University of Bedfordshire, BSc (Hons), Midwifery

The aim of the programme is to prepare students for registration as a midwife and entry to part 2 of the NMC register and the award of BSc (Hons) Midwifery: registered midwife (18 month programme) by the University; the programme is 50 per cent in practice and 50 per cent in theory settings; students have designated self directed learning time within the programme; 3 shifts per week is spent in clinical practice and involves weekend and evening work from week 3 of the programme; placements are in all midwifery settings, community and hospital based; students are based clinically in Buckinghamshire and work across sites between Stoke Mandeville Hospital and High Wycombe Hospital and come together for study days; student s work as a midwife in a variety of clinical settings, including hospitals, the community and birth centres; further opportunities to advance in clinical practice in many varied specific roles from Sure Start, HIV specialist, teenage pregnancy, infant feeding or ultrasound specialist midwives as well as midwifery consultants; research, management, higher education and independent midwifery opportunities are available; midwives may develop their public health role by becoming Health Visitors or specialise in neonatal care; students are encouraged to develop the full range of skills required by the midwife facilitated by an innovative range of teaching and learning methods including, practice scenarios, small group work, student led seminars, case study, reflection on practice and lecturer led tutorials; the midwifery programme provides the essential knowledge and skills relating to normal midwifery care and related applied disciplines of physiology, sociology and psychology in the first 2 semesters; the placements start in the community with 1 to 1 support and guidance from a named community midwife; from there the students are placed in delivery suite and the maternity wards; semester’s 3 and 4 build on these experiences and relate them to pathological and emergency situation; placements reflect this by including neonatal unit and related maternity care as well as with specialist practitioners including nurses and midwives; in the final semester’s the whole curriculum is drawn together developing the student’s understanding of the sphere of practice of the midwife in current and future roles, exploring individuals personal philosophies for practice and completing European criteria for midwifery programme; this aims to build the competence and confidence of student’s to be ready on registration to take on the responsibilities of a midwife and gain an Honour’s degree.