The University College Dublin (UCD)  BSc Midwifery programme is designed to prepare midwives to promote health, wellbeing and dignity across the childbearing life cycle through skilled and ethical  practice, based on the best evidence and prudent professional judgement. This is achieved through the development of lifelong learning skills for the personal and professional development of knowledge, competencies, skills and attitudes over the duration of the individual programmes. This will lead to a level 8 (undergraduate)  award and professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland. The learner actively engages in the development of midwifery care to strengthen and enhance the profession’s contribution to maternity services and to the evolution of midwifery knowledge and practice. In addition, the purpose of the graduate midwifery programmes is to develop and enhance students’ critical skills and midwifery knowledge to an advanced level that is responsive to contemporary maternity care needs. UCD Midwifery programmes facilitate the learner to be active, reflexive, autonomous, and motivated through engagement in innovative teaching and learning activities throughout the programmes. Curricula are student-focused, research-led and research informed. This scholarly approach to programme design, aims to  inspire passion and excellence in the learner’s discipline by building identity, integrity, commitment and curiosity for the provision of holistic, safe, ethical, compassionate and evidence based midwifery care.  The development of midwifery curricula is a dynamic process that  reflects the midwifery profession’s responses to societal changes and the reproductive health needs of women and childbearing families. Curricula are developed with stakeholder involvement to ensure that they meet the current and future needs of learners, the development of the midwifery profession and evolving maternity health care systems.



The BSc Midwifery programme is learner focused, involving  a wide variety of pedagogical approaches to teaching, learning and assessment to enhance the student experience and encourage the  development of learning. Learning takes place in multiple environments across the university and clinical practice settings.  The collaboration with clinical partners across the health care sector in the development and implementation of the UCD Midwifery Programmes is a major strength. Students are encouraged to develop an awareness of research, policy and political issues through discourse and dialogue about relevant issues in contemporary maternity care nationally and internationally; thus enabling students to proactively initiate and lead change in maternity care services. Learning is facilitated by the use of a variety of innovative pedagogies and technologies to meet emerging students, professional and health system needs. This commitment to curricula innovation ensures that there is alignment of programme learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities and assessments. UCD BSc Midwifery programme is taught by experts in the fields of midwifery, education, research and professional practice ensuring that learners experience a coherent, cumulative, research-based educational programme that meets all academic and professional regulations, standards and requirements. The programme encourages and suppors future academic and continuous professional development.



 



 

• Apply critical, creative, reflective, independent thinking and problem solving to demonstrate clinical decision making and care is safe, effective, evidence based and woman and family -centred.
• Become an independent learner, recognising the value of lifelong learning and is able to use critical questioning, reflection and decision making to build her personal and professional scholarship throughout her career.
• Collaborate effectively in partnership with women, their families, advocates, the public, and professional peers in a competent, compassionate, trustworthy and professional manner that respects autonomy, dignity and privacy.
• Communicate effectively with women, their families, advocates, maternity care professionals, and the wider society in a manner characterized by respect, hospitality and knowledge. This skilled communication is timely, just and comprehensive.
• Demonstrate an ability to consistently and effectively apply knowledge of professional practice and legislative frameworks and national standards and guidelines, in the provision of safe, effective, compassionate and woman centered midwifery care.
• Demonstrate capacity to evaluate, critically analyse and apply research findings and use this ability to apply and integrate best practice which is informed by national and international research in order to advance midwifery practice and delivery.
• Demonstrate leadership and contribute to effecting change in maternity care by promoting innovation and delivering evidence based care. The impact of this on maternity care services will be measured through reflection and systematic evaluation.
• Demonstrate the acquisition of professional and disciplinary knowledge, skills and competencies and attitudes to deliver safe, high quality, compassionate, ethical, legal and accountable practice in diverse maternity care settings.
• Develop a critical awareness of the parameters of professional midwifery practice to provide maternity services that support women through the continuum of pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period and care for the new-born after birth and in the first weeks of life
• Identify, promote and support healthy lifestyle choices that enhance the health and well-being of the woman, fetus and baby
• Practise autonomously, recognising and promoting birth as a normal physiological process. Identify women who require consultation and referral to other services, or the provision of emergency care, in a timely manner whilst respecting women’s individual circumstances and views.
• Use technology effectively to enhance midwifery practice and personal and professional development ensuring a contribution to learning, and the delivery of safe, evidence based maternity care.

The degree programme incorporates periods of clinical placement in each year, including placements in specialist clinical settings and a period of internship in clinical practice in the final year, for which students are paid a salary and practise under the supervision of registered midwives as a member of the midwifery care team. Clinical placements take place within the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin and in other healthcare institutions.