Midwifery (BMid)

Traditional face-to-face learning strategies such as lectures, workshops and seminars will be complemented by digital learning and interactive online opportunities and resources designed to enhance your overall learning experience and enable you to acquire the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are a requirement of contemporary midwifery practice. You are also afforded valuable opportunities to learn from the authentic voices of people who use maternity services and charities who support maternity care, both in person and via digital stories. We also have a focus on interprofessional learning (IPE) across the programme so that you are able to interact with other students and professionals from health and social care, both in theory and practice.

Within the clinical environment you will be supported by Practice Supervisors and Practice Assessors as you progress towards achieving NMC proficiencies, as outlined by the NMC (2018). You will also be allocated a midwifery lecturer as your Academic Assessor in each year of the programme who will review your Midwifery Professional Assessment Document (MPAD) throughout the year to the point of progression to the following year of study or qualification / graduation.

To support learning you will also have numerous opportunities to undertake simulated activities and scenarios in a purpose-built simulation suite. This will allow you to develop, practise and consolidate skills in a safe environment.

This programme offers elements of provision through the medium of Welsh, which are discussed on an individual basis with students.

How will I be supported?

You will be allocated a Personal Tutor for pastoral support who is a member of the midwifery academic team. You are encouraged to arrange meetings with your personal tutor throughout your time on the programme, during which you can access pastoral support and reflect on your overall progress. Personal Tutors will also assist in signposting you to other sources of support such as the School and Programme Student Disability Contact and University-wide services including the comprehensive Student Life Services. Welsh-speaking personal tutors are available to students whose preference is to access support through the medium of Welsh.

The School works in partnership with Y Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to provide opportunities for Welsh speaking students to consider aspects of the programme through the medium of Welsh. You could also learn Welsh through our Welsh for All programme where courses are designed to fit around your academic commitments and are free of charge.

There is a Lead Midwife for Education (LME) appointed as the experienced leader who is responsible for midwifery education and the overall programme in line with NMC standards (2019). The LME is also accountable for signing every student’s supporting declaration of health and character on completion of the pre-registration midwifery programme, upon application to join the NMC Register. The Programme Manager, Module Leads and Academic Assessor can support you in relation to your overall experience as a student on the midwifery programme, including any feedback or concerns you might have.

During practice placements, you will be supported by Practice Supervisors and a Practice Assessor who will facilitate your learning and prepare you for clinical assessments. A dedicated midwifery lecturer, Placement Support Team and Practice Education Facilitator within each Health Board, along with clinical link lecturers, are also available to support your learning and progress, as well as to address any issues or problems that may arise. The placement team will attempt to source Welsh-speaking supervisors or bilingual placement learning opportunities if available.

You will also be allocated an Academic Assessor who will collate and confirm your achievement of proficiencies and programme outcomes in the academic environment for each part of the programme.

How will I be assessed?

The curriculum incorporates a diverse and creative range of assessment strategies and methods which are reflective of an inclusive, learner-centred approach that takes account of neurodiversity and are aligned to the intended learning outcomes of the programme.

Each module within the programme incorporates formative assessment and feedback which is designed to support your learning and to assist you in identifying your own strengths and areas for development and prepare you for summative assessment, which is formally marked and contributes to progression and degree classification. The goal of summative assessment is to indicate how well you have succeeded in meeting the intended learning outcomes of a module and the feedback provided will enable you to identify areas for further development as you progress through the programme. Feedback on assessments will be timely and will be provided to you within 20 working days of the submission deadline.

In placement you will be assessed using the Midwifery Practice Assessment Document (MPAD) which has clear guidance and templates to support your learning. The assessment of the MPAD is organised into 5 Benchmark Statements that are graded and contribute to your mark: Underpinning Knowledge, Clinical Skills, Communication, Professional Accountability, Professional Behaviour. The NMC (2018) Standards for student supervision and assessment are used to guide practice assessments. The MPAD also clearly itemises what you have to achieve in pursuit of the professional activities of a midwife in order to complete the programme. These are stipulated in the NMC Standards (2019) and are from the EU Directive 2005/36/EC Article 42 and Annex V https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-midwives/standards-for-pre-registration-midwifery-programmes/.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your midwifery degree study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you.

Knowledge and understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

1. A comprehensive, systematic understanding of the philosophical and theoretical concepts that underpin and inform midwifery and interprofessional health practice.

2. Coherent and detailed knowledge of body systems, anatomy, physiology, genomics and human development underpinned with relevant theory, applied to pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and newborn care.

3. A critical evaluative approach to the socio-political factors, intersectionality and relevant policies that influence individual, local, national, and global health & wellbeing.

4. A comprehensive, conceptual understanding and recognition of the importance of human rights taking into account physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and cultural safety in the delivery of quality person-centred care.

5. Confident ability to identify and critically evaluate appropriate sources of evidence and scholarly reviews, considering their application to midwifery practice and systems of maternity and public health care.

6. A comprehensive understanding of regulatory and professional body standards including the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code, and their application to personal and professional leadership and development.

Intellectual skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

1. Safe and effective midwifery practice that optimises normal physiological processes in collaboration with the woman, pregnant person, family and the wider interprofessional and multiagency teams.

2. Respectful communication with all involved, in the delivery of midwifery care that demonstrates equitable interpersonal and cultural competence, taking the lead in empowering and advocating for the woman and pregnant person.

3. Provision of evidence-based midwifery care that draws upon the three tenets of Evidence Based Practice; best available research evidence, clinical expertise and the preference of women, as well as an appreciation of uncertainty and ambiguity.

4. Excellence in the provision of skilled continuity of care and carer, working across the whole continuum of care and in all settings, anticipating, preventing and responding to complications & additional care needs.

5. Consistent adherence to the professional standards of practice set by the Nursing & Midwifery Council within the Code, and application of their professional guidance.

6. A creative and innovative approach to problem-solving and service improvement in the practice environment, including imaginative thinking and deployment of analysis and enquiry to enhance health outcomes and experiences of care.

Professional practice:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

1. A considered, kind, compassionate, nurturing and empowering approach to person-centred care and complex decision-making, being mindful of the views, preferences and choices of women, pregnant people, and their families.

2. Legal, ethical and professional values and behaviours in keeping with expectations described in the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code and Standards of Proficiency.

3. A reflective approach to continuing professional development which includes self-care, critical evaluation and strategic thinking, emotional intelligence and compassionate leadership.

4. Effective collaboration, team working and positive role modelling with all individuals involved in the provision of non-discriminatory, quality care, valuing diversity of experience and perspectives.

5. Accountability and responsibility as an autonomous professional midwife to provide safe and effective midwifery care.

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

1. Intellectual curiosity, independent critical thinking, academic writing and innovative dissemination of complex information through a variety of media.

2. Effective prioritisation and management of time, assuming leadership, reliability, responsibility and accountability for management and development of self and others.

3. Enhanced communication skills and an ability to initiate, teach, supervise and motivate others using a collaborative approach.

4. Accurate record-keeping, and responsible engagement with a range of digital technologies.

5. Enthusiasm, resilience and reflective self-care based on an awareness of ethical, social and sustainable principles that enable you to exercise initiative and personal responsibility in managing your continuous learning.