MDWF 2100

MDWF 2100: Well Person Care

CREDITS 4

COURSE PURPOSE & OVERVIEW

To be a midwife, to be with people, means caring for people throughout the lifecycle from adolescence to menopause. While the bulk of your study is caring for people during pregnancy and birth, be assured that the fundamentals of Well Person care are very similar. This course is designed to give you a solid exposure to the fundamentals of Well Person Care, building on and adding to that which you have learned in your core midwifery classes. At the heart of midwifery is recognizing the spectrum of normal. In order to provide reassurance of normalcy and empower people to make healthy choices, you must be confident in understanding the range of normal for the female body and spirit and recognize deviations from normal. You must have the knowledge and skill to guide your clients through a referral process in a complicated healthcare system. When to refer is as important as knowing to whom to refer and maintaining a current list of those sources. By virtue of being a midwife, you will be sought out by your clients, family, friends, and neighbors as a resource for health—not only during pregnancy and birth. This course will prepare you to be that resource for your clients and the people in your community.

SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the completion of this course, the students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills in the following areas:

1. Develop the skills to provide reassurance of normalcy for people across the lifespan.

2. Learn appropriate care strategies for encouraging wellness from adolescence through menopause

3. Master the physiology of the normal menstrual cycle and educate clients on their own physiologic processes

4. Acquire the skills to collect subjective and objective data during a client visit including conducting a physical exam

5. Counsel someone concerning contraceptive choices, sexual concerns and unintended pregnancy

6. Recognize the spectrum of normal across all systems and common abnormalities that may require referral

7. Conduct a problem-oriented patient visit

8. Learn appropriate care strategies for minority communities including LGBTQ inclusive care

9. Gather resources in your community for referral of primary care, gynecologic and mental health problems

10. Understand obstacles to care including financial when considering referral sources

Example of practice directive document (practice guideline, informed consent, or client handout):

Knowing Your Scope of Practice