| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-19 | - |
Program Overview
The Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery aims to:
Why Midwifery at LSBU?
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Ranked 2nd amongst London competitors for Graduate Prospects in Nursing and Midwifery (Complete University Guide 2023)
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We have professional links with world-renowned teaching hospitals and Trusts in London and the South East
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Career opportunities: 97 percent of midwifery graduates get graduate level jobs or are in further education at professional or higher education level, within 15 months of graduation (Guardian University Guide 2023).
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In the final phase of the course you'll do a long stretch of placement block to help consolidate and develop your practical skills by being the lead professional in the care of low risk women.
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We have a real-time labour ward that is set up to simulate the range of delivery environments available to labouring women.
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LSBU Nursing & Midwifery graduates are the highest paid amongst all London Modern university graduates, and fifth highest in the UK one year after graduating (DfE LEO data 2022).
Program Outline
The main focus of the course is the promotion of normality, i.e. the framing of childbirth as a normal physiological process which the majority of women will undergo in their lifetime. The course also acknowledges that a number of women have more complex needs where technological help will be needed.
You are expected to achieve the theoretical and practice standards stipulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to enable you to perform the role and responsibilities of the Midwife within the context of promoting normality, using preventative measures, detecting complications, accessing appropriate assistance and carrying out emergency measures in the absence of medical aid.
Some compulsory skills sessions may take place in the evening.
Year 1
This module will enable the student to develop an understanding of physiological childbirth and the principles and provision of holistic midwifery care applied across pregnancy and the childbirth continuum. The holistic health of the woman and the developmental needs of the newborn infant will be discussed. It will also provide the opportunity to explore the midwife’s role in the assessment and organisation of safe and compassionate midwifery care of women and the newborn infant. The module will introduce the student to the newborn physical examination, which forms part of the National Screening Committee’s newborn and infant screening programme. The role of the midwife will be explored and applied to the development of core midwifery knowledge and skills, professional behaviour, and effective communication skills essential to support the student’s practice learning experience.
This module will support the consolidation of knowledge, skills and attitude from nursing to contemporary midwifery practice. Introduces the epidemiological principles and current evidence and data on Public Health strategies, Health Promotion, Health Protection, and Safeguarding. The student will use this evidence to inform conversations with women, their partners, and families, appropriate to their needs and preferences.
This module prepares the student to care for women with altered health during pregnancy and women with pre-existing conditions. Students will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to recognise deviations from the norm, signs of compromise and deterioration and plan, escalate and coordinate care to ensure that women achieve an optimum outcome. The principles of evidence based best practice for the first line management of complications and additional needs of women will be provided.
The module will introduce the student for the fundamental aspects of midwifery practice and support their completion of the practice document known as the Midwifery On-going record of Achievement (MORA), across the first year of the programme. Students will begin to develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the role of the midwife in the care of women and their newborn infants within caseloads, and develop their midwifery skills in practice During this module, the student will begin to develop and apply their knowledge of the systematic examination of the newborn and the screening elements within it. Students will be encouraged to use reflection within their learning and personal development.
Year 2
This module will enable the student to build upon their knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the newborn infant to enable them to gain an in-depth understanding of the range of conditions that affect the newborn infant due to illness, birth injury or prematurity and their additional care needs. It will provide the opportunity to analyse the midwife’s role in the assessment and early management of newborn infants. In addition, this module will provide the student with the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge required to assess the cardiovascular and the respiratory systems as part of the systematic examination of the newborn.
This module provides the student with an opportunity to critically examine the theoretical underpinnings of quality improvement in the maternity services. Students are enabled to critically explore the concept of quality in relation to leadership and innovation and the contribution of evidence in the promotion of a safe and effective maternity service. An opportunity will be provided for students to participate in identifying issues of concern, engage in the process of investigation and disseminate findings to facilitate change. This module will enable the student to recognise the role of the midwife as a key change agent leading in the process of quality assurance and improvement, working with service users in the process of co-production. This module coincides with an elective opportunity, where students can select to attend an international, national or specialist placement which enables them to enhance their understanding of the quality improvement process. By the end of this module, the student will recognise their future role as a midwife to improve safety and effectiveness of care as a scholar and leader and as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
This module equips the student to implement first-line emergency management of complications and/or additional care needs for the woman, fetus, and newborn infant when signs of compromise and deterioration or emergencies occur with the input of the multidisciplinary team.
This is a work-based learning module where students will be given academic credit for clinical practice. This module supports the achievement of key aspects within the MORA which centre on issues of decision making, accountability and autonomy in caseload midwifery and also enhances the student knowledge and skills related to the systematic examination of the newborn. Whilst these will be facilitated by the practice supervisor and practice assessor in the clinical environment, the student is facilitated to consolidate their skills and knowledge in preparation for registration as a midwife with the nursing and midwifery council.
Facilities
Placements
During the course you will spend 50% of your time involved in academic study and 50% in clinical practice within a broad variety of healthcare settings. A clinical practice placement allows you to put theory into practice by working with a range of health professionals in clinical situations to develop the skills, knowledge and experience required to become a competent midwife. Although sometimes initially challenging, practice learning is one of the most interesting and exciting aspects of learning to be a midwife.
Clinical settings
You'll experience a variety of clinical settings, such as NHS acute Trusts, community placements, and a variety of specialist roles within maternity and outside of maternity settings.
We are proud to partner with:
Support in Practice
Whilst in the clinical placement we ensure our midwifery students receive continuous support and guidance from a dedicated Midwifery placement facilitators and other supervisors and assessors made up of registered Midwives and other health practitioners. This is strengthened by the support of academics who help bridge the gap between university and practice such as Link lecturer, personal tutor and Academic assessor roles.
Skills week
Our midwifery students have an opportunity to participate in a skills week once a year which encourages inter-cohort working and learning to simulate real scenarios and provide a realistic perspective for students.
SimBaby and SimMom
The nursing and midwifery wards have simulator mannequins: SimBaby and SimMom. These life-size mannequins are computer controlled and can be programmed with various clinical conditions. These are operated by a computer in real-time and so respond to a student's actions. They also allow students to see the outcome of specific interventions in certain scenarios, which could make the client better or deteriorate quite quickly. They can be set up to simulate the range of delivery environments available to labouring women. The students can rehearse dealing with emergencies in a simulated setting.
The mannequins are used to teach students how to recognise clinical signs, and to also associate those clinical signs with the actions they are taking to care for the patient. SimMom has fully accurate anatomy and can breathe, blink, sweat, speak and groan in pain as well as have a pulse.
Simulation
A range of high fidelity and low fidelity equipment is used to simulate practice and support students to consolidate their skills.
Facilities
Placements
During the course you will spend 50% of your time involved in academic study and 50% in clinical practice within a broad variety of healthcare settings. A clinical practice placement allows you to put theory into practice by working with a range of health professionals in clinical situations to develop the skills, knowledge and experience required to become a competent midwife. Although sometimes initially challenging, practice learning is one of the most interesting and exciting aspects of learning to be a midwife.
Clinical settings
You'll experience a variety of clinical settings, such as NHS acute Trusts, community placements, and a variety of specialist roles within maternity and outside of maternity settings.
We are proud to partner with:
Support in Practice
Whilst in the clinical placement we ensure our midwifery students receive continuous support and guidance from a dedicated Midwifery placement facilitators and other supervisors and assessors made up of registered Midwives and other health practitioners. This is strengthened by the support of academics who help bridge the gap between university and practice such as Link lecturer, personal tutor and Academic assessor roles.
Skills week
Our midwifery students have an opportunity to participate in a skills week once a year which encourages inter-cohort working and learning to simulate real scenarios and provide a realistic perspective for students.
SimBaby and SimMom
The nursing and midwifery wards have simulator mannequins: SimBaby and SimMom. These life-size mannequins are computer controlled and can be programmed with various clinical conditions. These are operated by a computer in real-time and so respond to a student's actions. They also allow students to see the outcome of specific interventions in certain scenarios, which could make the client better or deteriorate quite quickly. They can be set up to simulate the range of delivery environments available to labouring women. The students can rehearse dealing with emergencies in a simulated setting.
The mannequins are used to teach students how to recognise clinical signs, and to also associate those clinical signs with the actions they are taking to care for the patient. SimMom has fully accurate anatomy and can breathe, blink, sweat, speak and groan in pain as well as have a pulse.
Simulation
A range of high fidelity and low fidelity equipment is used to simulate practice and support students to consolidate their skills.
