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NMHS33080

Academic Year 2026/2027

Supported and Specialist Practice (HDM) (NMHS33080)

Subject:
Nursing,Midwifery & Health Sys
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Nursing,Midwifery & Health Sys
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Lorraine Carroll
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
Module Type:
Professional/Work Placement Module
How will I be graded?
Pass/Fail (GPA Neutral)

Curricular information is subject to change.

Indicative Module Description:

Midwifery-Led Care
The student will participate, under supervision, where the midwife is the lead professional in the provision of maternity care. They will work in partnership with the woman to plan, organise and deliver care to the woman and make referral to other health care professionals as appropriate. The unit will include placement to the following areas: antenatal clinic, antenatal education, early-transfer home, DOMINO and community midwifery services. The student will also obtain experience of the continuum of midwifery care on at least one occasion where the student follows the woman throughout her experience of maternity care.

Clinical Midwifery Specialist & Advanced Midwifery Practice
This unit permits the student to observe and, where appropriate, participate in maternity care provided by Clinical Midwifery Specialists and Advanced Midwifery Practitioners. Students will be able to appraise the contribution these roles make in the provision of maternity services. The unit may include placement in the following areas: bereavement services, high -risk antenatal care, ultrasound, breastfeeding support services and diabetes

High Dependency & Care of the Critically Ill Woman
This unit permits the student to observe, and, where appropriate, participate in care of women who have high dependency needs and/or require monitoring or intervention that may include support for a single failing organ.

Neonatal Care
The student will participate, under supervision, in the care of the newborn in SCBU, NICU and associated outpatient clinics. The student will be exposed to a range of clinical skills to ensure safe and effective care of the newborn with special needs in the NICU/SCBU environment.

Operating Theatre & Recovery
This unit permits the student to observe and, where appropriate, participate in care provided within obstetrical operating theatre and recovery. The student will be provided with an opportunity to develop clinical skills and where appropriate, to engage in care provision under the supervision of the registered midwife or nurse.

Gynaecology
The aim of this unit is to provide students with insights and understandings into the way that care is planned, evaluated and delivered within the clinical setting for the care of persons within a gynaecological clinical setting. During this placement they will also gain experience of participating, under appropriate supervision, in the care of women in early pregnancy and loss. The unit may include placement in the following areas: gynaecology ward, day ward, theatre, clinics and outpatients.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this clinical module the student should be able to:

Appraise the provision of services where the midwife is the lead health care professional.

Appraise the contribution that Clinical Midwifery Specialists and Advanced Midwife Practitioners make to maternity services from women experiencing both normal and complex pregnancy, labour and postnatal periods

Identify and participate in care for women who have high dependency needs and/or require monitoring or intervention that may include support for a single failing organ

Identify neonates at risk of complications and outline effective care and management strategies.

Participate in the care of women undergoing obstetrical surgery and recovery

Participate in the care of women who are experiencing a complication of early pregnancy or who are experiencing early pregnancy loss.

Participate in the care of persons undergoing gynaecological outpatient care and inpatient gynaecological assessment and treatment..

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Placement/Work Experience

125
Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Key teaching and learning approaches used in the module may include: active/task-based learning; peer/multidisciplinary team learning, reflective learning; learning during the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of midwifery care, preceptorship, support by Clinical Midwifery Tutor on site, online discussion board

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) as Registered General Nurse is required

The placement is assessed by clinical preceptors using clinical assessment documents over a 8-week period. 'Week' means the standard working week in hours, being applied to students of midwifery by their health care institution at any given time during the programme (NMBI, 2017).

This module is delivered over more than one trimester (UCD Academic Regulations 2019-2020, Section 3.5).

This module is part of the essential clinical requirements for professional registration. The student must pass all individual clinical placements and complete all clinical time associated with that placement before a pass grade can be awarded for the module.

The student must maintain a record of their clinical experiences as outlined by EU Directive 2005/36/EC and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2016).


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Portfolio: Portfolio: National Midwifery Competency Assessment Tool (MCAT)
Clinical Record Experience Book		 Week 6 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
100
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
Repeat (CFP) Within Three Semesters
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students are provided both formal and informal feedback by their preceptors at intervals throughout the clinical placement. Where a student is having significant difficulties in meeting standards during a clinical placement or, where a student is unsuccessful in their clinical assessment then a protocol is enacted. This protocol outlines the events and actions that should take place in these circumstances and this includes details relating to providing feedback

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2020) Guidance for Registered Nurses and Midwives on Medication Administration. Dublin: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.

Health Information and Quality Authority (2016) ‘National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services’ Dublin: Health Information and Quality Authority

Howlin, F. & Halligan, P. (2016) Supporting Nursing and Midwifery students with a Disability in Clinical Practice: A Resource guide, University College Dublin, Dublin.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2025) Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Midwives. Dublin: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2020) ‘Quality Clinical Learning Environment Professional guidance, Dublin: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2022) Practice Standards for Midwives. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, Dublin

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (2022) Midwife Registration Programme Standards and Requirements, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, Dublin.
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