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This module will introduce you to the professional issues which underpin midwifery practice. Core academic skills will be introduced which will facilitate your personal and professional development. You will be introduced to the frameworks that will guide your practice as a midwife, including the professional, legal and ethical codes of practice. You will learn the key principles of values based and women-centred care (Scottish Government 2012) all of which will be presented in the context of The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives (NMC, 2015).

The module content is divided into six key areas:

Prioritising people:
Principles of responsive, woman-centred communication will be introduced with concepts related to reflexive, inclusive, ethical and legal frameworks. The module will provide you with an opportunity to consider relevant health and social policies that inform midwifery practice, for example national policies such as ‘Getting it Right for Every Child’ and international policy such as the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative. Alongside this, you will explore issues relating to the health equality, public protection and the wellbeing of children and adults (including policies such as the dementia framework), mental health and the support of third sector agencies will be considered.

Practising effectively:
You will explore strategies to support learning for professional practice in the context of the topics covered within the module. Particular focus will be on the construction and quality of knowledge and ways in which you can use evidence appropriately to inform midwifery practice. You will consider communication, therapeutic skills and record keeping relevant in the light of relevant theory and apply this to midwifery care. Information retrieval and writing workshops will support your learning in respect of this.

Preserving safety:
You will examine the role of the midwife as part of a multidisciplinary team giving care to women and their families in relation to: sphere of practise; referral, candour; acting in emergency situations; managing risk and escalating concerns; midwifery and medicines administration; and harm reduction.

Promoting professionalism and trust:
Through the recognition and development of appropriate professional values and behaviours, you will apply your understanding of their significance in respect of relationships in midwifery care and practice. This will involve understanding professional roles and responsibilities in respect of not only your own practice, but that of others too.

Academic Development – Writing workshop
Programme Strands
Throughout the programme you will find ‘strands’ or ‘themes’ that follow particular topics. In this module Baby Friendly Initiative standards will be considered in respect of health and wellbeing, infant feeding culture in the UK, communication of infant feeding and Public Health strategies related to infant feeding. You will explore research in the context of evidence-based practice and understanding and accessing sources of midwifery evidence and knowledge. Medicines management will address managing professional practice in respect of the law, consent confidentiality, ethics, accountability and documentation. You will consider communication strategies such as sharing information, being attentive, confidentiality, enabling choice, consent, treating women with dignity and respect, partnership working, non-discriminatory practice and compassionate care. You will consider emotional wellbeing related to your knowledge of mental health during the perinatal period, women’s rights and treatment options, preconception advice, risk associated with history, signs and symptoms of distress, psycho-social risk factors in pregnancy, risks of self-harm, referral pathways, support, risk management strategies, all of which will reflect working within relevant policies and guidelines.

Upon completion of this module you will be able to
LO1: Gain an appreciation of the factors which influence the health and wellbeing of women
and their families, including issues of equality, diversity and inclusion.
LO2: Outline the importance of professional roles in protecting the public and the role of the NMC.
LO3: Recognise strategies which support learning for professional practice and apply these in the
context of The Code (NMC, 2015)
LO4: Develop awareness of collaborative relationships within multi-disciplinary and multi-agency
working practice, including the third sector.
LO5: Recognise the ways in which evidence can inform, impact on, and influence midwifery policy
and practice.