The aim of the course is to prepare healthcare professionals such as midwives, neonatal nurses, nurses, community specialist practitioners and general practitioners to competently undertake an examination and assessment of the healthy newborn infant.

You will learn through lectures, seminars reflective discussions, online personal tutorials and self-study. Learning in practice will take place over a period of 9 months supervised by an identified mentor and an assessor with expertise in examination of the newborn.

This unit requires approximately 200 hours to complete which will include lectures, seminars and self-managed learning. In addition to the taught sessions (approximately 30 hours), you will spend a minimum of 90 hours engaged in direct practice in your own clinical area, where you will be allocated a clinical supervisor.

This course requires 100% attendance. All the teaching will be delivered Face to Face (10am-4pm). 

Learning outcomes

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Demonstrate critical evaluation and synthesis of the role and responsibilities the health professional has in relation to the examination of newborn and its contribution to the on-going development and wellbeing assessment. 

2. Critically appraise the wellbeing of the newborn and incorporate and articulate professional, legal and ethical dimensions within the assessment.

3. Critically review and demonstrate reflective problem solving and decision making processes regarding referral (expected or unexpected) of a baby during the newborn examination.  

4. Demonstrate analytical examination and evaluation of the evidence relating to the physiological examination and wellbeing of the newborn. 

Assessment

 ILOs 2 & 3 will be assessed via a  presentation (2000 word equivalent) 100%

Evidence of at least 10 newborn examinations 

(5 of the 10 newborn examinations directly supervised)

 PLUS

1 assessed newborn examination undertaken in the clinical environment 

(1000 word equivalent) Pass/Fail

The mentor (assessor) could be one of the following: 

Consultant Paediatrician, Middle grade Paediatrician, Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (ANNP), Midwife Mentor/Assessor, Unit Leader.