MDWF11004 - Communication for Midwives

Showing: 2026 HE Term 1
General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit explores the foundational role of communication in midwifery, focusing on how core skills such as active listening, written and digital literacy, therapeutic interaction, and cultural responsiveness contribute to quality maternity care across diverse contexts. You will apply this communication knowledge to clinical and professional scenarios, reflecting critically on how interpersonal competence supports collaborative practice and decision-making. These skills are essential for enhancing your readiness for the midwifery professional experience component of the program, and remain important throughout lifelong clinical practice, helping you engage confidently with women, families, and interdisciplinary teams.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 1
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 1
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

 Co-requisite: Introductory Anatomy & Physiology 2

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).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate 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. Group Work 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%).

Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

Previous Feedback

No previous feedback available

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.

Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Examine the role of communication in midwifery practice as informed by professional standards
  2. Discuss communication strategies that support professional relationships within woman-centred, culturally appropriate, and collaborative midwifery care
  3. Apply communication approaches in one-on-one and group settings
  4. Identify potential communication challenges and determine how these impact safe, ethical, and professional midwifery practice.

Content in this unit incorporates a number of professional requirements, including the following:

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) Midwife Accreditation Standards (2021)

Standard 1: Safety of the public

Standard 3: Program of study

Standard 5: Student assessment

The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2021)

Clinical governance

Partnering with consumers

Preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infection

Medication safety

Comprehensive care

Communicating for safety

The NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018)

Standard 1: Promotes evidence-based maternal health and wellbeing

Standard 2: Engages in respectful partnerships and professional relationships

Standard 3: Demonstrates the capability and accountability for midwifery practice

Standard 5: Develops plans for midwifery practice

Standard 6: Provides safe and quality midwifery practice

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 7: Health and wellbeing

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) International Code of Ethics for Midwives (2014)

Midwifery relationships

Practice of midwifery

Professional responsibilities of midwives

Advancement of midwifery knowledge and practice

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Online Quiz(zes) • • • •
2 - Group Work • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication • • • •
2 - Problem Solving • •
3 - Critical Thinking •
5 - Team Work • • •
6 - Information Technology Competence • •
7 - Cross Cultural Competence • • •
8 - Ethical practice • • •
9 - Social Innovation •
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10