Accessibility statement

Evidence Based Midwifery Care - HEA00169I

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

  • To enable a rigorous understanding and critique of research, evidence and scholarship (local, national, and international) in midwifery and related fields, which facilitates informed decision making, contemporary practice and the midwife as scholar.
  • To analyse and critique the midwife’s contribution to the knowledge base for practice and policy through research, audit and service evaluation, engagement and consultation.
  • To establish rigorous understanding and critique of the evidence base to support safe and effective midwifery care, providing continuity of care and carer.

Module learning outcomes

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

  1. Analyse and evaluate the origins, validity and application of research, evidence and scholarship (local, national, and international) in midwifery and related fields.
  2. Analyse and evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice, including a focus on supporting safe and effective midwifery care, and providing continuity of care and carer.
  3. Critically appraise research, evidence and scholarship (local, national, and international) in midwifery and related fields, demonstrating strong understanding of processes and methodologies.
  4. Analyse and critique the midwife’s contribution to the knowledge base for practice and policy through research, audit and service evaluation, engagement and consultation.
  5. Evidence academic writing skills that use critical appraisal to construct reasoned arguments.

Module content

Content includes: research, evidence and scholarship - methods, approaches and critique; systematic database searching skills; systematic reviews; evidence synthesis; critical appraisal skills; audit and service evaluation; evidence re continuity of care and carer; grey literature; ethics and quality; local, national and international perspectives re research and scholarship; themes within UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) University Standards mapped to this module including the evidence base that underpins infant feeding practices; Advancing academic and library skills - detailed & strategic approaches to literature searching & reference management.

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

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

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

Indicative reading

Bryar, R. (2011). Theory for midwifery practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

CASP. (2022). CASP Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. [Online]. Available at: https://casp-uk.net/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].

Cochrane Library. (2022). Cochrane library. [Online]. Available at: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].

Dyson, S. and Norrie, P. (2013). Research skills for nurses and midwives. London: Quay Books, a division of Mark Allen Publishing Ltd.

Harvey, M. and Land, L. (2021). Research methods for nurses and midwives. (2nd ed). London: SAGE.

Hewitt-Taylor, J. (2011) Using research in practice : it sounds good, but will it work? Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Homer, C., Leap, N., Brodie, P. and Sandall, J. (2019). Midwifery continuity of care. (2nd ed). Australia: Elsevier.

Moule, P. (2020). Making sense of research in nursing, health & social care. (7th ed). London: SAGE.

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). (2022). National Institute for Health Research. [Online]. Available at: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].

National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU). (2022). Research[Online]. Available at: https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/research [Accessed 11 March 2022].

Parahoo, K. (2014). Nursing research: principles, process and issues. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Rees, C. (2011). An introduction to research for midwives. (3rd ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Rees, C. (2016). Rapid research methods for nurses, midwives and health professionals. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.

Spiby, H. (2010). Evidence based midwifery: applications in context. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

Steen, M. and Roberts, T. (2011). The handbook of midwifery research. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.

UNICEF UK. (2013). Evidence and rationale for the Baby Friendly standards. [Online]. Available from: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/about/evidence-and-rationale-for-the-baby-friendly-standards/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].



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.