Midwifery Short Programme

18 months full-time.

The course prepares students to deliver high quality, individualised woman-centred care. It enables them to provide education, care and support for women, their partners and families throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the early days of parenthood.

A hallmark of the course is the freedom to develop as an individual, with the flexibility to meet particular learning needs. Students will participate in enquiry-based learning, exploring scenarios from clinical practice and sharing information with peers and also inter-professional learning opportunities with colleagues from other disciplines. Throughout the course, students will have a personal tutor who will provide ongoing support.

In the first six months of the programme students will build on their knowledge of health promotion, sexuality and reproduction and further develop their communication and research skills. Normal healthy childbearing will be explored together with health challenges affecting both women and their babies.

During the final year students will complete an extended research project to include a research proposal on a subject relevant to midwifery practice.

Experience is gained in midwifery placements as well as maternal and neonatal high dependency areas.

Professional issues, and teaching and management roles of the midwife are now given a high profile to prepare students to undertake the full role and responsibilities of the midwife.

By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate evidence that they have attained the required level of skills and knowledge for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

• Student-centred activities including enquiry-based learning
• All practical assessments are accredited towards course grades

A sample of the modules studied are as follows:

• Principles of midwifery practice
• Challenges related to childbearing
• Advanced research studies
• Emergency procedures related to childbirth
  

Fraser.D.M & Cooper.M.A, (2009) Myles Textbook for Midwives, 15th edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

The Future of Midwifery

• http://www.midwifery2020.org/default.asp

The University of Northampton Midwifery Skills Laboratory

• http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/community/community-news/video-news-university-s-new-midwifery-skills-suite-officially-opened-1-3571108

The Role of the Midwife

• http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/midwife.shtml
• http://www.nmc-review.org/latest/how-to-become-a-midwife/

Assessment of progress in midwifery practice is continuous by a variety of methods including examinations. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis in assessment in all practice areas. Throughout the course, students will be allocated a personal academic tutor.

2012 has seen the opening of a purposely designed midwifery clinical skills laboratory which affords students the opportunity to gain experience of key midwifery skills in a simulated environment.

There is a wide range of career opportunities within and outside of the NHS. After some experience, graduates can progress into such fields as clinical leadership, management, education and research. Employment opportunities are excellent, both in the UK and abroad.

Clinical practice is undertaken on the NHS Trust Partner sites in a maternity setting and relevant non-midwifery settings.