GD-MIDW v.2 Graduate Diploma in Midwifery

Graduate Diplomas prepare students to develop advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and further learning corresponding to AQF level 8 qualifications.

Recipients of the Graduate Diploma in Midwifery are eligible to apply for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. The application of evidence-based theory and practice enables graduates to practise midwifery in a variety of settings and in ways which meet contemporary society’s demands for family-centred maternity care. Students are encouraged to engage in critical thinking, self-discovery, self-direction and lifelong learning.

Professional Recognition

This course is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Graduates may be eligible to apply for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Course Acreditation Status

This course is accredited with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Graduates may be eligible to apply for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Additional Course Expenses

Students may be expected to purchase a uniform, a number of textbooks and other essential study materials. Because clinical experiences are recorded into an electronic portfolio it is advisable that students purchase a mini iPad or tablet (with keyboard).

Graduate Diplomas contain a series of units which may include compulsory (core), optional or elective units to cater for student preferences. They may contain a range of majors/streams for students to choose from to pursue learning in a specialised area of study.

Students will be encouraged to engage in critical thinking, self-discovery, self-direction and life-long learning. Through a combination of theoretical and practical learning, students will learn to apply evidence-based knowledge and skills in midwifery to provide safe care to both the childbearing mother and her baby. The theory content is comprehensive and includes inquiry, science and midwifery practice components, to prepare graduates to demonstrate the National Competency Standards for the Midwife. To complement theoretical learning, students complete midwifery practice in a maternity setting under the supervision of an experienced midwife. Students must secure an employment position as a Student Midwife at a maternity hospital for the duration of the clinical component, which involves a minimum of 1300 hours of practice and approximately 200 hours of continuity of care experience. Students are required to recruit pregnant women for continuity of care experiences which will involve an on-call component.

Course Learning Outcomes

A graduate of this course can:

1. demonstrate thorough conceptual and procedural knowledge for midwifery practice in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Midwife standards for practice (2018) and principles of woman-centred midwifery

2. engage reflectively, critically and with initiative to apply midwifery knowledge and skills within dynamic and complex midwifery contexts

3. engage ethically and professionally with health and scientific information when seeking, recording, evaluating and using data related to midwifery care and clinical decision-making

4. communicate effectively, in a way the woman, her family and professional colleagues can understand, to meet the woman’s needs and promote midwifery within the community in the broader contexts of primary healthcare and public health policy

5. demonstrate proficiency in the use of technologies for midwifery practice for the delivery of safe and effective care

6. identify and access opportunities for learning that support the ongoing development of self as a midwife and recognise personal knowledge and skills to further contribute to the midwifery profession

7. recognise the importance of skilled professional care (midwifery) for women and babies in an international context; with critical reference to relevant international evidence/recommendations into midwifery practice

8. support culturally safe, non-discriminatory, values-led care for all women and their babies through the development of personal and professional skills for cultural competence

9. work with appropriate autonomy and accountability within the scope of ethical and legal midwifery practice, to lead and collaborate with interprofessional teams

Duration and Availability

This Commonwealth Supported course is one and a half years full-time study. Some units are available via external mode. Students will be expected to attend practical placements across the full calendar year.

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1

YEAR 1 SEMESTER 2

YEAR 2 SEMESTER 1

* The number of hours is the total hours for each practical unit and includes total hours for theoretical, clinical and independent learning

Applicants for a Graduate Diploma are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards; details are provided at http://study.curtin.edu.au/. Applicants generally require a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate. Any specific course entry and completion requirements must also be met.

Specifically, applicants must be eligible for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, with a bachelor degree in nursing or equivalent. Applicants must have recent clinical work experience and are required to provide proof of a secured employment position as a Student Midwife at a maternity hospital before course commencement. The clinical component of the course involves a minimum of 1300 hours of practice. This course is full-time, face-to-face, with high contact hours and students are expected to be available for lectures, tutorials and midwifery practice for 5 full days a week. This will also include being available nights, weekends and during semester break. You will also be required to recruit 10 pregnant women (Continuity of Care Experience), over the 18 months of the course, to follow their pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey which will involve an on-call component and include approximately 200 hours. Students should be aware that they may need to be rotated to a larger health service to gain clinical experience if this cannot be obtained in their employing hospital. Applicants for this course should refer to the Faculty website for more information on Communicable Diseases and Criminal Record Screening and Clearance.

Credit for Recognised Learning

Applications for credit towards a course are assessed on an individual basis. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to complete the course and may be granted for formal education qualifications, non-formal learning from non-award programs of study and informal learning through work experiences. Further information can be found at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au/non-school-leavers/rpl.cfm

Pathway to Further Study

Graduates may qualify for entry to some Master degrees. For further details, see the University website http://curtin.edu.au.