The theoretical element will have a formative and summative element

Please refer to the learning outcomes for this module. If you have any queries or need extra support please discuss your needs with your learning set leader or arrange to meet with a member of the Learning Skills Team.

Your assessment for this module consists of:

Formative Assessment:
This is undertaken during your trigger group tutorials. This is an ongoing process allowing you to develop over a period of time. During your trigger sessions you will be participating in discussions with your peers and presenting the information you have gathered to achieve the learning objectives for each trigger, (this is usually presenting the information to answer the question / theme you have been asked to investigate). When you are presenting your findings you will be expected to discuss how and why you accessed this information, as well as reviewing the evidence and any appropriate resources available to both health care professionals and women with regards the subject area under discussion.

After each trigger you will be expected to reflect upon your learning and with the help of your peers and learning set leader plan for your further development.

Once you have completed each trigger you need to upload all your information, any appropriate resources and an annotated bibliography onto Blackboard in the ‘Groups’ section under the appropriate trigger.

Summative Assessment: Folder of Evidence

You must submit this part of the assessment by the appropriate date and time using TURNITIN. Please ensure you upload your folder as one document.

It will be assessed and you will be awarded a grade in the form of a % mark. Grade and feedback comments from the marker are available via TURNITIN by 3 weeks after the submission date.

You need to achieve 40% or over at Level 4 to pass this aspect of the module. You will also be undertaking assessments in practice, which together with your theoretical grade make up the overall mark for this module.

This folder of evidence is equivalent to 3000 words. Within this folder you will need to present and discuss a midwifery skill, issue or aspect of midwifery care. This needs to be in the context of normal childbirth. Listed below are examples of topics you may think about discussing:
• taking a blood pressure:
• abdominal palpation
• taking a blood sample
• neonatal blood spot screening
• the onset of labour
• positions for labour or birth
• choices for the 3rd stage of labour
• water birth
• place of birth
• benefits of breastfeeding
• skin to skin contact

Your topic must be discussed with and approved by your learning set leader. Choose an area, which interests you and one you have had experience of in practice. You will be investigating this topic in detail, so it is useful to examine an area that will help with your own future development.

Refer to your the marking grid for this particular assessment (Folder of Evidence Level 4)- this will help with the planning for your assessment.

This folder of evidence needs to be laid out clearly, with each section clearly defined and starting on a new page. It will include the following:

Title page. Title of chosen area of study, the module title, module code and your student number but not your name.

Contents page. A list of each section of the folder with the relevant page number identified.

Introduction. A brief introduction to the subject area and the main areas to be included in the folder. Here you need to include your rationale for choosing the issue, skill or aspect of care.

These are extra to the word limit and are not included in the 3000 words. The introduction should be approximately 250 words. The title page, contents page, introduction, reference list and appendices are not within the word limit.

Section 1. An overview of how you accessed and evaluated information to inform your folder of evidence.

You should start with a short discussion on what evidence is. Refer to your Research and Evidence Year 1 Workbook and a midwifery research text to ensure you consider different types of evidence and research designs and their suitability for different topics.

You will need to state how you accessed the information you are presenting in your folder (e.g. the databases you used, key words used to help focus your searches, library catalogues, internet resources etc). You may wish to use / adapt the table below to summarise your search findings in a clear and systematic format. Please ensure this reflects all the databases used..

Name of 1st database Name of 2nd database

Text search or subject heading search?
Search terms used
Subject headings selected (if appropriate)
Limiters used

No. of References found
No. of References selected

You may also want to consider looking at organisations, clinical guidelines and opinion papers, as these also constitute evidence which may not be identifiable in your database searches. Also in this section you will need to justify briefly why you chose to use the evidence you are presenting.

This section should be approximately 450 words (if longer consider putting the table in an appendix and referring to this within your Folder)

Section 2. A review of the evidence, research and guidelines related to your topic area, including a review of best practice.

You will be looking at your chosen topic in detail here. This is your chance to discuss the information and evidence you have selected. This information and evidence can be chosen from different sources including primary research, systematic reviews, opinion papers and guidelines. Write one paragraph on each source of evidence. Only a short summary of any research used is required (what was done, why and what was found). Within each paragraph present a concise analysis of the piece of evidence, debating any issues identified (i.e. strengths and weaknesses in arguments – often identified in the discussion section if using a research paper). By taking all these paragraphs together, you should have created a body of knowledge around your topic from which you can develop ideas about good midwifery care. You will then need to write about how this can be applied to practice and explore what is currently considered as best practice.
Depending on your chosen topic you may need to think about your subject matter in relation to any relevant physiology, psychology, emotional, social, ethical and cultural aspects to midwifery care. This section is approximately 1300 – 1500 words
Section 3. An exploration of the professional role of the midwife when communicating with women, showing an understanding of the midwife’s responsibilities and how best she / he can communicate with women to help facilitate informed choice or consent.

You will need to relate this section to your chosen topic area and include in your discussion: why communication is important, different methods of communication used, how midwives communicate effectively, what are midwives professional responsibilities with regards to communication, appraise any appropriate resources available and discuss what is informed choice and consent and how best a midwife can facilitate this. Use examples in relation to your topic area to strengthen your discussions. This section should be approximately 500 – 700 words long.

Section 2 and 3 should total approximately 2000 words

Section 4. Design a short information leaflet for women and their families around your chosen topic area. This must be based on the evidence you have collected. The leaflet should assist women in making an informed choice and /or giving informed consent. It should be no bigger than A4 size (this needs to be part of the document you are submitting via TURNITIN, it is best to design this in your word document).