Midwife (Integrated Degree) Apprenticeship - Level 6

In your first year, your focus will be on mastering the essentials of safe and effective midwifery practices. You'll undergo placements covering all aspects of antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care, serving women, their families, and communities across Staffordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire, the West Midlands, and Derbyshire. These placements will take place in our Centres of Excellence in Healthcare Education, providing you with a solid foundation in midwifery skills.

Moving into the second year, you'll deepen your understanding and skills, particularly in coordinating complex care scenarios. Building upon the knowledge gained in your first year, you'll be able to identify deviations from normal anatomy and physiology during pregnancy. This year will expose you to various placements while receiving guidance from visiting professionals through lectures. Additionally, you'll continue engaging in interprofessional education events, enriching your learning experience.

In the third and final year, the emphasis will be on further skill development through research, leadership, management, and critical thinking. You'll be encouraged to critically assess existing maternity care provisions, seeking opportunities to enhance the care provided to women and their broader support networks. This year will consolidate your expertise, preparing you for a successful career in midwifery.

Modules

Year 1 Modules

• Holistic health across the reproductive lifespan
• Introduction to the safe and effective midwife 1
• Introduction to the safe and effective midwife 2
• Introduction to the safe and effective midwife 3
• Professional legal and ethical considerations
• Public health in midwifery practice

Year 2 Modules

• Altered health in maternity care
• Developing the safe and effective midwife 4
• Developing the safe and effective midwife 5
• Developing the safe and effective midwife 6
• Optimising neonatal health
• Promoting reproductive health

Year 3 Modules

• Midwife as colleague, scholar and leader
• The evidence base for practice
• The midwife as a skilled practitioner Module 7
• The midwife as a skilled practitioner Module 8
• The midwife as a skilled practitioner Module 9

Level 2 maths and English (GCSE, functional skills or equivalent)

Level 3 qualification equivalent to 128 UCAS tariff points

Delivery

Study time is divided between 50% theory and 50% in practice placements.  Students have a range of placements which provide experience of the diversity and variety of midwifery. Placements are arranged between University of Staffordshire and our NHS Trust partner organisations. Placement learning periods will include both acute and community-based experiences; are not all on one site and will involve some travel. During the three years, students are required to experience care across the 24-hour span of duty which will include weekends, nights and bank holidays. Students will spend two days per week on campus:

Year 1 - Mondays and Tuesdays

Year 2 - Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Year 3 - Wednesdays and Thursdays

 

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used throughout the course:

• Assignments/Reflection: these are usually in essay format of varying length. Assignments must be presented in an appropriate scholarly format which develops academic writing skills.
• Seminar/Presentation: the research, planning and presentation of findings to a small audience.
• Examinations: either multiple-choice or oral (viva voce) examinations.
• Drug Calculations: accurate calculation of drug dosages and preparation of medications will be assessed via the on-line package Safe Medicate. A drug calculations assessment is undertaken in each of the three years where the expectation is that 100% is achieved in year three.
• Work-based Assessment demonstrates fitness to practice as an Registered Nurse as a requirement for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The apprentice is assessed against profession-specific competences by a team of practice-based registered professionals in a range of clinical settings.
• As part of the apprenticeship and once you have completed your academic qualification, you will undertake an end point assessment (EPA). This will include 2 professional discussions with an external assessor and must be completed within 3months of completing your academic studies.

Learning support

In addition to the excellent support you will receive from your course teaching team, our central Academic Skills team provides group and one-to-one help to support your learning in a number of areas. These include study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills); written English (including punctuation and grammatical accuracy); academic writing (including how to reference); research skills; critical thinking and understanding arguments; and revision, assessment and examination skills (including time management).

Additional support

Our AccessAbility Services support students with additional needs such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties. You will also have full access to our support services such as Student Guidance.

Feedback

Examination feedback may take a variety of formats. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.

After successful completion of the apprenticeship, you can enter the professional register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Your qualification will allow you to work as a Registered Nurse in your chosen field, in a variety of healthcare settings.