Bachelor of Midwifery (Hons)

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Courses Available

The School of Health Care Sciences currently offers a full time three year course of study leading to a Bachelor of Midwifery (Hons) degree and registration as a midwife with the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The course commences in September each year with practice placements offered in a variety of areas across north Wales with opportunity for some short placements outside the area.

Have you applied for the course?

All applications are processed via UCAS, course code B720

There are no other application forms to complete.

You will be notified via UCAS if you have been selected for interview or not.
UCAS provides great deal of information including information on academic tariff/credit if you are unsure whether you meet our minimum academic entry requirements. More information...

If you have been successfully shortlisted you will either be invited to the interview/selection day on the 17th February or the 24th February 2012.

The selection day will involve group interviews by lecturing and senior Health Board midwifery staff, written and numeracy tests under examination conditions and the opportunity to tour the School and meet current/former students.

If you were declined an interview please see a presentation which outlines reasons for being declined an interview .

Following interview, if you were not offered a place, please see a presentation which outlines reasons for being declined a place on this occasion.

You may be interested in the other undergraduate courses leading to a professional qualification the School offers such as Bachelor of Nursing, Operating Department Practice or the post graduate Occupational Therapy course.

Entry Requirements

All candidates must meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) entry criteria - see NMC website for standards for Pre-Registration Midwifery and the NMC good health and good character guidance for students, nurses and midwives.
We also require some evidence of adult health care experience

All Applicants must meet the following academic entry criteria:

Essentials in Numeracy & Literacy

English or Welsh GCSE Grade C or above (as a first language)
Communication Key Skill (minimum level 3)
Maths GCSE Grade C or above

And one of the following

Curriculum 2000: 240 points (This should include a minimum of 2 A2 papers).
Combination of 6/12 unit AVCE’s. (see UCAS, www.ucas.ac.uk for latest information).
Equivalent qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. (see UCAS, www.ucas.ac.uk for latest information).

Science subjects preferred.

We also welcome students via Access Courses:

Students must offer a credit based nursing or health based Diploma level course validated by The Open College Network. This should be passed with a minimum of 6 distinctions, 33 merits and 6 passes, which must come from within the rules of combination and credit.

The School does not accept Distance Learning Access programmes.

Candidates with the required entry qualifications older than 5 years will be required to demonstrate evidence of recent assessed study at an appropriate level.

Please note that the entry requirements outline the minimum educational requirements.

You may also wish to see the Nursing and Midwifery Council website which has advice for students.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend for interview/selection day and to undergo further screening for entry into midwifery which will include occupational health screening and an enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check

Why choose us?

Our degree course leads to both an academic award and registration with the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), ultimately allowing you to practice within the midwifery profession.
We have positive links with the NHS in North Wales and our course is designed to respond to the changing workplace environment.
For eligible students, course fees are paid by the NHS along with access to an NHS Wales bursary scheme. More information...
There will be opportunities to experience bilingual practice in some parts of the region.

How will I learn?

You will have a combination of School and practice placement based learning opportunities, with both elements of the course being compulsory. The course is full time and you are expected to follow the duty rota of the mentor whilst on practice placement.

Placements are offered a choice of 3 areas within BCUHB East, Central, West. Candidates are expected to indicate preferred choice of placement area once selected for interview

Placement for each student will be in two areas e.g east/central, central/west. Placement will be mainly in the area of your first choice wherever possible e.g if first choice is east then we will strive to make that the main placement area but there will be some placements within the central area depending on the available placement learning opportunities. The maternity services review may mean changes to placement opportunities. There will also be opportunities for some short placements in Powys e.g. Newtown or Welshpool areas.

You will begin by observing professionals at work and in order to develop your skills and competence you will be expected to participate, under supervision, in the delivery of midwifery care from very early on in the course.

You will complete a variety of course work assignments. You will be supervised by a personal tutor, who is also a registered midwife, and you will receive mentorship supervision whilst on placements from practising midwives. You will also have access to a Supervisor of Midwives for professional advice and support.

Theoretical work will be assessed via enquiry based learning which involves a great deal of group work and presentations. Midwifery skills will be assessed by mentors in the practice area and in the skills laboratory by lecturers and mentors. Your will also be assessed on the development of your professional attitude, behaviour, and competence.

Course Plan

The course consists of 45 programmed weeks per year with seven weeks annual leave allocated by the course team.

There are nine modules of 40 credits each:

Modules 1, 2 and 3 are during year one of the course and are at HE Level 4.
Modules 4, 5, and 6 are over year two of the course at HE Level 5
Modules 7, 8 and 9 are at HE Level 6 during the third year of the course.
Both the theory and clinical components of each module have to be successfully completed in order to progress on the course.

The course has a 50% theory and 50% practice component. The first theory component in Module 1 will be in a "block" of four weeks which will enable the development of group cohesion. The subsequent theory study weeks will be alternated by two weeks practice i.e. one week theory study followed by two weeks practice.

Student practice assessment will be via a portfolio which will include:
NMC Essential Skills Clusters (ESC), the placement records and OSCE completion records.

The student will be encouraged to demonstrate appropriate attitudes and behaviour towards the woman, her baby and family. These behaviours will be assessed by what are referred to as "Professional Attitude Scales"

OSCE's or Objective Structured Clinical Examinations are assessed in the skills laboratories by mentors and midwifery lecturers. OSCE’s are summative assessment in which students are expected to perform and successfully complete a variety of clinical tasks within a specific time frame against specific criteria.

At the end of the course, if successful, the student will have gathered a portfolio to demonstrate achievement of the NMC's standards of proficiency and enable entry to the NMC's Register as a midwife.

Towards the end of the second and during the third year of the course there will be a period of supervised practice where the student will manage a small integrated caseload under mentor supervision and be expected to participate in providing continuity of carer to those women selected by the mentor to constitute the student caseload.

User and service representatives will be invited to the student group EBL presentations and encouraged to interact with the students.

Want to know more?

Information available from the University’s Marketing Department email marketing@bangor.ac.uk

For any other enquiries please contact:

Mrs Liz Smart
Director of Midwifery Education
Email: hss00d@bangor.ac.uk

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