Nursing Care in the Maternity Setting Module

Enhance your ability to provide a high standard of evidence-based, safe, holistic care to women and their families during the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal periods in our short course for registered nurses.

Why study the Nursing Care in the Maternity Setting Module at Middlesex University?

Develop specialised knowledge that will enable you to formulate, justify and action appropriate plans of nursing care in a maternity setting through this short course for registered nurses looking to advance their learning and become more effective in their work.

Taught by experienced practitioner and lecturer Kate Nash, this course focuses on the changes that occur between pregnancy and the postnatal period to equip you with the necessary skills to meet the physical, social and psychological needs of women (and their babies).

Through a series of lectures, seminars and workshops you will develop the skills to critically evaluate the patho-physiological and environmental factors which may adversely affect maternal and neonatal wellbeing, as well as the legal, ethical and professional issues which underpin your role in the maternity services.

By exploring such key areas as obstetric emergencies, thermoregulation, pregnancy loss and emotional wellbeing, you will develop an advanced understanding of your responsibilities, with opportunities to reflect on the role of others within the maternity team. Armed with these valuable skills you will enhance your nursing practice and career prospects in maternity care settings while also obtaining 30 credits at Level 6 to put towards further study if you wish.

What will you study on the Nursing Care in the Maternity Setting Module?

This course will support and challenge you to enhance your practice as a registered nurse in a maternity setting through critical exploration of the following subjects:

• Anatomy and Physiology in relation to changes and adaptations to body systems during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period
• Physiological norms during pregnancy
• An overview of medical disorders and how they impact on childbearing
• Obstetric emergencies – immediate care and referral
• Pre and post-operative nursing care of women following a caesarean section including anaesthesia recovery and pain management
• Facilitation of breastfeeding and alternative methods of feeding babies where breastfeeding in not possible
• Thermoregulation of the newborn and caring for the newborn
• Nursing care of women during the postpartum period and recovery following birth
• Pregnancy loss and bereavement
• The wider context of maternity care: public health issues within maternity
• The provision of support and assessment of emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and the postpartum period
• Safeguarding children and adults
• Ethical, legal and professional issues surrounding care
• Inter professional and team working
• Fluid management
• IT and information retrieval skills in relation to strengthening the evidence base

Assessment

You will be assessed via:

• 3,500 word report focusing on one case study from your own experiences in practice. Using a problem solving approach, you will formulate and justify appropriate plans of nursing care for the woman and her baby that you have provided care for (70%)
• Online quiz (30%)

Please visit our CPD health practitioner webpage to download an application form and for more information on the application process.

The fees* below refer to the 2019/20 academic year unless otherwise stated.

Per credit: £60
30 credits: £1,800

*Course fees are subject to annual inflation.

There are several funding options available:

• receiving course fees via CPPD contracts between NHS trusts and Middlesex University
• paying your own fees
• sponsorship by your employer (but not under a CPPD contract).

For more information for any of these options, including fee rates for self-funding/employer-sponsored students, please visit our dedicated funding page.