Risk and Midwifery Practice

Increasing maternal complexity, heightened sensitivity to risk and risk management, along with rising consumer expectations together present significant challenges for those delivering maternity care today.

Now, more than ever, midwives like you need in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of risk in pregnancy and birth.

It is the importance of risk in today’s maternity care services that makes this course so essential for Enhancing Midwifery Care.

This Master’s-level learning is provided over 8 weeks – one day per week.

Who is it for?

For midwives who are:

• committed to providing evidence-based maternity care
• interested in how midwives can make a unique contribution to how best to manage risk in maternity care
• excited about building professional confidence and resilience
• passionate about empowering women to make informed choices about their care.

Timetable

Term 2

Jan: Wednesday 11, 18 and 25 January 2027
Feb: Wednesday 1, 8 and 22 February 2027
Mar: Wednesday 2, 8,  and15 March 2027

Benefits

This course enhances clinical practice and develops confidence in the operations of risk in maternity care. It draws on the latest research in the field and is taught by world-leading risk experts from the City’s Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research.

This course is worth 15 credits at level 7

This short course module is designed to be flexible in allowing you to study and reach your goals at your own pace. Our health CPD courses are credit-bearing modules that contribute to a University degree or award.

Transfer course credits towards postgraduate taught degree

As a health care professional, once you've completed this course you could offset 15 credits as part of a postgraduate programme, continuing your study with further modules to make up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) 60 credits, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) 120 credits or Master of Science (MSc) 180 credits qualification (all credits must be awarded within five years of study commencing).

By the end of the course you will develop:

• professional confidence to facilitate genuine informed choice
• the skills to support and develop others in the maternity care team
• the resilience to manage the risk investigation process
• effective team working and leadership skills
• analytical and evidence-based problem solving skills with which to understand the impact of risk management processes – and how they can affect women’s experience of pregnancy and birth
• an enhanced understanding of how to promote clinical safety.

By the end of the course you will develop your critical understanding of:

• the critical analysis of risk
• the facilitation of key health policy priorities: informed choice and clinical safety
• the optimization of women’s experience of the maternity services through the implementation of risk research in practice.

This course is delivered using three different learning activities. Each week, students will be provided with a keynote lecture presented by an expert on the topic. This learning will be supported by detailed guided learning – timetabled into each study day – culminating in a flipped classroom: student-led discussion where you will be able to explore and consolidate your learning in a small, peer-supported environment.

At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your learning in a 3,000-word essay where you are encouraged to reflect upon how understandings of risk and risk theory can be used to strengthen your clinical practice.

On successful completion of the course’s assignment you will be awarded 15 level-7 credits which can be used towards a PGCert and or MSc Midwifery award at City, University of London.

All students will be entitled to receive a certificate as proof of attendance. This evidence can be used towards your NMC revalidation.

This course is provided by the School of Health & Medical Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Non-EEA students can only apply as part of a programme, not as a stand-alone course

Applicants would normally be expected to have been practicing as a registered midwife for at least one year.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

• Lee, S., Ayers, S. and Holden, D., 2014. A metasynthesis of risk perception in women with high risk pregnancies. Midwifery, 30(4), pp.403-411.
• Scamell, M., 2014. Childbirth within the risk society. Sociology Compass, 8(7), pp.917-928.
• Healy, S., Humphreys, E. and Kennedy, C., 2017. A qualitative exploration of how midwives’ and obstetricians’ perception of risk affects care practices for low-risk women and normal birth. Women and birth, 30(5), pp.367-375.