The aim of this course is to apply beginning level midwifery knowledge and skills in a practice environment in alignment with the Australian Nursing and MidwiferyCouncil (ANMC) Competency Standards for the Midwife.The 2nd Midwifery Foundation Practicum provides opportunity for first year midwifery students to observe and engage in intrapartum care for the first time. Students will also undertake an antenatal or postnatal placement.Courses undertaken include; Foundations of Midwifery, Normal Pregnancy and Childbirth and Human Body 1 & 2, and Healthy Mothers and Babies and ELA Practicum 1.

Students should be encouraged to actively participate in care as soon as appropriate under the supervision of the RM or Doctor. The following is a guide only to the theory and skills practiced on-campus for this courseat beginner level.

Theory and Skills

Infection control: Hand hygiene, aseptic technique

Manual handling: Principles, posture and mobility, risk and hazards

Antenatal interview and health history: Completing hand held record at the first visit,including antenatal risk questionnaires (EPDS & ANQR), smoking questionnaire, calculating EDD

Professional communication: Effective communication with the woman, woman centred care, informed consent, active decision making, written documentation and clinical handover/ ISBAR, cultural competency , mandatory reporting/ child safe environments

Clinical skills: Temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, urinalysis, pulse oximetry, principles of phlebotomy: venepuncture, IDC insertion and management

Abdominal palpation: Visual, fundal, lateral and pelvic assessment, auscultation of fetal heart – Doppler/pinnards

Provision of health teaching: Antenatal care, nutrition,screening tests, contraception, education for breastfeeding, safe sleeping,

Care of the women in labour: Phone assessment; early labour assessment; assessing contractions, vaginal examination;education of pain relief in labour; positions for labour and birth, skin-to-skin, partograph, fluid balance chart

Care of the woman in birth: Mechanisms of birth and facilitating normal vaginal birth (hands on & hands poised),active and physiological management of 3rd stage

Care of the mother postpartum: care of the perineum; breastfeeding

Care of the neonate postpartum: Reception and care of the newborn; initial assessment of the newborn, Apgar score, neonatal screening, daily newborn assessments.

Medicine calculation/administration:Oral medication, IMneonatal injections (Hep B & vitamin K); IM and SC maternal injection

COCE: Commence and engage in care for 4 women for their Continuity of Care Experience (COCE)

Students are required to have 4 Learning Tools assessed by the Midwives they are supervised by, including the following: (please see ‘Quick Guides: Clinical Assessment Tool for the Midwifery Student’)

  • Learning tool number 8: Care of the woman progressing in labour
  • Learning tool number 9:Working with pain in labour
  • Learning tool number 14: Care (reception) of the newborn at birth
  • Learning tool number 23:Administering injections to the newborn baby

It is expected that students will attain a minimum rating of Assisted (A) level.

Learning tool number 6: Care of the woman on admission to the birth environment, has already been assessed and passed in the pre-clinical workshop.

Each student has a Clinical Facilitator allocated by the University, please provide feedback as requested or contact as needed if the student requires.

Thank you for participating in educating the next generation of Australian Registered Midwives