MM Masters of Midwifery

Postgraduate, Full-time

Masters of Midwifery MM



Equip yourself with the requisite knowledge of evidence-based midwifery practice and skills

Overview

Welcome to this new and exciting opportunity. Edinburgh Napier University are proud to offer the new pre-registration Masters of Midwifery programme.

Midwives are recognised as experts in supporting women during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. We believe midwifery fosters the belief that childbirth is a normal physiological experience to be nurtured and respected. 

To meet the needs of women and their families in today’s society, our course reflects a dynamic student-centered approach to education. In preparation for practice as an autonomous midwife within the maternity services, our course has an emphasis on active learning focusing on:

  • Developing Critical Thinking and developing expert knowledge
  • Personal and Professional Reflection
  • Education
  • Research Awareness
  • Leadership
  • Management

This new innovative and dynamic three-year programme will equip you to become a highly skilled midwife who will deliver and progress evidenced-based research and holistic midwifery care to women and their families. This will lead to potential opportunities in leadership, management, consultancy, research and educational roles.

Over the next decade the Scottish Government plans to implement a new strategy which will shape the future of maternity services in Scotland. This will give you the opportunity to rise to the challenges which will shape and develop the roles of midwife practitioners in the future.

Please note: We will have a newly NMC accredited Midwifery Programme from September 2020.

Midwife and lecturer with student nurse

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

3 years

Start date:

Sep

Placement:

Yes


About you
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Course details

As a midwife you will be recognised as an expert in supporting and advising women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum care.

This course offers you the opportunity to develop expert clinical midwifery practice in a variety of healthcare settings and through simulated practice using our state of the art facilities. You will critically explore the provision of maternity services embracing the challenges of prioritising compassion, professionalism and trust.

A team of midwife lecturers who have expertise in education, clinical midwifery practice and current research will support you.

Midwives are autonomous practitioners who practice in a multi-disciplinary care setting. Midwifery is a very distinct independent health profession, which possesses its own knowledge skills and competencies. Midwifery care holistically encompasses the unique experience of individual women throughout their journey.

Notable midwifery skills include:

  • communication skills
  • breast feeding
  • normal labour and birth
  • initial consultation and history taking
  • medicines management

The experience you gain will enable you to become a conscientious midwife and contribute positively to advancing midwifery practice. You will become knowledgeable and skilled in the care of pregnant women, their babies and families and graduate ready to go straight into work.

You will also be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This qualification means that you have been assessed to be a safe and competent midwife with the necessary knowledge, understanding and clinical skills.


Modules

Year 1

  • Professional Midwifery Practice
  • Antenatal and Postnatal Midwifery Care
  • The Science of Midwifery
  • Evaluating the Evidence base for Normal Labour and Birth
  • Evaluating Midwifery Care of the Newborn and Family
  • Midwifery Practice 1

Year 2

  • Conceptualising Public Health and the Social Context of Childbearing
  • Midwifery Practice 2
  • Midwifery Care of Mothers and Babies with Complex Needs
  • Midwifery Practice 3
  • Management of Emergencies during Childbirth
  • Midwifery Practice 4

Year 3

  • Research Skills for Professional Midwifery Practice( 2)
  • Midwifery practice 5
  • Critiquing Midwifery Practice for Women Centred Care
  • Midwifery practice 6
  • Midwifery Practice 7
  • calendar How you’ll be taught

    The theory components of the Masters of Midwifery will include teaching at a more advanced scholarship level. You will be taught through a blended learning approach including lectures, tutorials, online self-directed learning and workshops. You will broaden and deepen your perspective knowledge of wider issues by developing advanced research awareness of:

    • Management
    • Leadership
    • Clinical Governance
    • Clinical Supervision
    • Education

    You will prepare for your placements in our simulated clinical environment prior to your practice placements across South-East Scotland.
  • note and pen Assessments

    A variety of assessments include, academic essays, reports, written examinations and ongoing assessment in clinical placement.
  • briefcase Work placement

    On placement you will relate midwifery theory to real life practice supported by a midwife mentor specifically trained to support you and assess your achievement.

    Practice placement experiences will reflect the current and emerging model of continuity of carer with implementation of The Best Start: A five-year forward plan for maternity and neonatal care in Scotland (Scottish Government, 2017).  This will involve caring for women through all stages of pregnancy, birth and postnatal periods.  As a result students will shadow their midwifery mentors working a variety of shift patterns to meet the needs of their case load.
  • study abroad Study abroad

    You will have the opportunity to organise a 4-week elective clinical placement at home or abroad.
  • library Facilities

    When you study midwifery with us you will spend a large proportion of your time here perfecting your skills in our simulated environment.

Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Antenatal and Postnatal Midwifery Care ( MID07113 )

In this module you will develop knowledge and understanding, enabling you to provide women-centred care throughout the preconception, antenatal and postnatal periods.
The module content is divided into six key areas and you will be encouraged and supported to consider the following:

Professional Midwifery Practice:
Models of women centred compassionate midwifery care, methods of communication and documentation with care planning and needs assessment: in relation to contemporary government policies for maternity care e.g. Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC), The Code and Midwives Rules. Throughout all aspects of care you will explore how the rights of women are supported to promote choice, ensure confidentiality and maintain dignity. You will go on to discover how midwifery practice must be diversity sensitive and discrimination free.

Academic development: Information retrieval workshop (library).
You will have an opportunity to explore your personal development through the use of a Personal Development Profile (PDP) and Revalidation. Throughout the module you will build an awareness of the evidence base which underpins all midwifery care.

Preconception:
You will consider the necessary components of preconceptual care and the physical and emotional changes which will occur during pregnancy.

Antenatal:
You will explore principles of antenatal care, initial consultation, information sharing, history taking, documentation, maternal mental health and well-being, maternal nutrition, antenatal and newborn screening tests. You will have an opportunity to discuss infant feeding choices in relation to beliefs and social constructs and you will explore the anatomy and physiology relating to lactation. You will also be introduced to The Baby Friendly Initiative 10 successful steps to breastfeeding.

Postnatal:
You will explore the theories of postnatal care, normal physiology of the puerperium and postnatal care and cervical cytology. Assessment of ongoing mental health needs and any signs of distress which would require intervention.

Midwifery Skills for Practice:
You will gain experience in efficient moving and handling, CALM training, midwifery skills for assessing maternal well-being – adult resuscitation, venepuncture, infection control - completion of cleanliness champions’ package

Further information

Evaluating midwifery care of the newborn and family ( MID11111 )

In this module you will learn about
In this module you will critically assess the importance of providing evidence based and physiologically appropriate care and management to the mother, baby and family unit. You will learn how to integrate partnership working into midwifery practice.
Description of Module Content
The module content is divided into five key areas and you will be encouraged and supported to consider the following:
Newborn:
You will critically explore the physiology, assessment and care of the newborn, newborn examinations, blood spot screening test and newborn hearing test
Infant and maternal nutrition:
You will consider the anatomy and physiology of the immune system and immunity.
Constituents of colostrum and breastmilk encouraging the application of theory to practice – Responsive feeding (Baby Friendly Initiative) and recognition of effective breastfeeding.
You will develop a critical awareness of infant brain development and the importance of love and nurture to ensure optimal outcomes.
Mother:
The importance of informed consent will be highlighted throughout the module. You will consider maternal physical and mental health and well-being before and after birth, cervical pathology, common minor disorders of the puerperium, pre/post-operative care following caesarean section, working as per The Code and an introduction to first aid. You will critically discuss the importance of sharing information with women which is clear and accurate. The rights of women will be explored and respected with care offered in a warm, sensitive and compassionate manner. Medicine management will be outlined and you will gain an appreciation of the role of the midwife in supporting women to make safe and informed choices regarding medicines throughout pregnancy and beyond.

Family:
Environmental – Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) here you will recognise and discuss factors which may influence the well-being of the mother; newborn and family, teaching and learning a skill, emotional transition to parenting, family planning, parent and child interaction.
Professional:
You will explore and critique the process of reflection and reflective models.
Evidence based practice and professional roles within the multidisciplinary team will be evaluated.
Guidance with regards to documentation/ record keeping as per The Code.
Infection Control and continued support for completion of the Cleanliness Champions package.

Further information

Evaluating the Evidence Base for Normal Labour and Birth ( MID11110 )

During this module you will critically explore your knowledge and caring skills in relation to labour and birth. You will develop knowledge of the anatomical, physiological and psychological adaptations of both the mother and baby during labour and birth. You will learn to identify evidence based informed care appropriate to the individual needs of each woman and her baby working within the multidisciplinary team .This module is divided into key areas:
Anatomy and physiology
Applied to all stages of labour and birth
1st stage of labour
Care of a woman and her family/midwives role
Introduction to fetal heart rate monitoring
Pain relief in labour/ Complementary therapies
Positions in labour
Fetal circulation/physiological adaptation of the newborn
2nd stage of labour
Care of a woman and her family/midwives role
Administration of intravenous therapy
Injection technique
Vaginal examinations
Procedures and practical skills in midwifery – episiotomy, suturing and care of the perineum
Introduction to pre-operative and post-operative care
Introduction to the operating theatre environment


3rd stage of labour
Examination of the placenta
Care of a woman and her family/midwives role
Neonatal care
Care of the neonate at birth and in the initial postnatal period/midwives role
Neonatal resuscitation
Programme strands:
Also included in this module:
Critical appraisal of the research evidence and ethics around labour and birth
Examination preparation workshop (academic development)
Working within a multidisciplinary team
Clinical skills for midwives for labour and birth
Patient safety agenda
Pharmacology and medicine management

Further information

Midwifery Practice 1 ( MID07109 )

You will learn under the direct supervision of a midwife to care for healthy childbearing women and gain competence in the performance of core midwifery skills for women and the newborn.
This practice module introduces you to midwifery practice, with placements in maternity care settings. You will be working under the direct supervision of a named mentor in each placement. The focus of the experience will be to enable you develop the necessary skills required in caring for the healthy childbearing woman and her family (LOs 1- 6). You will have the opportunity to perform basic clinical and interpersonal skills in maternity care settings (LOs 1, 2, 5, 6). Initially the practice will be observational, with gradual progression to hands-on practice in accordance with the mentor’s professional judgement of your level of experience, the clinical situation and the nature of the clinical skill.

You will begin to record births and clinical examination of childbearing women and their babies as required by the European Midwifery Directives (2005) and the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC 2009).

You will also complete Cleanliness Champion Programme (HAI units 1 – 6).

Further information

Professional Midwifery Practice ( MID11109 )

In this module you will explore the professional knowledge and behaviours which underpin midwifery practice. You will examine core academic skills which will facilitate personal and professional development. You will be introduced to the frameworks that will guide your practice as a midwife, including the professional, legal and ethical codes of practice. You will learn the key principles of values based and women-centred care (Scottish Government 2012) all of which will be presented in the context of ‘The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives.’ (NMC, 2015).
The module content is divided into six key areas:
Prioritising people:
Principles of responsive, woman-centred communication will be introduced with concepts related to reflexive, inclusive, ethical and legal frameworks. The module will provide you with an opportunity to consider relevant health and social policies that inform midwifery practice, for example national policies such as ‘Getting it Right for Every Child’ and international policy such as the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative. Alongside this, you will explore issues relating to the health equality, public protection and the wellbeing of children and adults (including policies such as the dementia framework), mental health and the support of third sector agencies will be considered.
Practising effectively:
You will explore strategies to support learning for professional practice will be explored in the context of the topics covered within the module. Particular focus will be on the construction and quality of relevant knowledge and ways in which you can use evidence appropriately to inform midwifery practice. You will consider communication, therapeutic skills and record keeping relevant to this will be considered in the light of relevant theory and applied to midwifery care. Information retrieval and writing workshops will support your learning in respect of this.

Preserving safety:
You will examine the role of the midwife as part of a multidisciplinary team giving care to women and their families in relation to: sphere of practise; referral, candour; acting in emergency situations; managing risk and escalating concerns; midwifery and medicines administration; and harm reduction.

Promoting professionalism and trust:
Through the recognition and development of appropriate professional values and behaviours, you will apply your understanding of their significance in respect of relationships in midwifery care and practice. This will involve understanding professional roles and responsibilities in respect of not only your own practice, but that of others too.

Academic development – Writing workshop

Programme Strands
Throughout the programme you will find ‘strands’ or ‘themes’ that follow particular topics. In this module Baby Friendly Initiative standards will be considered in respect of health and wellbeing, infant feeding culture in the UK, communication of infant feeding and Public Health strategies related to infant feeding. You will explore research in the context of evidence-based practice and understanding and accessing sources of midwifery evidence and knowledge. Medicines management will address managing professional practice in respect of the law, consent confidentiality, ethics, accountability and documentation. You will consider communication strategies such as sharing information, being attentive, confidentiality, enabling choice, consent, treating women with dignity and respect, partnership working, non-discriminatory practice and compassionate care. You will consider emotional wellbeing related to your knowledge of mental health during the perinatal period, women’s rights and treatment options, preconception advice, risk associated with history, signs and symptoms of distress, psycho-social risk factors in pregnancy, risks of self-harm, referral pathways, support, risk management strategies, all of which will reflect working within relevant policies and guidelines.

Further information

The Science of Midwifery ( MID07112 )

During this module you will apply basic scientific principles of anatomy and physiology to maternal and infant health. This will provide you with the information that you require in order to undertake practice and will allow you to build on the knowledge gained in further theory modules.

In this module you will learn about five key areas including:

Basic Body structures:
You will examine in detail the cell and genetics, the nervous system, cardio-vascular system, respiratory system, renal system, gastro-intestinal system, reproductive and endocrine systems, microbiology and immunity.

Fertility: You will also examine in relation to female fertility, cell division, the ovarian cycle, menstrual cycle, fertilisation and conception. This module will also include maternal adaptation to her pregnancy, maternal nutrition and the anatomy of the female pelvis and fetal Skull

The Fetus: This module will also include basic embryology, fetal growth and development and fetal circulation.

Programme strand Breast Feeding: This module will commence with the Baby Friendly Initiative Theme (BFI) that is stranded throughout your programme. This includes the anatomy of the breast and physiology of lactation, the role of the feedback inhibitor of lactation (FIL) and instinctive mothering behaviour.
You will also study the prevention of Infection- principles of infection control, immunity

Further information

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information on this is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements

The Masters of Midwifery is a three year pre-registration programme that leads to a midwifery qualification and entry onto a professional register. Therefore our admissions policy reflects the requirements of the NMC (2009) Standards for pre–registration midwifery education.

To apply for this programme you must possess a first degree (preferably in life sciences, social sciences, sports sciences, nursing, health studies, health care, and education). You must provide evidence of completion of general education of 12 years as part of the interview process. You may also be considered with other academic, vocational or professional qualifications deemed to be equivalent.

Although not essential, we do advise students to gain paid or voluntary work within the health and/or social care sector before commencement onto the programme.

Numeracy

As part of the interview process all applicants’ previous studies in relation to Numeracy and/or Maths is checked . If successful at interview those without a pass in a Numeracy Module equivalent to Numeracy Intermediate 2, and/or Maths National 5 at grade C or above must pass a Numeracy Module - 'Core Skills - Numeracy for Health Care (Intermediate 2)'.

Literacy

All applicants must have at least a Higher in English (or equivalent) to be shortlisted for interview.

Science

All applicants must have at least a Higher in Biology (or equivalent) to be shortlisted for interview.

Interview Requirements

There will be a selection interview and all candidates must meet NMC requirements of good health and good character. Competition for places varies from year-to-year and achievement of the typical minimum entry requirements does not always guarantee shortlisting for interview or a place on the course. 

Admission to the programme is dependent upon a satisfactory Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG) check. This will be sent to you prior to interview and will be conducted on the interview day.  The cost of the PVG check will be paid by the University.

Previous Nursing Students

Please note that students who have already studied a Nursing degree are unlikely to receive funding for a second Nursing degree.

English Language Requirements

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test. The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS 7.0 (with no less than 7.0 in each component).  For guidance on the acceptability of other English Language tests please contact ugadmissions@napier.ac.uk

Our entry requirements indicate the minimum qualifications with which we normally accept students. Competition for places varies from year to year and you aren't guaranteed a place if you meet the minimum qualifications.

International students

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that non-EU international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BN Nursing/MN Nursing (Adult, Child, Mental Health or Learning Disability)
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery

Admissions policies

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2018/19 2019/20
Scotland/EU Fees are funded by the NHS Scotland* Fees are funded by the NHS Scotland*
England Wales and Northern Ireland £9,250** tba


**Please note, whilst this programme leads to a Masters level qualification, the course is eligible for student funding in the same way as undergraduate nursing programmes are, and therefore offer holders should apply for funding via these routes.

Careers

On successful completion of the course, you will be well equipped for your role as a Registered Midwife. This will also be supported by continuous professional development/ revalidation throughout your career based on the NMC Code (2015). The principles of the Code are to:

  • Promote professionalism and trust
  • Prioritise people
  • Practice effectively
  • Preserve safety

These principles are firmly embedded in our programme and  continued application of these principles will enable future career opportunities including, midwifery research, advanced practice or specialist roles and education.