BMidwif Midwifery

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Professional Midwifery - Scholarly Leadership

Course unit fact file
Unit code NURS34100
Credit rating 30
Unit level Level 6
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This unit will enable the learner to critically review the use of research and evidence-based practice in quality health care. Learners will explore how research may be used in evaluating and improving and developing services. The unit will also provide the opportunity to discern methods used to critically evaluate care and understand processes underpinning enhancement. Learners will develop expertise in critically evaluating and synthesising evidence and the application of research to practice using quality improvement methodologies will also be deliberated. Learners will be able to develop skills in dissemination of effective methods and practices.

Aims

This unit aims to:

  • enable learners to search for and critically appraise research evidence, analyse findings, identify best-practice, and consider the limits of knowledge and appropriate application in midwifery care.
  • use these skills to propose strategies or priorities for midwifery practice development, further education and/or research

Teaching and learning methods

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) and aims are all constructively aligned to ensure the teaching and assessment methods support the learners’ achievement of these to the highest standard. The assessment ensures that all aims and ILOs can be demonstrated as met during the assessment task and in order to facilitate learners’ understanding of the ILOs the following teaching methods will be used:

  • Whole group lectures (face to face / online)
  • Online podcasts
  • Online tasks
  • Online resources
  • Workshops
  • Small group discussions with peers and service users
  • Independent learning
  • Clinical practice (BMidwif)

Clinical practice hours are included in this unit to enable learners to apply theoretical concepts to practice and reflect on practical experiences in relation to that learning (BMidwif only)

Knowledge and understanding

  • Demonstrate a broad understanding of health and social care philosophy and policy, and its translation into ethical and evidence-based midwifery practice.
  • Demonstrate the ability to effectively retrieve and appraise a range of data/information that underpins and informs the evidence base for midwifery practice.
  • Demonstrate coherent and detailed knowledge and understanding of clinical governance, clinical audit and benchmarking of maternity services.

Intellectual skills

  • Demonstrate a coherent understanding of the key aspects of midwifery practice through critical analysis and synthesis of information/data from a wide range of sources, at least some of which is at the forefront of midwifery practice.
  • Critically apply the knowledge and understanding outlined above (in A1 – A2) to the management and delivery of competent midwifery care in a variety of clinical practice settings and across the childbearing continuum.
  • Critically appraise the evidence base for midwifery interventions and consider strategies for further research and/or practice development.
  • Demonstrate sound decision making, clinical judgement and problem-solving capability across a range of professional and care delivery contexts.

Practical skills

  • Undertake procedures for planning, provision and management of personalised / family–oriented midwifery care using evidence based best practice approaches.
  • Facilitate learning that incorporates dissemination of research amongst peers, colleagues and service users
  • Identify key areas for development of maternity care and recommend strategies that may relate to policy, education or further research.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Demonstrate logical and systematic thinking and the ability to draw reasoned conclusions and sustainable judgements strategies to improve these.
  • Manage both independent study and the demands of professional practice effectively.
  • Demonstrate effective use of information technology, library, electronic and online resources to enable effective engagement with the programme and to develop fundamental skills for life-long learning.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written assignment (inc essay) 100%

Feedback methods

Formative assessment

Opportunity to have drafts reviewed by the supervisor up to 3 times. In addition, there will be opportunities for  peer review through discussion during group supervision.  

Recommended reading

  • Aveyard H (2018) Doing a literature review in health and social care: A practical guide. Fourth edition. Maidenhead, Open University Press.
  • De Leo A Bayes S Geraghty S Butt J (2019) Midwives’ use of best available evidence in practice: An integrative review.  Journal of Clinical Nursing 28:4235 https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15027 (Open access)
  • Gopee N Galloway J (2017) Leadership and Management in Healthcare. Third edition. London, Sage.
  • Gottwald M Lansdown G E (2014) Clinical Governance Improving the Quality of Healthcare for Patients and Service Users.  Maidenhead, Open University Press.
  • Harvey M Land L (2016) Research methods for nurses and midwives. Theory and practice. London, Sage
  • Jadad AR (2007). Randomised Controlled Trials. Questions, Answers and Musings. Second edition BMJ Books.
  • Rea, ML, Parker, RA (2014 Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide, 4th Edition. London, Wiley.
  • Silverman D (2020) Qualitative Research. Fifth edition. London, Sage publications.
  • Tharpe NL Farley CL Jordan RG (2021) Clinical

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 10
Tutorials 4
Work based learning 80
Independent study hours
Independent study 167

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Katie Cole Unit coordinator

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