Overview
The midwifery degree course at Teesside University provides you with the knowledge and skills to develop an exciting and rewarding career. Midwives work in partnership with women and their families and provide support, advice and care to enable them to make informed choices during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.
From September 2020 all new and continuing students on this course will receive a £5,000 maintenance grant each year if they’re eligible. They will not need to pay it back.
Full details here
The midwife’s role encompasses health promotion and health education to enhance the health of women and their families within a multicultural society. Midwifery requires competent, accountable and problem-solving practitioners, with good communication skills. The midwife works within a multidisciplinary, multi agency team to promote health and wellbeing and a better birth experience. As with all healthcare professionals the public place a high level of expectation and trust in their midwife and therefore to work in this sector it is essential that you are able to demonstrate the core values embedded within the NHS Constitution. These are as follows:
- working together for patients
- respect and dignity
- commitment to quality of care
- compassion
- improving lives
- everyone counts.
This course prepares you to meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's standards for pre-registration midwifery education (NMC, 2009).Throughout the course, as part of the placement experience, you will be required to travel to your placement area and work a shift pattern rota which includes night duty, weekends and bank holidays.
The School is committed to the development of quality courses and to the enhancement of the student experience. To that end the Student Voice is central to the design and delivery of the learning experience. We invite you to provide feedback at key points in your student journey and ensure that we respond to your feedback through our 'you said, we did' approach.
Professional accreditation
On successful completion of the course you gain eligibility to apply for registration as a midwife on the Nursing and Midwifery Council Professional Register.
Please note 100% attendance is expected during this course.
Course details
The first year of the course focuses on normal aspects of care for the woman, her baby and family through the study of public health and life science. Year 2 consolidates learning in Year 1 whilst developing knowledge and understanding of women and babies with complex needs through the exploration of psycho-social aspects of care and pathology. The importance of multidisciplinary team working is also explored. Year 3 facilitates the emergence of leadership and management skills across all aspects of practice. It provides an opportunity to study evidence that informs care and innovation. Learning is applied at the interface of practice through a variety of clinical placements.
The modules in Year 1 introduce you to the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary in assisting in the provision of safe holistic, woman-centred midwifery care.
The modules in Year 2 develop your knowledge, skills and learning from Year 1 while extending practice into the area of complex maternal, fetal and baby care.
The modules in Year 3 consolidate learning from the first and second year while preparing you for the role of qualified midwife. You have the opportunity to explore midwifery from an international perspective and develop managerial and leadership skills while considering innovative changes in practice.
Throughout the three years of study, we use a range of teaching and learning strategies to provide an environment that develops your confidence and competence in providing care to woman, their babies and families within maternity care settings.
Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Foundation Principles of life Science for mid-Wifery Practise
You study a diverse range of life science disciplines and their application to maternal, fetal and baby health assessment in childbirth. The life sciences disciplines studied include anatomy and physiology from an organisational and system based perspective. In addition, biochemistry and immunology along with genetics, embryology and pharmacology are also studied. The knowledge of life sciences gained is then used to recognise normal biochemical, immunological and physiological parameters in maternal, fetal and baby health assessment and screening.
Learning to care in Midwifery 1
You will develop the knowledge and skills, confidence and professionalism required within contemporary midwifery practice to enable you to assist in the provision of safe, holistic, women and family-centred care.
Learning to care in Midwifery 2
You will enhance skills and knowledge developed from previous modules within a high fidelity learning environment incorporating skill simulation, role-play and digital technology. You further develop knowledge, skills, confidence and professionalism to facilitate assisting in providing safe, holistic, women and family-centred care and a better birth experience in the intrapartum and immediate postnatal period. You also explore the unique role of the midwife as an autonomous practitioner alongside diverse cultural and global influences in promoting physiological processes and a positive birth experience.
Principles of Evidence-based Practise
You are provided with the foundation for lifelong learning, by focusing on how to learn, and beginning the development of critical thinking, reasoning and reflection. Key study skills are also incorporated into this module.
You explore the role of evidence-based practice in the policy context of health and social care. You develop knowledge and skills in formulating questions and literature searching in the evidence-based practice process.
Public Health and Midwifery Practice
You will develop evidence-informed knowledge and understanding of how pregnancy, birth and parenting are influenced by the wider social and psychological contexts in which women and their families live. You explore public health, health inequalities, epidemiology and the significant role of the midwife in influencing the holistic health and wellbeing of women, their babies and families. You will examine the role of the midwife in health improvement and partnership working with a range of professionals and agencies.
How you learn
This course is 135 weeks of full-time study, 50% theory and 50% practice, plus 7 week’s annual leave per year. The structure of University theory and practice placement weeks means that it is not possible to take holidays outside of the set dates. Your range of clinical placements take place in community and NHS hospitals.
A range of teaching and learning strategies develop your confidence and competence in providing care to women, their babies and families within maternity care settings. Examples include practice simulation, interactive lectures, discussion, group work and enquiry-based learning. You are encouraged towards self-directed and independent study, through a number of teaching and learning strategies, including online resources and digital platforms.
The course provides a supportive learning environment and a personal tutor is available to provide pastoral care and development, and academic tutors provide support for academic studies. In practice a practice learning team support, teach and assess your learning.
How you are assessed
Within each academic year there are module assessments for which a pass must be achieved as these are a core requirement. These are varied and include written assignments, exams and presentations. Assessments take place within practice and contribute to a practice progress file of evidence to demonstrate development.
Essential competencies that must be met within this course include:
- physical and manual dexterity, as well as observational and auditory skills to undertake holistic health assessment and emergency care for women and their babies
- interpersonal and communication skills
- record keeping and documentation skills.
Career opportunities
The knowledge and experience gained during the course provides you with the opportunity to have an exciting and rewarding career. Registered Midwife status is recognised internationally and career opportunities are available both at home and abroad. New posts, roles and responsibilities are constantly evolving, both in community and hospital settings.
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