Course Outline
MID702 Care of the unwell neonate
Course Coordinator:Elaine Jefford (ejefford@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Midwifery
2026Session 4
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement. |
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
This course provides the opportunity to critically explore the fetal and newborn developing complexities during pregnancy, birth and the perinatal period within a multidisciplinary approach. This will encompass, national and international gender-based and social justice issues diagnostic testing, screening and management, digital health, pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches that impact upon midwifery care for the unwell neonate when going home. Legal, regulatory, professional frameworks and ethical issues are examined. You will undertake clinical experience in a variety of clinical settings (80 hours) and continuation of continuity of care experiences (CoCE).
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Online | |||
| Learning materials – Online asynchronous learning and teaching materials and options for lecturer and peer to peer collaborations, and lecturer and peer zoom drop ins. | 5hrs | Week 1 | 8 times |
| Placement – Clinical placement onsite | 80hrs | Week 1 | Once Only |
Course Topics
- Neonatal circulation and transition to extra-uterine life.
- Culturally appropriate midwifery care for the unwell neonate including genetic and metabolic or medical disorders.
- Infant nutrition.
- Family-centred care and collaboration with the multidisciplinary team when going home.
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches.
- Diagnostic testing, screening, and digital health.
- Legal, regulatory, and professional ethical, gender-based and social justice in the neonatal care context.
Mature Content
What level is this course?
700 Level (Specialised)
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 | Analyse the role of the midwife in discussing culturally and ethically safe midwifery care during complex situations. | Creative and critical thinker |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 2, 3.2, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.3 |
| 2 | Critically explore factors that contribute to normal and altered transition of the foetus to neonate that result in an unwell infant. | Knowledgeable |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.3, 3.6, 4.1, 5.1, 6.3 |
| 3 | Discuss advanced pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches to an unwell neonate. | Knowledgeable |
1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 |
| 4 | Critically examine national and international legal, regulatory, professional, and ethical concepts, including gender-based and social justice as they relate to care of an unwell neonate. | Creative and critical thinker |
1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 7.3 |
| 5 | Apply principles and practices of academic writing, referencing and research. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 3.3, 7.3 |
| 6 | Demonstrate a satisfactory level of progression towards the ANMAC Midwifery Professional Experience (MPE) requirements and hours for the course. |
Ethical Engaged |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia | |
| 1 | Standard 1: Promotes health and wellbeing through evidence-based midwifery practice |
| 1.1 | The midwife identifies what is important to women as the foundation for using evidence to promote informed decision-making, participation in care, and self-determination |
| 1.2 | The midwife accesses, analyses, and uses the best available evidence, that includes research findings, for safe, quality midwifery practice |
| 1.3 | The midwife uses health assessment and health education to support birth and reproductive health, and minimise the potential for complications |
| 1.4 | The midwife undertakes ongoing processes of reflection to ensure professional judgements acknowledge how personal culture impacts on practice |
| 1.5 | The midwife supports access to maternity care for the woman |
| 1.6 | The midwife supports the development, implementation and evaluation of evidenced-based health initiatives and programs |
| 1.7 | The midwife identifies and promotes the role of midwifery practice and the midwifery profession in influencing better health outcomes for women |
| 2 | Standard 2: Engages in professional relationships and respectful partnerships |
| 2.1 | The midwife supports the choices of the woman, with respect for families and communities in relation to maternity care |
| 2.2 | The midwife partners with women to strengthen women’s capabilities and confidence to care for themselves and their families |
| 2.3 | The midwife practises ethically, with respect for dignity, privacy, confidentiality, equity and justice |
| 2.4 | The midwife practises without the discrimination that may be associated with race, age, disability, sexuality, gender identity, relationship status, power relations and/or social disadvantage |
| 2.5 | The midwife practises cultural safety that is holistic, free of bias and exposes racism |
| 2.6 | The midwife practises in a way that respects that family and community underpin the health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples |
| 3 | Standard 3: Demonstrates the capability and accountability for midwifery practice |
| 3.1 | The midwife understands their scope of practice |
| 3.2 | The midwife practises within relevant legal parameters and professional standards, codes and guidelines |
| 3.3 | The midwife participates in own continuing professional development to maintain the required knowledge and skill base for safe and effective practice |
| 3.5 | The midwife engages in timely consultation, referral and documentation |
| 3.6 | The midwife uses relevant processes to identify, document and manage complexity and risk |
| 3.7 | The midwife recognises and responds appropriately where safe and quality practice may be compromised |
| 4 | Standard 4: Undertakes comprehensive assessments |
| 4.1 | The midwife works in partnership to determine factors that affect, or potentially affect, the health and wellbeing of women, communities and populations |
| 4.2 | The midwife uses assessment techniques to systematically collect relevant and accurate information |
| 4.3 | The midwife analyses information and data and communicates assessments and anticipated outcomes as the basis for midwifery practice |
| 5 | Standard 5: Develops a plan for midwifery practice |
| 5.1 | The midwife interprets assessment data and best available evidence to develop a plan for practice |
| 5.2 | The midwife collaboratively develops plans until options, priorities, goals, actions, anticipated outcomes and timeframes are agreed with the woman, and/or relevant others |
| 6 | Standard 6: Provides safety and quality in midwifery practice |
| 6.3 | The midwife is responsible for consultation and referral and/ or escalation in situations that are outside the individual’s scope of practice |
| 7 | Standard 7: Evaluates outcomes to improve midwifery practice |
| 7.3 | The midwife uses evaluation and reflection to inform future practice and professional development |
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
MID701
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
Early feedback will be provided by the clinical facilitator when completing the Progressive component of the Clinical Assessment Tool. This feedback includes assessment of your competency in all standards. The facilitator will discuss the deliberations with you and you will have the opportunity to provide comment on the tool during both the Progressive and Summative components.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Case Study | Individual | 50% | 1000 |
Week 4 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2 | Artefact - Creative, and Oral | Individual | 50% | 10 minute narrated PowerPoint. |
Week 7 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Placement performance | Individual | 0% | 80 hours. |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | SONIA |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Case Study | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | Explain the pathophysiology of a complex neonatal condition and consider collaboration within the multidisciplinary team, ore information available on Canvas. |
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| Product: | Case Study | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Further details provided on Canvas. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Narrated PowerPoint | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this assessment is to apply your knowledge to demonstrate your understanding of neonatal health care and the specific needs of the family. More information available on Canvas. |
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| Product: | Artefact - Creative, and Oral | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Further details provided on Canvas. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Clinical assessment tools and portfolio | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | To demonstrate completion of allocated placement for this course and satisfactory competency based on the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice as measured in the Clinical Assessment Tools. Each competency must be satisfactorily met to pass the course. |
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| Product: | Placement performance | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Further details provided on Canvas. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration |
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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 | Victoria Kain,Trudi Mannix | 2022 | Neonatal Care for Nurses and Midwives | n/a | Elsevier |
Specific requirements
Your clinical placement may have specific requirements, and information will be provided during your placement orientation. UniSC uniform as outlined on Canvas is to be worn on all placements.
How are risks managed in this course?
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
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
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
For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.
For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: