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MW7012 Being a Midwife - Personal and Professional Development(10 ECTS)

Learning Outcomes

Following completion of this module the student should be able to:

  • Critically analyse the developments in the midwifery profession in Ireland and their influence on the provision of care to women and their families;
  • Critically discuss inter- and intra- professional issues that impact on midwives and midwifery practice in Ireland;
  • Critically discuss factors that require consideration in the process of regulating the profession of midwifery in Ireland;
  • Critically discuss the role and responsibility of the midwife in relation to professional registration and regulation nationally and internationally;
  • Critically discuss the impact of current drug prescribing legislation on the scope of midwifery practice in Ireland;
  • Critically discuss the main ethical and legal principles that affect, impact on and are relevant to midwifery practice and maternity services in Ireland;
  • Relate these principles to issues concerned with reproductive health and care provision;
  • Critically analyse some of the legal and ethical dilemmas in midwifery practice and identify a process of reaching resolution;
  • Critically discuss the issues involved in professional negligence and identify the mechanisms by which the public may be recompensed;
  • Display the ability to impart knowledge and information to women and their families on an individual or group basis using a range of strategies;
  • Critically discuss the principles of woman-centred care as it relates to reproductive health;
  • Recognise the issues, which increase risk factors among the childbearing population;
  • Critically analyse health education / promotion strategies employed in Ireland to those used in other developed / developing countries;
  • Consider the role of the midwife in health promotion in Ireland and other developed and developing countries;
  • Critically discuss the aims and concepts of parent-education sessions and participate in the facilitation of sessions.

Module Learning Aims & Rationale

The aim of this module is to prepare midwifery students to assume the responsibilities of a midwife and to explore a number of personal and professional issues that impact on being a midwife.This module aims to prepare midwifery students to practise in a manner that upholds ethical principles and the concepts of informed choice, advocacy and consent, confidentiality and matter that are fundamental to midwifery practice and reproductive health. This module also aims to enhance midwifery students' ability to offer information on an individual or group basis regarding the health and well-being of women, their babies and families. Concepts of preparation for parenthood classes will be explored concentrating on the well-being of the family, immersing the midwifery students in the provision of information and education offered to women during pregnancy and the postnatal period.