1999 Medicine Handbook - Master of Midwifery

Master of Midwifery

The course
Aims
Objectives
Minimum entry requirements
Course requirements
Course outline

The course

(Pending Council approval.)
MMC, Clayton
Course code: To be advised (by coursework)
Course coordinator: Dr Christine Beanland
The Master of Midwifery course may be undertaken by a combination of minor thesis and coursework, or by 100 per cent coursework The Master of Midwifery by coursework and minor thesis will normally be undertaken through an articulating pathway, where the first forty-eight credit points of study are taken as the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. Students then enter the second part of the course with forty-eight credit points (50%) advanced standing towards the masters degree.

Aims

This course is designed to prepare midwives to be advanced practitioners in the care of the childbearing woman and her family, promote midwifery practice based on sound evidence and develop midwives as leaders and change agents within the health care system and the profession.

Objectives

On completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

critically analyse the scope and complexity of midwifery practice in order to take a leadership role in promoting the evolution of the discipline;
apply theoretical frameworks to specific elements of care for the childbearing woman and her family
initiate and develop innovative advanced midwifery care for the childbearing woman and her family;
engage in critical reflective practice in order to evaluate outcomes of ·care and reframe modalities of care;
develop and participate in research projects relevant to midwifery practice;
facilitate the dissemination and utilisation of research findings to inform midwifery practice.

Minimum entry requirements

To be eligible for admission to candidature a person must have:

endorsement as a midwife with the Nurses Board of Victoria (Division 1) or be eligible for endorsement as a midwife with the Nurses Board of Victoria (Division 1);
Graduate Diploma of Midwifery or Graduate Diploma of Nursing or equivalent
Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent;
a minimum of twelve months experience as a midwife.

Course requirements

Satisfactory completion of ninety-six credit points of study. This may be achieved through a combination of coursework and minor thesis. Entry to this course is through articulation with the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery (or equivalent). Approved Candidates will be awarded 50% advanced standing (forty-eight credit points) for their Graduate Diploma of Midwifery and can undertake the second forty-eight credit points by a combination of coursework and or thesis. Thesis components of forty-eight, thirty-six or twenty-four (project) credit points will be offered.

Course outline

Subjects offered from the Centre for Graduate Studies in Clinical Nursing will include:

CNS7561 Advanced midwifery practice 1
CNS7562 Advanced midwifery practice 2
CNS6601 Clinical teaching for health professionals
CNS6602 Issues in advanced clinical practice

Other masters level (level five) subjects offered by the School of Nursing. and other departments in the university.