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Unit Synopsis
This capstone unit supports the advanced application of theoretical and clinical knowledge in pharmacology and the quality use of medicines, within the context of midwifery. By examining maternal, fetal, and neonatal physiology, you will analyse the use and impacts of over-the-counter, prescribed, and drugs of dependence across the childbearing continuum. Through comprehensive evaluation of current evidence and critical engagement with complex clinical scenarios, you will develop enhanced decision-making skills, professional autonomy, and ethical reasoning in medication management. The unit encourages reflective practice, research-informed care, and clinical leadership, preparing you to contribute meaningfully to health outcomes and practice innovation. By the conclusion of the unit, you will be equipped to provide safe, evidence-informed, family-centred midwifery care and transition with confidence to autonomous professional practice.
Details
| Level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 9 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 1 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Prerequisites: Complexities of the Childbearing Continuum Co-requisites: Midwifery Professional Experience 3 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). |
| Class Timetable | View Unit Timetable |
| Residential School | No Residential School |
Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2026
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).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Assessment Tasks
| Assessment Task | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Online Quiz(zes) | 40% |
| 2. Case Study | 60% |
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).
Past Exams
All University policies are available on the Policy web site, however you may wish to directly view the following policies below.
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of policies are available on the Policy web site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Analyse how the altered maternal and placental/fetal physiology of pregnancy affects advanced pharmacological processes, including pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, in relation to over-the-counter medications, prescribed drugs, and drugs of dependence
- Appraise and validate complex medication orders, integrating advanced pharmacological knowledge and clinical reasoning to ensure accurate dosage calculations and safe administration of medications for women and their infants
- Synthesise the multifaceted physiological and psychological effects of pharmacological interventions on maternal, fetal, and neonatal health and employ advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-informed judgement to assess therapeutic efficacy and inform safe, woman-centred midwifery care that upholds professional, ethical standards, and is culturally responsive
- Critically appraise the midwife’s role and responsibilities in relation to the safe, ethical, and evidence-informed use of pharmacological therapies across the childbearing continuum.
The ANMAC Midwifery Education Standards (2021)
Standard 1: Safety of the Public
Standard 3: Program of study
The NMBA Code of Conduct for Midwives (2018)
Principle 1: Legal compliance
Principle 2: Woman centred practice
Principle 3: Cultural practice and respectful relationships
Principle 4: Professional behaviour
Principle 6: Research in health
Principle 7: Health and wellbeing
NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018).
Standard 1: Promotes health and wellbeing through evidence based midwifery practice
Standard 2: Engages in professional relationships and respectful partnerships
Standard 3: Demonstrates the capability and accountability for midwifery practice
Standard 4: Undertakes comprehensive assessments
Standard 5: Develops a plan for midwifery practice
Standard 6: Provides safety and quality in midwifery practice
Standard 7: Evaluates outcomes to improve midwifery practice
International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) International Code of Ethics for Midwives (2014)
1. Midwifery relationships
2. Practice of midwifery
3. Professional responsibilities of midwives
4. Advancement of midwifery knowledge and practice
The National Prescribing Service Prescribing Competencies Framework: Embedding quality use of medicines into practice (2021): All competency areas apply.
The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2021): All standards apply.
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Case Study | • | • | • | • |
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Communication | • | • | • | • |
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | • | |||
| 4 - Research | • | • | • | • |
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | • | • | • | • |
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | • | |||
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |