NU7010 Women Centred Maternity Care in Ireland (10 ECTS)

Learning Outcomes

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

• Critique the politics of health-care and the impact of politics on childbearing woman and the current and future practice of the midwife;
• Challenge dominant or under-achieving models of maternity care;
• Critically evaluate models of midwifery care in Ireland and other countries;
• Differentiate the strengths and weaknesses of their development and implementation;
• Critically analyse the professional issues impacting on midwifery care
• Appraise, summarise and explain to others the advantages and disadvantages of one contemporary model of midwifery-led care.

Methods of Teaching and Student Learning:

Lecture, discussion, group work, private study, attendance at research conference, seminar presentation

Module Learning Aims & Rationale

Maternity care in Ireland is on the cusp of developing alternative, more women-centred models of care, in particular, midwife-led services. These developments are welcomed by women and midwives but are constantly being challenged by a number of major stakeholders. Practising midwives need to understand the rationale for introducing more women-centred care into their practice and should develop the skill of critically observing their own and others’ outcomes.

The aim of this module is to provide a challenging opportunity for midwives to examine and reflect on current and changing practice. Students will be facilitated to develop their skills of critiquing models of care so that they can facilitate and engage with the changing health service to support and develop innovative, women-centred maternity services.