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Unit Synopsis
This unit introduces you to the physiological adaptations and midwifery care required to support neonates in the early postnatal period. You will explore the transition to extrauterine life, including cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, renal, and gastrointestinal changes. The unit examines neonatal assessment and resuscitation, thermoregulation, growth and development, and the identification and management of common neonatal conditions such as jaundice, sepsis, and birth injuries. You will also investigate the impacts of maternal substance use, congenital anomalies, and the needs of infants requiring admission to special care nurseries or transfer. Emphasis is placed on family-centred, culturally responsive care, including support for breastfeeding and recognition of neonatal deterioration. This unit builds foundational knowledge and skills to help you contribute effectively to the health and wellbeing of neonates and their families.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 2 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 1 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Prerequisite: Sociocultural Contexts of Midwifery Care Corequisite: Midwifery Practice for First Nations Families 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 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 discussion forum | 20% |
| 2. Written Assessment | 40% |
| 3. Case Study | 40% |
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.
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.
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Evaluate and apply current evidence to inform and support the provision of safe, effective neonatal care
- Interpret the physiological processes and mechanisms that contribute to specific health challenges which may be experienced by the neonate
- Analyse the needs of the neonate using a culturally safe, evidence-informed approach to assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care
- Critically analyse the significance of a family-centred approach to neonatal care and evaluate its impact on the maternal–infant dyad and overall health outcomes.
Content in this unit incorporates a number of professional requirements, including the following:
The ANMAC Midwife Accreditation Standards (2021)
Standard 1: Safety of the public
Standard 3: Program of study
The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2021)
Clinical governance
Partnering with consumers
Preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infection
Medication safety
Comprehensive care
Blood management
Communicating for safety
Recognising and responding to acute deterioration
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 4: Undertakes comprehensive assessments
Standard 5: Develops plans for midwifery practice
Standard 6: Provides safe and quality midwifery practice
Standard 7: Evaluates outcomes to improve 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
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online discussion forum | • | • | ||
| 2 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | |
| 3 - Case Study | • | • | • | |
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | • | • | • | • |
| 2 - Problem Solving | • | • | • | • |
| 3 - Critical Thinking | • | • | • | • |
| 4 - Information Literacy | • | • | • | • |
| 5 - Team Work | • | • | • | |
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | • | • | • | • |
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | • | • | • | • |
| 8 - Ethical practice | • | • | • | |
| 9 - Social Innovation | • | • | ||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | • | • | • | • |
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |