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Developing Professional Self in Midwifery - HEA00166I

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2026-27

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2026-27

Module aims

Note: This document uses the word 'women’ throughout. This should be taken to include people who do not identify as women but are pregnant or who have given birth.

  • Analyse accountable, autonomous, professional and contemporary midwifery practice within local, regional, national and international contexts.

  • Critically evaluate the concepts of communication, reflection and adult learning, during an establishing professional learning journey towards midwifery registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).

  • Analyse the role requirements of the midwife as a colleague:

    • contributing to safe and effective midwifery care within interdisciplinary and multiagency teams

    • deploying advocacy and effective improvement strategies for quality and safety, with a focus on self and others.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Analyse and evaluate the requirements to be an accountable, autonomous professional midwife within the UK.

  2. Critique local, regional and national contexts of contemporary midwifery practice and maternity care, including evaluation of global contexts.

  3. Analyse and evaluate the developing professional self within the contexts of communication, reflection and adult learning during an establishing professional learning journey towards midwifery registration.

  4. Analyse and evaluate the role of midwife as colleague, working with women, families, interdisciplinary and multi agency teams to provide safe and effective care, incorporating human factors, environmental factors and strength based approaches.

  5. Analyse the role requirements of the midwife as a colleague, deploying advocacy and strategies for quality and safety, with a focus on self and others.

Module content

Content includes: women’s experiences/service users views of & engagement in UK and global midwifery and maternity care; advocacy; strength based approaches to maintain health and wellbeing; enhanced communication & interpersonal skills (including simulation) - including advocacy, negotiation challenge & providing constructive feedback; digital technologies; human factors; environmental factors; interdisciplinary and multiagency working; interprofessional education (IPE); Schwarts rounds; clinical supervision; adult learning, lifelong learning and the role of professional reflection; ongoing input from University careers service and York Award; themes within UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) University Standards mapped to this module including supporting positive communication with regards to infant feeding with women, their families and the multidisciplinary team..

Please also see detailed mapping of the module content to NMC (2019) Standards of proficiency for midwives for the programme.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100.0

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100.0

Module feedback

Written feedback will be provided on the standard proforma within the timescale specified in the programme handbook

Indicative reading

Civility Saves Lives. (2026). Civility Saves Lives. [Online]. Available at: https://www.civilitysaveslives.com/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].

Cottrell, S. (2023). Critical thinking skills: effective analysis, argument and reflection. (4th edition ). London: Palgrave.

Kemp. J,. Maclean, G. D. and Moyo, N. (2021). Global midwifery: principles, policy and practice. Switzerland: Springer Nature.

Kuipers, S. (2021). The thriving giver: 7 principles for health professionals and caregivers to enhance self care and prevent burnout. Tadley: Practical Inspiration Publishing.

Maternity & Newborns Safety Investigations (MNSI). (2026). About us. [Online]. Available at: https://www.mnsi.org.uk/about/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].

National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. (2026). Final Reports. [Online]. Available at: https://www.matneoinv.org.uk/final-reports/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].

NHS England (2026). Patient safety. [Online]. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].

Ockenden Maternity Review. (2026). Final Report of the Independent Review. [Online]. Available at: https://www.ockendenmaternityreview.org.uk/final-report-of-the-independent-review/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].

Royal College of Midwives. (RCM). (2024). Solution series. [Online]. Available at: https://rcm.org.uk/solution-series/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].

Royal College of Midwives. (RCM). (2026). Workforce. [Online]. Available at: https://rcm.org.uk/workforce/[Accessed 30 July 2026].

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) & Royal College of Midwives (RCM). (undated). Each Baby Counts + Learn & support [Online]. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/about-us/quality-improvement-clinical-audit-and-research-projects/each-baby-counts-learn-support/[Accessed 30 July 2026].

unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI). (2019). Guide to the unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative University Standards. [Online]. Available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/07/Guide-to-the-Unicef-UK-Baby-Friendly-Initiative-University-Standards.pdf [Accessed 30 July 2026].

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2026). What we do. [Online]. Available at: https://www.unfpa.org/what-we-do [Accessed 30 July 2026].

White Ribbon Alliance UK (2026). About us. [Online] Available at: https://www.whiteribbonalliance.org.uk/ [Accessed 30 July 2026].


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.