Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit provides students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of mental health and mental illness in pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. The impact of mental health disorders on attachment, early parenting, the baby and family will be explored. The unit is required by students to extend their midwifery knowledge on assessment and care planning, specifically in relation to childbearing women with mental illness.
The aim of this unit is to extend students' knowledge of contemporary midwifery practice to enable them to support women and families challenged by mental health issues.
We recognise that people who access maternity care may have diverse gender identities, that those who do can experience marginalisation and oppression, and that using appropriate terminology can help with these community members’ recognition and visibility, acknowledge the variety of pregnancy and birth experiences people may have, and respect individuals’ preferences. To reflect this, terms such as ‘pregnant person’, ‘birthing person’, ‘childbearing people’, ‘parent’ and ‘chestfeeding’ may be used in the midwifery courses at ACU in addition to ‘woman’, ‘mother’, ‘maternity’, ‘maternal’ and ‘breastfeeding’, which are used not to exclude those who do not identify as a woman, but in recognition that women continue to be marginalised and oppressed in many places around the world and to respect their own individual preferences.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Describe effective therapeutic approaches to commu...
Learning Outcome 01
Understand the theoretical and social constructs o...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply the principles of teamwork and self-manageme...
Learning Outcome 03
Explore how stigma and other personal beliefs crea...
Learning Outcome 04
Apply theories of maternal infant attachment to pr...
Learning Outcome 05
Apply ethico-legal and professional frameworks to ...
Learning Outcome 06
Content
Topics will include:
Legal and professional practice
- Legal frameworks and obligations
- Mental health
- Child protection
- Family violence
- Consultation and referral
- Medication knowledge and administration
- Assertive communication skills
Midwifery knowledge and practice
- Introduction to the theories underpinning mental health and illness
- Behaviourist
- Psychoanalytic
- Cognitive
- Humanistic
- Biopsychosocial
- Application to midwifery practice
- Mental health and childbearing:
- Perinatal anxiety and depression;
- Bipolar and psychotic disorders,
- Posttraumatic stress disorder,
- Body image disturbance,
- Personality disorders
- Childhood sexual abuse
- Screening, assessment and diagnosis of women with perinatal mental health issues
- Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale,
- Comprehensive mental health assessment
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
- Collaborative management of women with perinatal mental health issues
- Therapeutic interventions and communication
- Infant Mental Health
- Attachment theory application
- Women at risk
- Social and economic disadvantage
- Substance use
- Family violence
Midwifery as primary health care
- Societal constructs
- Motherhood/fatherhood
- Mental health and illness
- Impact on child bearing women and families
Reflective and ethical practice
- Ethical issues
- Disclosure
- Confidentiality
- Personal beliefs
- Evidence-based practice
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures consistent with University assessment requirements will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes.
Students will work in groups within the online learning platform to explore discipline specific knowledge and skills in relation to mental illness in childbearing women and their family. The group work enables students to experience and reflect on team and leadership skills relevant to their professional practice within midwifery and wider multidisciplinary teams. The written assignment provides students with the opportunity to explore the evidence base regarding assessment and care planning for women challenged by mental illness. The examination enables students to demonstrate a sound knowledge base in addressing content and process questions related to unit content.
These assessments are required to build student knowledge and skills which, by the conclusion of this programme, will enable the student to graduate as a safe and effective midwife.
Overview of assessments
Group work Enables students to achieve sound comm...
Group work
Enables students to achieve sound communication and team skills and demonstrate understanding of key concepts in relation to mental illness in childbearing women and their family.
20%
Written assignment 1500 words (+/- 10%) Enables s...
Written assignment 1500 words (+/- 10%)
Enables students to achieve skills in academic writing and referencing and to articulate the evidence base for assessment and care planning in relation to mental illness in childbearing women and their family.
40%
Written Examination (2hours) (Central Examination...
Written Examination (2hours) (Central Examination Period)
Enables students to demonstrate overall knowledge and understanding of content in the unit.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Modes of delivery in this unit include online learning complemented by learner-centred tutorials and therapeutic communication practice. Consistent with adult learning principles, the teaching and learning strategies used within these modes of delivery will provide students with foundational knowledge and skills relevant to professional midwifery practice. These strategies will also support students in meeting the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit and the broader course learning outcomes. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively with peers. Scenario-based learning, case-based learning, problem-based learning and inquiry-based learning are all used to support the development of students' independent learning ability.
Students at university need to operate effectively as self-sufficient learners who drive their own learning and access the learning supports they require. To guide students in their learning, feedback is required to identify what is being done well, what requires additional work and to identify progress toward required learning outcomes. Located in the second year of the programme, this theory unit includes moderate face-to-face teaching hours and an increasing online component of learning to build life-long learning skills. Online modules are utilised to convey content and its central principles while tutorials deliver interactive and student-driven learning sessions including in a Yarning Circle format which require an increasing reliance on students to extend their community of learners and increase self-reliance. Online materials provide students with the opportunity to undertake directed, self-motivated study and continue to transition to independent study and life-long learning.
NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice
NMBA (2018) Midwife Standards for Practice developed in this unit are: