Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery qualification will enable the Midwife Specialist to assume advanced reflection and development by means of a systematic survey of current thinking, practice and research methods in their field or discipline. The qualification will demand a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence, as well as the ability to relate knowledge to a range of contexts in order to undertake professional and highly skilled work.

The career-focused Postgraduate Diploma provides an intensive, focused and applied specialisation in Midwifery. The qualification provides an opportunity for further postgraduate study. Learners will have the capacity to apply high-level academic, clinical and management skills as well as comprehensive and systematic knowledge in this specialised field.

The focus of this qualification is enabling learners to care for the health needs of childbearing women including adolescents, newborn infants, and families across the continuum throughout pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, birth, post-partum and the early weeks of life. Midwifery services are a core part of universal health coverage. In their practice, nurses and midwives encounter people in various age ranges, stages of health and illness, and individuals and families or larger groups of people. Therefore, central to their practice is a commitment to interpersonal relationships and partnership.

The qualification aims to

• Create and maintain a flexible and supportive work environment in which staff flourish.
• Advance and promote a working and learning culture that promotes diversity and inclusivity where learners achieve competence in clinical leadership and evidence-based practice.
• Improve the health of individuals in diverse communities locally and globally through leadership and excellence in education, research and practice; and
• Foster collaboration and partnership in education, practice, research and policy.

The mode of delivery that includes blended components is structured to include face-to-face and 10% online teaching and learning. In addition, work-integrated learning and role-taking as required by the qualification matrix accounts for the required theory and practice distribution to ensure teaching and learning occur and can be assessed as per R635 and the SANC guideline.

Principles of adult education underpin classroom, online and clinical learning experiences. Learners are assisted towards self-directed learning that also builds clinical judgment.

Upon completion of the qualification, a qualifying learner will be able to

• Facilitate and practice specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education or health services management within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession.
• Apply the knowledge of and facilitate evidence-based practice, nursing education or management in the specialist field to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
• Appraise and develop self, peers and nurse/midwife specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness / leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence
• Facilitate advocacy for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients, families and communities.
• Engage in planning, commissioning and managing a specialist unit, an educational entity or a health service.

Rationale

Two of the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) refer to reducing maternal deaths and improving child health. South Africa did not achieve the targets set for 2015. This has exposed the weaknesses in the provision of care for childbearing women and newborns. National reports have highlighted the dire need for improved care by healthcare providers to prevent avoidable deaths and strengthen the health system.

With a high proportion of the South African population under the age of 14, there will be an increasing number of girls and young women becoming pregnant which will put further pressure on the under-resourced health system. Antenatal care has significant implications for foetal and newborn wellbeing and as newborn deaths constitute almost half of all child deaths, excellent Midwifery care is necessary to reduce child deaths overall. As Midwifery is practised across all tiers of the health service and functions in communities as well as institutions, a well-prepared Midwifery workforce with the ability to think critically and provide leadership is essential.

Nursing and Midwifery, in partnership with other health professions, offer a creative, caring and goal-directed service to individuals, families and communities, based on a sound body of knowledge. The focus of nursing is to care for the whole person throughout life and in death; to create an environment conducive to the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health, and to protect those who are vulnerable.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Because of the use of legacy access routes, RPL becomes part of the traditional application and admission process.

CHE-SANC Communique of 17 March 2023 notes that the following legacy qualification routes are also applicable

• a 2-year Diploma (Bridging course) leading to registration as a General or Psychiatric Nurse offered under Regulation 683 of 14 April 1989 as amended, followed by a 1-year Diploma in Midwifery offered under Regulation 254 of 14 February 1975 as amended.

OR

• a 4-year Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery offered under Regulation 425 of 22 February 1985 as amended.

OR

• a 4-year Bachelor's degree offered under Regulation R425 of 22 February 1985 as amended.

Given the legacy routes will be used for admission, according to the Communique, admission via RPL is therefore not necessary.

Proof of registration with the SANC as a professional nurse and midwife. Two years' post-registration experience as a Professional Nurse which includes at least two years of experience in the field of the speciality within the last five years and this excludes the Community Service year.

Evidence of professional indemnity/insurance. Proficiency in written and spoken English. An applicant must submit a letter of support from their employer granting the applicant study leave for the period of the programme. This is not necessary for a self-funding applicant. A person with international nursing qualifications must be registered by the SANC as a Professional Nurse or General Nurse and Midwife prior to admission into the programme.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Midwifery, NQF Level 7.

Or

• 2-year Diploma (Bridging course) leading to registration as a General or Psychiatric Nurse offered under Regulation 683 of 14 April 1989 as amended, followed by a 1-year Diploma in Midwifery offered under Regulation 254 of 14 February 1975 as amended.

Or

• 4-year Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery offered under Regulation 425 of 22 February 1985 as amended.

Or

• 4-year Bachelor's degree offered under Regulation R425 of 22 February 1985 as amended.

And

• Registered Professional Nurse and Midwife with SANC.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8, totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 120 Credits

• Foundations of Specialist Practice, 24 Credits.
• Leading Quality and Safety in Midwifery, 16 Credits.
• Principles of Midwifery, 40 Credits.
• Midwifery Practice, 40 Credits.

1. Facilitate and practice specialist nursing or midwifery, nursing education or health services management within the ethical-legal parameters of the profession.
2. Apply the knowledge of and facilitate evidence-based practice, nursing education or management in the specialist field to solve contextual problems and develop policies and guidelines.
3. Appraise and develop self, peers and nurse/midwife specialist learners by facilitating self-directedness / leadership and lifelong learning to maintain competence.
4. Facilitate advocacy for the profession and provision of specialist professional support for personnel, patients, families and communities.
5. Engage in planning, commissioning and managing a specialist unit, an educational entity or a health service.
6. Engage in scholarly activities to inform evidence-based practice, education or management.
7. Utilise, manage and communicate data to support decision-making and research.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply critical decision-making and moral reasoning models and principles to make clinical judgements and resolve ethical dilemmas within the specialist practice.
• Account for own professional judgement, actions, outcomes of specialist care, nursing education or health services management provided and continued competence.
• Identify and apply the relevant current legislation, policies, regulations and guidelines pertaining to specialist practice.
• Document all care activities accurately, comprehensively and timeously considering the legal requirements for record keeping.
• Manage professional misconduct and risks taking into consideration the institutional protocols, protocols and ethical-legal framework.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Engage in the process of evidence-based practice within the specialist practice.
• Apply evidence-based specialist practice, nursing education and health services management taking into consideration the appropriate methodology of gathering evidence for practice, education and management.
• Apply evidence-based practice, nursing education and health service management knowledge of critical analysis of the various levels of evidence.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Illustrate leadership skills through the application of appropriate leadership styles, principles and theories.
• Apply and facilitate Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for self and others effectively for lifelong learning by creating a positive learning climate in the workplace through the processes of mentorship, preceptorship, supervision, performance appraisal, etc.
• Engage in performance appraisal and show an understanding of the purpose and processes of the performance management and development system.
• Utilise feedback gained from self-reflection, peers, learners, management and other relevant stakeholders to improve effectiveness in the specialist role.
• Identify the various risk factors that impact health and wellness within the workplace and apply strategies to care for self, peers, employees and learners.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Illustrate understanding of the purpose of the advocacy role for a nurse specialist or midwife specialist practice.
• Apply advocacy principles to ensure safe and quality care/ in various healthcare settings.
• Apply appropriate communication skills and channels in facilitating advocacy.
• Promote and participate in interest groups to influence legislation and policy affecting the role performance.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Illustrate understanding of levels and classification of the respective specialist units.
• Commission task taking into consideration the burden of diseases and priority services as determined by current events.
• Participate in the evaluation of the existing specialist unit, health or education entity and apply knowledge of guidelines for provisioning a specialist unit.
• Engage in planning and commissioning the role and responsibilities in this task within the inter and intra-professional team.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Practice in the respective specialisations illustrating knowledge of appropriate search engines and databases for review of literature to inform evidence-based practice.
• Apply appropriate methods to generate evidence for utilisation in specialist practice (e.g. research, systematic reviews etc.).
• Illustrate awareness of peer-reviewed journals and use them for sharing of evidence.
• Actively participate in inter and intra-professional dialogues, debates or discourses in quality improvement.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Document all data/information gathered in the context of the specialist practice, for utilisation and storage in accordance with the set standards.
• Utilise comprehensive data, information and emerging evidence pertinent to the respective specialist practice.
• Identify problem diagnoses and opportunities for improvement based on gathered and critically analysed assessment data from the patients/clients, families, communities, learners or employees including current scientific evidence.
• Document and show respect for intellectual property without plagiarism.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Formative Assessment

Continuous (formative) assessment during the year contributes 40% of the final year mark for three courses and 50% for the Practice course; summative evaluation at the end of the year contributes 50-60% of the final year mark depending on the course and as approved by the Health Sciences Faculty Board.

Summative Assessment

Assessment weightings and strategies as specified for each course are published in the Faculty of Health Sciences Postgraduate Handbook annually. A minimum of 80% of the summative assessment for the clinical courses will be conducted in real-life situations.

Integrated Assessment

There is continuous integration of theory and practice throughout the period of the programme. The assessment approach uses formative, continuous and summative assessments of learning in the form of written and clinical examinations, assignments, individual and group projects, portfolios and teaching practice for integrated learning. An ability to apply theory to practice is tested.