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HE Unit Template
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Midwifery Care for Women with Complex Needs
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MIDGD6203 - Midwifery Care for Women with Complex Needs
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20270200
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4.0
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2026-09-10
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2026-09-10
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Midwifery
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Institute of Health and Wellbeing
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Midwifery
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Postgraduate - Coursework
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15
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.125
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060303
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Midwifery
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060303 - Midwifery
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<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/midgd6203">View unit fees</a>
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Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
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Bachelor Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma
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<p>This unit explores the midwife’s role in providing care for women experiencing complexity during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period, including the management of obstetric emergencies.</p><p>Students will build on their existing knowledge and skills through the application of theory to simulated and clinical practice, and through working collaboratively with women and multidisciplinary teams. </p><p>The unit emphasises the collaborative role of the midwife, including consultation and referral processes, the use of medical technologies and interventions, and the implications of these for women, families, and midwifery practice. </p>
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<p>This unit focuses on caring for childbearing women experiencing variations of normal and complexities, including:</p><ul><li>Pathophysiology of reproduction and childbearing</li><li>Principles of midwifery care </li><li class="ql-indent-1">Clinical decision-making, consultation and referral, and collaborative care</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Ethical, legal, and professional responsibilities</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Effective intra and inter-professional communication in complex care (e.g. ISBAR)</li><li>Variations in normal (multiple pregnancy & breech presentation)</li><li>Challenges in pregnancy</li><li>Disturbances in the rhythm of labour</li><li>Interventions in pregnancy, labour and birth</li><li>Life-threatening emergencies</li><li>Perineal care and repair</li><li>Complications in the postnatal period for the mother</li><li>Breastfeeding challenges and lactation support </li><li>Community supports access and availability for safe, woman-centred care in complex midwifery contexts</li><li>Pharmacotherapeutic principles and the quality use of medicines in midwifery practice, with a focus on managing complex care needs.</li><li>NSQHS standards (Comprehensive Care, Blood Management, Infection Control)</li><li>Evidence-based application of medical and digital technologies and interventions, while upholding the midwife’s advocacy role in supporting women’s decisions and promoting non-intervention when not clinically indicated (e.g., telemetry, blood gas analysis, ultrasound).</li><li>Critically appraise evidence for safety to differentiate clinically justified practices from defensive interventions.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2021), Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice (2018), the NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and the Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit.</p>
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<p>Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment.</p>
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MIDGD6203 - Midwifery Care for Women with Complex Needs
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MIDGD6203 - Midwifery Care for Women with Complex Needs
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Overview
Key information
Requisites
Learning outcomes
Assessment
FedTASK
Parent Region
Overview
Unit description
<p>This unit explores the midwife’s role in providing care for women experiencing complexity during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period, including the management of obstetric emergencies.</p><p>Students will build on their existing knowledge and skills through the application of theory to simulated and clinical practice, and through working collaboratively with women and multidisciplinary teams. </p><p>The unit emphasises the collaborative role of the midwife, including consultation and referral processes, the use of medical technologies and interventions, and the implications of these for women, families, and midwifery practice. </p>
Unit content
<p>This unit focuses on caring for childbearing women experiencing variations of normal and complexities, including:</p><ul><li>Pathophysiology of reproduction and childbearing</li><li>Principles of midwifery care </li><li class="ql-indent-1">Clinical decision-making, consultation and referral, and collaborative care</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Ethical, legal, and professional responsibilities</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Effective intra and inter-professional communication in complex care (e.g. ISBAR)</li><li>Variations in normal (multiple pregnancy & breech presentation)</li><li>Challenges in pregnancy</li><li>Disturbances in the rhythm of labour</li><li>Interventions in pregnancy, labour and birth</li><li>Life-threatening emergencies</li><li>Perineal care and repair</li><li>Complications in the postnatal period for the mother</li><li>Breastfeeding challenges and lactation support </li><li>Community supports access and availability for safe, woman-centred care in complex midwifery contexts</li><li>Pharmacotherapeutic principles and the quality use of medicines in midwifery practice, with a focus on managing complex care needs.</li><li>NSQHS standards (Comprehensive Care, Blood Management, Infection Control)</li><li>Evidence-based application of medical and digital technologies and interventions, while upholding the midwife’s advocacy role in supporting women’s decisions and promoting non-intervention when not clinically indicated (e.g., telemetry, blood gas analysis, ultrasound).</li><li>Critically appraise evidence for safety to differentiate clinically justified practices from defensive interventions.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>The ANMAC National Accreditation Standards for the Midwife (2021), Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice (2018), the NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018) and the Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit.</p>
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing
Discipline:
Midwifery
Study level:
Postgraduate - Coursework
Credit points:
15
EFTSL:
0.125
Field of education:
060303 - Midwifery
Offering:
<p><strong>Semester 2</strong><p>Ballarat - Mt Helen (On Campus)</p><p>Gippsland - Churchill (On Campus)</p></p>
Grade scheme:
Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
Placement component:
Yes
Placement hours:
120
Fee information:
<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/midgd6203">View unit fees</a>
Requisites
Prerequisite
<p>must have completed <a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=MIDGD6201" target="_blank">MIDGD6201</a></p>
Corequisite
<p>must be enrolled in <a href="/ords/r/curriculum/catalogue/course?p6_code=MIDGD6204" target="_blank">MIDGD6204</a></p>
Exclusion
None
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
<p>On successful completion of this unit, students are expected to gain the following [K]nowledge, [S]kills and [A]pplication of knowledge & skills</p>
Learning Outcomes
Ref
Outcome
K1
<p>Examine medical and obstetric conditions that contribute to complexity in pregnancy, labour and birth, including their pathophysiology, risk factors, clinical presentations, and implications for midwifery practice. </p>
K2
<p>Explain the midwife’s role in managing complex care and obstetric emergencies across the childbirth continuum, including principles of safe and quality use of medicines.</p>
K3
<p>Demonstrate an appreciation of the family's need for privacy, dignity and respect, as well as their right to be informed and to make decisions regarding their care.</p>
S1
<p>Demonstrate midwifery skills in the management of complex care and emergencies in childbearing.</p>
S2
<p>Apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning to provide safe, woman-centred care in complex midwifery contexts, including the application of pharmacotherapeutic principles and the quality use of medicines.</p>
S3
<p>Collaborate and communicate effectively within multidisciplinary teams to support women experiencing complexity, applying appropriate consultation and referral pathways in the management of complex clinical scenarios.</p>
A1
<p>Integrate pathophysiological and pharmacotherapeutic knowledge with clinical decision-making to plan and provide midwifery care for women experiencing complexity across the childbirth continuum.</p>
A2
<p>Critically evaluate the implications of maternal complexities and obstetric interventions for the woman, baby and family, and for midwifery practice.</p>
A3
<p>Apply clinical decision making to plan and facilitate access to appropriate community and health resources to support women, babies, and families, including those choosing alternative care pathways.</p>
A4
<p>Demonstrate the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice in providing ethical, woman-centred care in complex clinical contexts, upholding privacy, dignity, respect, choice and informed decision-making.</p>
Assessment
Learning Tasks and Assessment
Ref
Learning task
Assessment type
Weighting
Learning outcomes assessed
1
<p>Theoretical concepts of evidence-based care for the woman with complex needs</p>
<p>Online Activities</p>
<p>20-40%</p>
K1, K2, K3, A1, A2, A3
2
<p>Application of theoretical concepts and demonstration of skills of evidence-based care for the woman with complex needs.</p>
<p>Part A Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)</p><p>Part B Written test</p>
<p>10-30% (Part A). Hurdle requirement</p><p>30-50% (Part B)</p>
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3
3
<p>Satisfactory achievement of identified NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice in midwifery practice experiences. (Compulsory PASS required)</p>
<p>Midwifery practice portfolio</p><ol><li>Completion of five (5) Midwifery Clinical Assessment Tools (MCAT) to ‘assisted-proficient’ level.</li><li>Completion of 120 midwifery practice hours. Submit completed AMSAT assessed to minimum of 'Satisfactory' overall performance or above.</li></ol>
<p>10% Hurdle requirement</p>
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3, A4
4
<p>Attendance at all on-campus intensive sessions</p>
<p>100% Attendance </p>
<p>S/U Hurdle</p>
K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, A1, A2, A3
Supplementary assessment available:
Yes
Supplementary assessment information:
<p>Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment.</p>
FedTASK
FedTASK
<p>Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FedTASKs (<strong>T</strong>ransferable <strong>A</strong>ttributes <strong>S</strong>kills and <strong>K</strong>nowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key, transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and co-operative learning opportunities.</p>
FedTASK
Description of FedTASK outcome
FedTASK 1: Interpersonal
Students will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods Active listening for meaning and influencing High-level empathy for others Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams
FedTASK 2: Leadership
Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth Inspiring and enabling others Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems
FedTASK 3: Critical Thinking and Creativity
Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: Reflecting critically on complex problems Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry Proposing creative solutions in problem solving
FedTASK 4: Digital Literacy
Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities
FedTASK 5: Sustainable and Ethical Mindset
Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: The responsible conduct of research Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life
Key information
Institute / school:
Institute of Health and Wellbeing
Discipline:
Midwifery
Study level:
Postgraduate - Coursework
Credit points:
15
EFTSL:
0.125
Field of education:
060303 - Midwifery
Offering:
<p><strong>Semester 2</strong><p>Ballarat - Mt Helen (On Campus)</p><p>Gippsland - Churchill (On Campus)</p></p>
Grade scheme:
Graded (e.g. HD, D, C, etc)
Placement component:
Yes
Placement hours:
120
Fee information:
<a href="http://www.federation.edu.au/locate/unit/midgd6203">View unit fees</a>
Additional information
Add Info Static Text
Internal reference: MIDGD6203 - U4.0