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Unit Synopsis
In this unit you will explore the impact of psychosocial factors on maternal and infant wellbeing throughout the perinatal journey. You will investigate both risk and protective elements that shape psychosocial health, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and other complex needs experienced by women during pregnancy and following birth. The unit examines the midwife's pivotal role in supporting women facing these challenges, with a focus on compassionate, evidence-informed care. You will develop an understanding of the role of psychosocial screening and assessment, and the importance of applying appropriate communication strategies to engage sensitively with women and their families. The unit will also prepare you to recognise early intervention opportunities and access appropriate referral pathways to promote positive outcomes.
Details
| Level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Unit Level | 3 |
| Credit Points | 6 |
| Student Contribution Band | SCA Band 1 |
| Fraction of Full-Time Student Load | 0.125 |
| Pre-requisites or Co-requisites |
Pre-requisites: Professional Midwifery Practice 4 Midwifery Practice for First Nations Families Complex Childbearing 1 Co-requisites: Complex Childbearing 2 Professional Midwifery Practice 5 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. Group Discussion | 20% |
| 2. Case Study | 30% |
| 3. Written Assessment | 50% |
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:
- Analyse the factors that influence maternal psychosocial health during the childbearing continuum
- Evaluate the significance of maternal psychosocial wellbeing and its influence on infant development and long-term health outcomes
- Evaluate approaches to screening and assessing maternal psychological wellbeing across the childbearing continuum, considering their effectiveness, sensitivity, and alignment with woman-centred care
- Interpret common mental health challenges encountered during pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period, and evaluate their effects on maternal wellbeing, infant development, and the family unit
- Critically analyse the midwife’s role, responsibilities and approaches in supporting women experiencing complex psychosocial challenges, considering ethical practice, woman-centred care, and the broader impact on maternal, infant, and family wellbeing.
The unit content and learning outcomes will address the following:
The ANMAC Midwife Accreditation Standards (2021)
Standard 1: Safety of the public
Standard 3: Program of study
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 a plan 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)
1. Midwifery relationships
2. Practice of midwifery
3. The professional responsibilities of midwives
4. Advancement of midwifery knowledge and practice
National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2021)
Clinical governance
Partnering with consumers
Medication safety
Comprehensive care
Communicating for safety
Recognising and responding to acute deterioration standard
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion | • | • | • | ||
| 2 - Case Study | • | • | • | • | |
| 3 - Written Assessment | • | • | • | ||
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 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 | |