ProfCert Examination of the Newborn

Program Overview

This level 9 Professional Certificate in Examination of the Newborn empowers registered midwives to conduct comprehensive newborn physical examinations and screenings. Through a combination of online lectures, simulated clinical workshops, and mentored clinical assessments, midwives develop proficiency in newborn healthcare best practices, enhancing their clinical skills and fostering personal and professional growth.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program, the ProfCert Examination of the Newborn, is designed to enhance the clinical skills of registered midwives, enabling them to become proficient in conducting comprehensive physical examinations and screenings of newborns. The program aims to equip midwives with the necessary knowledge and skills to confidently perform these examinations, often referred to as "discharge" examinations.

Objectives:

The program's objectives are to:

• Develop and advance the clinical skills of registered midwives in the complete physical examination and screening of the neonate.
• Empower midwives to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills through a variety of learning methods, including online lectures, tutorials, workshops in a simulated clinical environment, specified learning activities, and self-directed learning.
• Motivate midwives to engage in ongoing independent learning, adapting to the evolving landscape of maternity care and fostering personal and professional growth.
• Enhance midwifery practice through effective technology utilization, contributing to learning and the delivery of safe, evidence-based maternity care.
• Foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and clinical decision-making skills, ensuring safe, effective, evidence-based, and woman- and family-centered care.
• Promote leadership in the advancement of this midwifery-led initiative.
• Cultivate effective communication and collaboration skills with women, families, advocates, the public, and professional peers, upholding respect for autonomy, dignity, and privacy.
• Facilitate appropriate referrals to the multidisciplinary team.

Outline:

The program is offered as part of an MSc in Midwifery Practice or as a standalone module at level 9. Upon successful completion, students earn 10 credits (ECTS).

Course Structure:

• Autumn Trimester: Combines live and pre-recorded online lectures, tutorials, and virtual workshops.
• Spring Trimester: Involves 40 supervised clinical examinations of newborns, culminating in three formal assessments in the clinical area.
However, it mentions that students will be presented with problem-based learning scenarios throughout the program for guided discussion and reflection.

Assessment:

• Online MCQ: One online multiple-choice question assessment.
• Short Written Assessment: One short written assessment.
• Competency-Based Assessments: Forty competency-based assessments in the clinical area.

Weighting:

• Online MCQ and Short Written Assessment: Combined weighting of 50%.
• Competency-Based Assessments: Weighting of 50%.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods: The program utilizes a variety of active learning methods, including online lectures, tutorials, workshops in a simulated clinical environment, specified learning activities, and autonomous self-directed learning.

Other:

• Clinical Mentorship: Applicants must secure a Lead Clinical Mentor/Assessor within a hospital setting to supervise and assess their clinical examinations.
• Clinical Examination Setting: The 40 examinations can be conducted on the postnatal ward or during a newborn clinic.
• Mentor Supervision: The mentor must closely supervise the first 25 examinations and then monitor and assess the student's progress throughout the clinical component.
• Final Assessment: The mentor/assessor conducts three in-depth assessments of the student's competency in the last three examinations before signing off on the student's competence in all aspects of the complete newborn examination.