achievement of the requirements for ANMAC Midwife Accreditation Standard 8: Midwifery Practice Experience.
Product: Portfolio
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Submit: Within 1 week after completion of clinical placement. 

With regards to the portfolio you are required to:
•	Recruit a total of 4 women for Continuity of Care experiences (CONNECT)
•	Reflection on all completed Continuity of Care experiences
•	Complete a minimum of 60 MPEs (midwifery practice experiences).

Details regarding MPE evidence will be provided by the course coordinator on the course Canvas site.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
The recruitment of a total of 4 women for Continuity of Care experiences (CONNECT)
 1 2 3
2 
Reflection on all completed Continuity of Care experiences
 1 2 3
3 
Completion of a minimum of 60 MPEs
 1 2 3
4 
MPEs meets the requirements for ANMAC Midwife Accreditation Standard 8: Midwifery Practice Experience
 1 2 3
Generic Skills: 

                        

                    

                

                

                    

                        

                            
                                All - Assessment Task 3:Clinical Assessment Tool
                            
                        

                        

                            Goal:
                            
The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate completion of allocated placement for this course and satisfactory competency based on the Practice Standards for Registered Midwives at an introductory level and as measured in theClinical Assessment Tool.

                        

                        

                            Product:
                            Placement performance
                        

                        

                            Authorship Statement:
                            
                        

                        

                            Format:
                            
Submit: Following completion of placement. 

The clinical facilitator will complete the Clinical Assessment Tool including assessment of your competency in all standards and completion of the required hours. The facilitator will discuss the deliberations with you and you will have the opportunity to provide comment on the tool. This will be submitted to the course coordinator for final decision and outcome Ultimate accountability for assessing students in relation to clinical practice (WIL) resides with the course coordinator and grades are finalised through the USC assessment policy and procedures.

Please note: You will receive ongoing feedback as a formative and developmental process. A midway assessment will be completed. Unsatisfactory behaviours which put client safety at risk or which do not adhere with the NMBA Standards for the Registered Midwife, Code of Professional Conduct and/or Code of Ethics criteria and standards may result in your removal from placement.  If you do not meet each standard at a satisfactory standard you will fail the item. Please refer to the clinical placement fact sheets for details..

                        

                        

                            Criteria:
                            
                                

                                    
                                        

                                            No.
                                            
                                            Learning Outcome assessed
                                        

                                    
                                    
                                            

                                                1
                                                
Practice behaviours as measured against the Midwife Standards for Practice and as detailed in the assessment tool

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                2
                                                
Evidence of adherence to the Code of Conduct for Midwives and the Code of Ethics for Midwives criteria and standards

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                3
                                                
Specific goals and plan for practice inclusive of all Midwife Standards for Practice

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                
                                            

                                    
                                

                            		
                        

                        

                            Generic Skills:
                            

                        

                    

                

        

    

    

        

            

                
Directed study hours

                
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

            

        

    


    

        

            

                
What resources do I need to undertake this course?

                

                    Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
                

            


            

                
Prescribed text(s) or course reader

                    

                        You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
                    

                    

                        
                            

                                Required?
                                Author
                                Year
                                Title
                                Edition
                                Publisher
                            

                        
                        
                                

                                    Required
                                    Sally Pairman,Sally K. Tracy,Hannah Dahlen,Lesley Dixon
                                    2018
                                    Midwifery
                                    4th Ed
                                    Elsevier Health Sciences
                                

                                

                                    Required
                                    Sara Bayes,Sally-Ann de-Vitry Smith,Robyn Maude
                                    2018
                                    Skills for Midwifery Practice Australia & New Zealand edition
                                    n/a
                                    Elsevier Health Sciences
                                

                                

                                    Required
                                    Maria Pollard
                                    2017
                                    Evidence-based Care for Breastfeeding Mothers
                                    n/a
                                    Routledge
                                

                                

                                    Required
                                    Nicky Leap,Billie Hunter
                                    2016
                                    Supporting Women for Labour and Birth
                                    n/a
                                    Routledge
                                

                        
                    

            

        


        

            

                
Specific requirements

                    
Students are advised that if the laboratory session has any formal assessment item(s) associated with it, these must be completed even if you have an acceptable reason for non-attendance of that class. It is the student’s responsibility to seek out the course coordinator, at their earliest convenience, to ascertain how they will meet the learning objectives. Failure to satisfactorily complete the tutorial/laboratory work and any associated assessment items may severely impede your chances of meeting the learning outcomes of this course. You will need to wear closed shoes that comply with the USC Health and Safety Policies to any clinical practice laboratory sessions. Your clinical placement may have specific requirements, and information will be provided during your placement orientation. USC uniform as outlined on Canvas is to be worn on placement.

            

        

    


    

        

            
How are risks managed in this course?

            
Risk assessments have been performed for all studio and laboratory classes and a low level of health and safety risk exists. Some risk concerns may include equipment, instruments, and tools; as well as manual handling items within the laboratory. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

        

    


    

        
What administrative information is relevant to this course?


        

            

                
Assessment: Academic Integrity

                
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Additional Requirements

                Limited Graded Course:

This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Institutional Operating Policy of the USC.

In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.
            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Submission penalties

                You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.
            

        


        

            

                
Links to relevant University policy and procedures

                
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

            

        


        

            

                
Student Charter

                
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful.  The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

            

        


        

            

                
General Enquiries

                
  • In person: 
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au

            

        

    







    

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