Return to Midwifery Practice

• The course will involve an element of theory as well as practice placements.
• Following a few study days at university, you will commence a pre-arranged placement in a clinical area where you will be supervised by a suitably qualified mentor who will be available to support you.
• You will take responsibility for your learning in practice in negotiation with your mentor. Theoretical evidence to support your practice will be maintained in an electronic portfolio.
• This course is assessed by the completion of 18 clinical practice outcomes that have to be successfully achieved in practice in order to pass the course and are assessed by the sign off Mentor. The process will be verified by a midwifery tutor during a tripartite meeting with you and your sign off mentor.

Placements

You must secure your own practice placement prior to commencing the course. All placement areas must have had an educational audit undertaken and have a ‘sign off’ mentor to support you. The university will require this evidence prior to commencing the placement. For further advice contact Emma Whapples, Course Leader.

Your clinical placement is where you will complete the clinical part of the course. The NMC require that returners spend a minimum of 150 hours in supervised clinical practice before returning to the Register. You will spread these hours over 2 semesters, and it may be necessary to complete more than 150 hours if you have been out of practice for a long time. This will be determined by the Lead Midwife for Education.

If you are currently working, please consider very carefully how you would incorporate your clinical hours into your current job. It is not permissible to try to complete the clinical hours working at weekends only. You need to spread your hours over weekdays and weekends in order to gain useful and varied experience. You may work the occasional night if you wish, but the majority of your clinical time will be on day duty covering mornings, afternoons and evenings with your sign off mentor.