Overview
In this unit, you will examine the role and scope of the midwife and the legal and ethical frameworks that guide professional midwifery practice. You will explore the philosophical and historical foundations of the midwifery profession, including key social and cultural discourses that influence women's choices and decision-making about their maternity care. A critical focus will be placed on legal and ethical standards, including the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Midwife Standards for Practice and Code of Conduct for Midwives, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) International Code of Ethics for Midwives, and relevant Australian legislation. In addition, the unit will introduce you to the structure of Australian maternity services, various models of midwifery care, and the principles of inclusive and culturally safe practice.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisite: Professional Midwifery Practice 1
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2027
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Academic Progression Policy and Procedure
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.