Graduate Diploma of Midwifery

Mode of Study

The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery is offered as an online course with two compulsory intensive schools; one for MID441 and one for MID442.

Study Commitment

The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery is one year of online study, this is in addition to your workplace employment contract commitment.

The course contains seven subjects. One subject is for your clinical work that is undertaken in the workplace and the other six subjects are theory only subjects.

Your first session of study has a study commitment of 400 hours and your second session of study also has a study commitment of 400 hours totalling 800 hours, this covers your six theory subjects.This is in addition to your employment as a student midwife which incorporates meeting the clinical requirements of the course.

Intensive Schools

See the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery Intensive School Calendar for dates & locations.

Work Place Learning

Students are not to undertake any midwifery clinical work until they pass the MID441 clinical skills assessment at their first intensive school.

All midwifery work place learning will occur at the maternity facility or area health service that you are employed at. During our intensive schools we are required by ANMAC to assess student’s safety to the public.

Standard 1.7 : The program’s progression policies and rules ensure that only those students who have demonstrated the requisite knowledge and skills required for safe practice are eligible for MPE.

The process for both CSA (Clinical Skills Assessment MID441) and OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam MID442) are outlined below in accordance with Charles Sturt’s assessment policy:

Student’s are given theoretical content prior to intensives as well as detailed information regarding the CSA/OSCE.
Student’s practice the skills that will be assessed in small group as well having the opportunity to practice one on one with academic staff at the end of day 1 and 2.
A student randomly picks the scenario / skill to be assessed on Day 3 at the beginning of their allocated assessment time.
If a student fails attempt 1, they are given feedback and will have a 2ndattempt later in the day . They have the option of another assessor also but practice the same skill.
If a student fails their 2ndattempt they will be provided feedback and invited back the following day where they will be given further education on the clinical skills and time to practice before their 3rdand final attempt.
If a student fails the 3rd attempt they will fail the subject and cannot return to the workplace. They may enrol in the subject the following session if the facility was willing to support an extension of contract and the student would need to take a leave of absence from clinical employment until the next session and reassessment.

Entry Requirements

All applicants must be an AHPRA registered nurse and hold a contract as a midwifery student with a maternity facility or area health service midwifery for the length of the course.

Inherent Requirements

All applicants must read the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery inherent requirements before accepting their offer - Read the inherent requirements.

Compliance with the National Law

All midwifery students are currently AHPRA registered nurses and have responsibilities under the National Law.

In accordance with AHPRA requirements CSU will notify the NMBA of all Graduate Diploma of Midwifery students for the student register. CSU has the right to notify AHPRA if a student undertaking midwifery practice experience has an impairment that may place the public at risk of harm.

Work Place Requirements

As all Graduate Diploma of Midwifery students are employed by a local maternity facility or area health service, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they meet all work place requirements in accordance with your employer and work place policies e.g. immunisation requirements, criminal record checks, working with children checks etc.

Course Completion by the End of your Work Place Contract

You must complete the work place requirements of the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery prior to your work place contract end date.

Failure to do this could mean that you are unable to complete the course or you may have to negotiate with your employer to have your contract extended.

Continuity of Care Experiences

Continuity of care for the woman is an important aspect of midwifery care. By definition, woman-centered care includes any person identified by the woman as significant to her. Continuity of care experiences (CCE) for the student midwife involves a 'walk beside' the woman and her significant others in the prenatal, birthing and post-natal periods.

CCE assist students in their understanding of continuity of care, including the trajectory of midwifery care experience for women as they progress from early pregnancy through to labour and birth, the postnatal situation and early mothering of their infant.

The best maternal and infant health outcomes for women are when they receive continuity of evidence-based care from a known midwife. With this model of midwifery care in mind, students are required to work with ten (10) women in the CCE. Students are to remember that they are contracted to a particular maternity service and therefore must always adhere to the unit's policy, including where, when and how students meet with women in the CCE.

Requirements for Registration as a Midwife with AHPRA

Registration standards define the requirements that applicants, registrants or students need to meet to be registered.

For information about requirements to register as a midwife please visit http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx

English Language Requirements

There are requirements for registration as a midwife by the Nurses and Midwives Board of Australia in relation to English language requirements.

More information can be found at http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills.aspx