Midwifery

The latest trends in the field of midwifery respond to the fact that pregnancy, childbirth,

the puerperium and breastfeeding are primarily natural processes. The nature of these processes needs to be protected and supported. The basic aim of obstetrics and midwifery is therefore the health and welfare of the mother and child. The most effective way of the physiologic processes support is a primary prevention. The best way and place to protect and support physiology of reproduction is a primary care and women's own social environment. Midwives are the best people to help achieve this goal.

The fundamental goal of the three-year bachelor study program is to acquire a comprehensive theoretical and practical qualification necessary to fulfil this vision and to find a graduate’s use in midwifery practice.

The midwifery study is focused on acquiring the skills of autonomous care for a woman with

a physiological pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium and a physiological newborn; subsequently on the ability to detect and deal with pathologies in cooperation with

an obstetrician.

Graduates will be able to provide care to women and newborns; diagnose and address needs issues throughout a woman's lifetime. Therefore, educational objectives also emphasize

an effective communication with the client and her family, teamwork in the case of identified health or pathological disorders, adherence to ethical principles, procedures of various levels of prevention, with special regard to primary prevention and education of women and her family at all stages of her life, particularly in reproductive health. Special attention is paid to

the fulfilment of practical training goals to the extent given by the legislation for the regulated profession of midwife.

The study program is set up in accordance with applicable national and European legislation and with the international definition of midwife according to International Council of Midwives (ICM) to enable graduates to obtain registration and license for autonomous, independent and fully responsible pursuit of the profession of midwife in the healthcare system.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• contribute to the professionalisation of midwifery with professional and human approach to women, their families and communities; to improve the health of women and children, thereby increasing the prestige and position of midwives in society;
• make an autonomous and professional decision in health care, prevention of diseases and complications;
• provide care to pregnant women, mothers and newborns and women with gynaecological diseases; detect risks and irregularities in a timely manner and participate in the care for women in irregularities and intervene in life-threatening situations;
• provide care not only in hospital settings, but also in primary and community care settings; to defend women and their families effectively and thus contribute to the positive pregnancy and birth experience of women;
• actively acquire and use knowledge gained by EBM and critical thinking and problem solving;
• apply procedures of different levels of prevention with special regard to the primary prevention and education of women and their families at all stages of their lives, especially in reproductive health;
• asses need of a client and provide care through process of providing care in midwifery;
• provide parenthood preparation for clients, within her/his competencies provide a counseling in a field of reproductive health;
• work autonomously and independently, generate and defend her/his professional decisions and to be fully responsible for them;
• do positive self-fulfillment, continuous professional development, self-education, self-education and self-reflection;
• apply knowledge from the field of midwifery, gynecology, obstetrics, neonatology and other associated field in her/his practice;
• manage resources and be a professional partner to other fields in the delivery of midwifery healthcare.

The midwifery qualification program has a broad systemic basis in specific disciplines, general medical and clinical disciplines, where its completion enables the graduate to work in various divisions of care for a woman and a newborn after entering the practice. The midwife performs professional tasks in individual areas of the system (primary, secondary and tertiary) care for the health of women, newborns and infants, families and communities. Midwives can work within the changing organization structure of health and social services, which are provided in state and non-state (inpatient and outpatient) facilities and institutions. The qualification study program also enables so-called euro-registration and obtaining a license to practice in the EU countries.

The main employment of graduates of midwifery should be the autonomous and independent administration of the profession (without indication) in both hospital and primary care, and community settings. Graduates are prepared to take the position of self-employed midwives in centers of pre-natal and midwifery care and parenthood preparation, in hospital care and in organizations focused on helping women and their children. Graduates can offer, to the potential employers, an ability to identify and address the needs and health problems of women and their families by using critical thinking and scientific knowledge. Graduates manage the fundamentals of scientific work and thus can explore and propose new alternative approaches to addressing existing health challenges based on the findings. They can also work in research institutes and workplaces. They can work as midwives anywhere within the EU.

Graduates of the study program will become competent healthcare professionals, in accordance with national and ICM documents (ICM Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice, Definition of Midwife, ICM International Midwifery Code of Conduct), and other applicable international midwifery regulations, enabling them to independent, autonomous and fully responsible performance of the profession of midwife in the healthcare system not only in the Czech Republic but also in other EU countries.

• Midwife

An integral and important part of the midwifery study program is professional practice, which is stipulated by national legislation (decree, methodological instruction and standard of education in the field of midwifery) in accordance with the EU directive for at least 1800 hours.

Professional practice is included from the second to the sixth semester in the curriculum and is designed in blocks. Part of the practical training is also an individual professional practice, realized largely during the summer holidays. Subjects of clinical practice are also included in practical courses and are taking place at accredited workplaces. Overall, the range of practical subjects is more than 1800 study hours.

The course and content of the professional practice ensures a link between theoretical and practical subjects. Practice is focused on holistic and individualized client-oriented care. It is implemented through the method of the process of providing midwifery care to women, newborns and their families. During the course students work on assigned case studies. Fulfillment of the pursued studying goals, including self-reflection, is recorded by the students in a logbook and evaluated continuously with mentors and tutors / coordinators of professional practice. The practice is carried out the way the educational objectives are fully met.

Practical training is guaranteed and coordinated by university teachers (departmental assistants) and is conducted under the guidance of clinical practice mentors at accredited workplaces, mostly in the University Hospital Brno.

The credit value of practical lessons is governed by the study catalog. It is necessary to document the prescribed number of hours of completed practice, records of accomplished procedures in a logbook and evaluation by a mentor / trainer of professional practice for the recognition of practical subjects. At the end of each block of practice, there is a personal interview with the mentor/tutor, including a self-reflection. Verification of knowledge and skills in the professional practice is included in the third (physiological situations in midwifery) and sixth (complicated situations in midwifery) semester.

The aim of the practice is to gradually obtain the erudition of midwife for independent care of woman and child during normal pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium, up to qualified cooperation with team members in case of irregularities and pathologies.

Part of the final state examination of the midwifery study program is the presentation of the bachelor thesis, in which the graduates should demonstrate the ability to process professional text, both in terms of content and form, orientation in chosen issues and work with literary sources (domestic and foreign, book and magazines). The standard scope of the bachelor thesis is 50 pages (excluding attachments). Part of the preparation of the thesis is creation of a project (formulation of the intentions / goals of the work, research questions, choice of appropriate methods) and adherence to the schedule for completion. An appropriate analysis of acquired information, preparation of a discussion with other authors and formulation of the conclusions of the thesis are included. Students work under the professional guidance of the assigned supervisors / guarantors.

By presenting the bachelor thesis, the student proves that he / she has managed basics of scientific work under the guidance of supervisor. The presentation of the bachelor thesis is evaluated in terms of understanding the topic, the ability to adequately respond to the questions asked and the overall level of presentation.

The concept of the midwifery study program assumes the possibility of a follow-up master's degree especially in the field of midwifery but also in the field of public health protection, pedagogy and health care management. Graduates have only a limited opportunity to continue their Master's degree in this field. MUNI does not currently offer this possibility.