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School of Nursing & Midwifery

Bachelor in Science in Midwifery Honours Degree programme

MW2002 -Specialist Practice Placement 1 (5 ECTS)

Learning Outcomes

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

  • Participate in community based midwifery care;
  • Gain direct experience of working with the midwife in the woman’s home and reflect on how this may alter the midwife’s approach to care;
  • Consider the issues of partnership and consent when planning care with women in a community setting;
  • Consider the issues of referral when planning care with women in a community setting and deviations from physiological processes occur;
  • Reflect upon the continuity of care and carer provision that can be achieved in a community midwifery setting ;
  • Explore the impact of the developing relationship between the midwife and the woman and her family through the antenatal period, birth and the postnatal period;
  • Experience postnatal care beyond the three or five day period experienced in the hospital setting and subsequently gain insights into the longer term needs of postnatal women and families;
  • Reflect on how being in her own home environment affects the woman’s demeanour;
  • Reflect on the definition of the midwife and the autonomous nature of the midwife’s role.

Placement with Public Health Nursing


Define and begin to discuss the focus of public health in Ireland

  • Discuss the organisation of community nursing practices
  • Identify characteristics of a family that have implications for community health nursing practices
  • Discuss the services that are provided by the public health nurse that are available to for women during pregnancy and postnatally

Placement with Drug Liaison Midwife

  • Begin to understand the key issues surrounding drug addiction and pregnancy.
  • Begin to understand the complex problems women experience resulting in non attendance at antenatal appointments and the area of stigma.
  • Understand the important role of advocacy for this group of very vulnerable women.
  • Be aware of the importance of confidentiality.
  • Appreciate the role of the Drug Liaison Midwife.
  • Gain knowledge of problems encountered with drug use in pregnancy
  • Identify the midwife’s role in health education.

Placement with Coommunity Mother's Scheme
At the end of this placement, the midwifery student will be able to:

  • Appreciate the role of the Family Development Nurse
  • Recognise the importance of Community Mother programmes
  • Understand the support and guidance provided by a Community Mother for parents.

Placement with Women's Refuge

  • Recognise the importance of women’s refuge for women who have experienced domestic violence.
  • Appreciate the range of supports available for women in the Women’s Refuge and in the community.
  • Begin to understand the issues surrounding domestic violence for women and their families.
 

Module Learning Aims & Rationale

This module comprises of 4 week placement with comprises of a two week placement with community midwifery/DOMINO schemes and the remaining two weeks comprising of any of the following: one week with the Drug Liaison Midwife, one week with the Public Health Nurse, one week with Community Mothers Scheme, and one week with Women’s Refuge

The aim of this placement is to enable students to experience the provision of midwifery care in a community setting. Working under the supervision of midwives, a placement of this nature will provide students with the opportunity to participate in giving midwifery care to women in a non-hospital/institutional environment such as in the woman’s own home environment or in an integrated hospital-community system.

Recommended Reading List

Essential Reading list:

  • An Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann. (2015) Practice Standards for Midwives. Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann, Dublin.
  • Chapman V.  & Charles, C. (eds.) (2009) The Midwife’s Labour and Birth Handbook, 2nd edn. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.
  • Kirkham, M. (ed.) (2004) Informed Choice in Maternity Care. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.
  • MacDonald S. & Magill-Cuerden J., (eds.) (2011) Mayes’ Midwifery.  A Textbook for Midwives, 14th edn. Balliere Tindall, London.
  • Marshall J.E. & Raynor M. D. (eds.) (2014) Myles Textbook for Midwives, 16th edn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.
  • Raynor M., Marshall J. & Sullivan, A. (eds.) (2005) Decision Making in Midwifery Practice. Churchill Livingstone, London.
  • Stables D. & Rankin J. (eds.) (2010) Physiology in Childbearing: With Anatomy and Related Biosciences, 3rd edn. Bailliere Tindall, Edinburgh.

*Further suggested readings/sources of knowledge may be provided