Primary Midwifery Practice

This course will develop an understanding of primary midwifery practice to promote the childbirth continuum as a normal life event. This includes facilitating woman-centred care acknowledging biopsychosocial and cultural contexts of women. Contents include: reproductive anatomy review; physiology of conception; human growth and development; physiology of pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum; healthy lifestyle, health history and assessment skills; antenatal physical examination; antenatal care; the mechanisms of normal birth; midwifery care during labour, birth and postpartum; managing pain; fetal circulatory system; physiology of lactation; breast feeding; newborn assessment; Apgar scale; newborn resuscitation; biopsychosocial and cultural context; birth experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women; referral; midwifery language; communication and documentation skills; evidenced- based practice; information literacy; woman-centred care; continuity of care experience; group work; clinical skills and medication administration (e.g. maternal, sub-cut and oral medications; IM injections and neonatal IM injections); inquiry based learning.