ObjectivesThe Graduate Diploma of Midwifery aims to meet the current and proposed professional requirements for midwives practicing in a variety of environments who will be capable of working in partnerships with women, families, communities and multidisciplinary teams. The knowledge and skill requirements for a midwife working in remote, rural and complex areas for current and future role developments are incorporated at all stages of student learning. At completion of this program the student will be able to: * understand the relationship between historical and contemporary aspects which affect women and family health within all cultural contexts; * evidence competence in meeting the ACMI and International Council of Midwifery standards; * work in partnership with the woman and multidisciplinary team to implement preventative measures, promote and normal birth and detect complications in woman and infant; * work in partnership with the woman to give the necessary continuous supervision, care and advice for women prior to, during and following pregnancy; * conducts deliveries on their own responsibility and cares for the newborn infant; * execute primary and secondary emergency measures in the absence of medical help and/or access relevant medical care (consultation or referral) and other appropriate assistance in order to carry out emergency measures; * incorporate primary health care principles in the maternity context to benefit the long term health of mother, child, the family unit and the community while providing women-centred care in all aspects of assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of midwifery care and maternity services; * evidence high order communication skills and apply these in counselling, education and professional documentation across all aspects of midwifery practice; * relate legal and clinical governance requirements to the role of the midwife in various contexts of practice, while applying ethical standards and reflective strategies; and * evidence the attributes and skills necessary to participate in professional decision making at practice and policy level and participate in research and inter-professional decision making at practice and policy level.
Practical experience1082 hours clinical midwifery practice
Entry requirementsApplications can be registered nurses: registered hospital based certificate midwives: or midwives wishing to upgrade their knowledge and skills
Academic titleGraduate Diploma of Midwifery
Course description
About Midwifery
The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery program is offered as a postgraduate degree leading to endorsement as a midwife. The program is an integrated educational sequence portraying the health care continuum of the pregnant woman and child including pre-pregnancy, antenatal care, childbirth, parenting, postnatal and specialised care needs of young infants. Within the care continuum with the pregnant woman and child in the context of ‘normality', the primary care giver is the midwife. The midwife works in and across a broad range of settings, from complex settings to community care, and makes a significant contribution to the wider public health agenda. The philosophy and conceptual framework reflect the relationship between midwifery metaparadigms (woman, wellness/health, environment and midwife) and clinical skills in achieving the program's aim and outcomes.
The study program encapsulates the knowledge and skills for the student midwife to meet the requirements of the registering body and is seen to meet state, national and international standards of midwifery practice. Its design is to produce a skilled, caring, knowledgeable and effective midwives who communicate openly and engender trust from a wide range of people and capable of working in any setting.
The breadth, depth and integration of courses within the program provides an educational experience to produce a dual educated professional who is able to meet childbearing women, and their family needs, and become active and competent midwife.
There are 10 courses offered in the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. Throughout the program theory content is linked to clinical practice. Each theory course will be introduced at a residential school and the relevant clinical skills and clinical attributes that relate to that learning will be demonstrated and practiced in a simulated environment prior to progressing to that stage of clinical experience.
The progressive nature of clinical experience aims to ensure learning and experience are linked through case management for women throughout their pregnancy and early childrearing experiences. The ongoing student responsibility for cases relates to the clinical experiences that the student rotates through. There will be opportunity for diverse clinical experiences that ensure the student can provide midwifery care through maternity services. These include community based and facility controlled centres and clinics. Preconception through to postpartum and child health and family support services will be involved.
The opportunity to apply theory learning directly to clinical experiences is aimed to promote decision-making and application of learning to each of the student's designated cases in an ongoing manner. The student working under supervision can propose and implement strategies and evaluate these in an immediate and coherent manner.
The clinical component is designed to carry over 18 months of the Graduate Diploma. The student can fulfil the requirement of 1082 hours for Graduate Diploma by working 3 days in the clinical area and attending Residential School. Vacation periods are aligned with university closure or as negotiated. Students working the majority of their clinical placement in non complex environments can choose to attend complex experiences in blocks that are mutually convenient to the facility and the student. These students can achieve their continuum of practice in noncomplex facilities by working 2.5 days per weeks.
Career Opportunities
This program aims to meet the current and proposed professional requirements for midwives practicing in a variety of environments who will be capable of working in partnerships with women, families, communities and multidisciplinary teams. The knowledge and skill requirements for a practitioner working in remote, rural and complex areas for current and future role developments are incorporated at all stages of student learning.
Program Structure
To be eligible for the award of Graduate Diploma of Midwifery students must complete a total of 10 courses/68 units of credit as set out in the program structure
Study Schedule
Students commenting in Term 1, 2009 must adhere to the following schedule:
Course Code Course Name
Term 1 - 2009
MDWF21001 Introduction to Midwifery *
MDWF21002 Midwifery Practice *
MDWF21003 Facilitated Midwifery Practice A
Term 2 - 2009
MDWF21004 Facilitated Midwifery Practice B
MDWF22001 Indigenous and Culturally Diverse Midwifery Practice *
MDWF22002 Birth in Partnership *
MDWF22003 Facilitated Midwifery Practice C
Term 1 -2010
MDWF22004 Post Partum and Neonatal Care Continuum
MDWF22005 High Risk Maternal and Newborn Collaborative Care
MDWF22006 Facilitated Midwifery Practice D