Master of Midwifery (MMID) - MM

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Program focus

This program is primarily designed to prepare registered nurses to become endorsed midwives and has been developed in partnership with Cairns Health Service, Toowoomba Health Service and Darling Downs District, Hervey Bay Hospital, St Vincents Private Hospital and other nominated rural hospitals in Queensland. Students of this program must be employed as midwifery students at a partner hospital during the clinical year of the program. Endorsed midwives seeking a Masters qualification as part of their professional development strategy are encouraged to apply.

Professional accreditation

This program is accredited by the Queensland Nursing Council (QNC). Graduates will be eligible for endorsement as midwives upon application to the QNC.

Program aims

The aim of this program is to prepare students for practice in midwifery to the standard of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) National Competency Standards for the Midwife.

Program objectives

On successful completion of this program graduates will be able to:

• initiate, maintain and conclude partnerships with women which facilitate women's empowerment and promote the health of women and their families

• use a comprehensive knowledge and skill base to provide safe and effective clinical care and education for childbearing women and their foetuses/infants across all ages and health-risk categories

• express acceptance of the uniqueness of individual women and through the combined attributes of caring, patience, gentleness, and compassion and by practising within the ACMI code of ethics, promote a supportive and safe birthing environment

• develop and integrate into practice knowledge and wisdom about the biophysical and psycho-social spiritual aspects of childbearing women and foetuses/infants

• critically evaluate and apply research relevant to midwifery

• apply clinical decision-making skills (when appropriate) to provide midwifery care and promote quality outcomes

• practice midwifery within prescribed legal boundaries and within their own scope of competence

• when required, fulfil the pivotal role of midwife and coordinator of care within the multi-disciplinary health care team

• demonstrate a critical awareness of historical, political and cultural context of birthing and use this to further the aims of childbearing women and the discipline of midwifery

• demonstrate advanced skills in reflection, analysis, argument and criticism including the ability to research and enhance own clinical practice

• grow and develop as a person and as a professional .

Admission requirements

Applicants meeting the following criteria may be accepted into the program:

• be a registered nurse with a three-year Bachelors degree in Nursing or equivalent. The Program Coordinator will use the principles of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to judge equivalence.

• have access to ongoing quality clinical experiences in a variety of settings through USQ's partner hospitals

• have personal access to a PC computer with CD-ROM and Internet facilities for teaching-learning purposes. This is essential if students are to fulfil course assessment requirements. See below for further technical requirements. In some partnership hospitals, Queensland Health Intranet/Internet access may be available for students for up to eight hours per week

• have at least one year of recent clinical nursing experience (please contact the Program Coordinator if you need to negotiate this criteria).

Endorsed midwives with a graduate or hospital certificate, please contact the Program Coordinator for exemptions.

The Program Coordinator is available to discuss individual needs.

The onus is on the applicant to put forward an expression of interest for employment as a midwifery student to their preferred partner hospital. This process should be commenced after enrolment in the Program in the first instance. The applicant should also be aware that:

• Application is competitive at the health services as there are limited numbers of clinical placements at partner hospitals

• Enrolment pattern alterations must be discussed with the Program coordinator should there be no available clinical placements for the intended clinical year.

Application Procedures

Applicants should apply to the University using a Direct Entry application form, to determine their academic suitability for entry to the program. Each application will be assessed on an individual basis, according to the Entry Requirements. The following important information must be included; otherwise the application will be delayed:

• a certified copy of the applicant's current nursing registration certificate (you must provide a certified copy of your Current Annual Licence Certificate)

• a certified copy of the applicant's Bachelor of Nursing degree or a letter from USQ indicating that they have been granted admission based on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). (Further details available from the Program Coordinator)

• evidence or recent nursing experience (at least one year) e.g. a letter of employment from the applicant's employer.

Applicants seeking endorsement are also required to apply for a 12-month clinical placement as a part-time, paid midwifery student at one of USQ's participating hospitals. Expressions of interest to partner hospitals should only be submitted after enrolment into the Program. Partner hospital representatives and USQ work closely to match enrolled MMID students to available quota of places at Partner hospitals. The Program Coordinator will liaise with applicants to confirm that their application allows them a place within the quota for their selected hospital. Applicants need to remember that positions are competitive. Currently, placements are only available with the partner hospitals listed below:

Employment contracts with partner hospitals cannot be secured until students have successfully completed pre-requisite courses MID8070 and MID8001 .

The hospital will advise the student directly of the result of their placement application once successful completion of prerequisite courses has been confirmed by USQ. Hospitals may ask the student to complete employment assessment criteria and attend a personal interview. In this case, students would be notified once references have been checked.

Employment is on the basis of a 12 month contract that is subject to performance assessment throughout the year. Students should familiarise themselves with the Queensland Health Code of Conduct prior to commencing employment.

Students cannot continue into the Clinical Year of the program if they do not have a hospital placement. If students have not been successful in confirming a place in the hospital quota by the time their first semester of study is due to commence, they should contact the Program Coordinator. Provided that they do so at any time up to and including the last day to drop courses without penalty, they may expect to receive a full refund of any tuition fees paid in that semester should they wish to discontinue enrolment in the Master of Midwifery.

Important Note: If for any reason the student decides to drop or defer their studies (whether in the pre-clinical semester or clinical year) it is the responsibility of the student to contact the hospital in writing to resign the midwifery student position being held for them.

On receipt of an enrolment form by the University from the student, study packages containing comprehensive study information, study materials and assignment details will be sent, at which time students should prepare to commence study on the first day of semester.

How to apply

Domestic students

Application for postgraduate programs may be made directly to USQ. You should ensure you submit your application by the closing dates.

Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of your higher education and you as a student pay a student contribution amount, which varies depending on the courses undertaken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called HECS-HELP.

Program structure

This program consists of eight courses. Exemptions for up to four courses may be granted to endorsed midwives. Students will normally study two courses per semester for four semesters. This Program uses a tri-semester academic calendar. Students commence their study in March, Semester 1; this is referred to as the 'Pre-clinical Semester’. In this semester of study students will encounter their first course that focuses on CD-ROM content and calls for student interaction through Internet Discussion Groups (See IT Requirements for minimum technology requirements).

In Semester 2 of the next year (July), students attend a two-week residential school then begin paid employment as midwifery students. This marks the beginning of the 'Clinical Year’. They will be required to continue in the clinical field for 12 months and will complete their hospital internship and the program in Semester 1 (late June to early July) of the following year. There is provision within the course for up to 1040 clinical hours. This includes some unpaid, supernumerary, clinical placements. Under exceptional circumstances the minimum clinical requirement for students is 800 quality midwifery clinical hours.

Students should contact the Program Coordinator to discuss variations in enrolment pattern and courses for exemption in recognition of prior learning.

Course Sequence and Relationship to Residential Schools

Students choosing to study at one of the rural partner hospitals will need to organise with their Director of Nursing Services an exchange or a supernumerary position for a total of approximately three weeks to a larger partner hospital during the clinical year to ensure exposure to high-risk maternity and neonatal care. The program will be delivered primarily by flexible learning, which will be supplemented by two residential schools. For more detail on residential schools please see below.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 4 years to complete this program.

IT requirements

Students should visit the USQ Recommended Hardware and Recommended Software sites to check that their computers are capable of running the appropriate software and versions of Internet web browsers and to check the minimum and recommended standards for software.

Residential schools

There are three compulsory residential schools in this Program. The first residential school is of two weeks duration and will be held in Cairns and Toowoomba Hospitals (at the beginning of Semester 2 in the Clinical Year). This residential school focuses primarily on midwifery skill acquisition, application of evidenced based knowledge and principles of woman-centred care so that students are well prepared to begin employment as midwifery students in hospitals. The second and third residential schools are combined and are of one week's duration and are held in Semester 3, November (in Toowoomba and in Cairns) in that same year. The focus of these residential school is to explore complex psycho-social aspects of childbearing and to learn clinical problem solving in the event of obstetric emergencies.

Only under exceptional circumstances, will the compulsory residential school requirements be varied and only if alternative strategies can be used to meet the objectives of the residential school.

Recommended enrolment pattern (for completion in 18 months)

Because the clinical components of the midwifery courses are achieved through a 12 month paid employment contract, students are unable to be offered any slower progression other than what appears in the enrolment pattern below. If because of exceptional circumstances progression requires alteration the student must negotiate changes to employment contracts with representatives from their chosen partner hospital. Please note that the partner hospitals are under no obligation to support such contractual changes. It may be that unpaid supernumerary clinical is required of the student to meet Program requirements.