Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
07/2012
Course Title: Business and Professional Communication
Credits: 3.0
Course Description: Communication is a huge part of what midwives do in their role
as educators and as mid-level health care providers. Professionalism, accuracy and
efficacy in communication are crucial in the provision of care and professional
coordination of care. This course aims to provide students with an understanding of
both the need for and steps to achieve effective communication in professional
interactions. Learning activities include: practicing business writing skills with help of
step-by-step study guide; practicing the SBAR communication technique during
transport situations; creating an outline for a business plan; development of clear
informational materials on midwifery services; and development of a presentation on a
plan for reduction of maternal and infant risk in the student’s community that could be
presented to any party.
NARM Skills
There are no NARM Skills covered in this course
MANA Core Competencies:
II. General Knowledge and Skills
The midwife provides care incorporating certain concepts, skills and knowledge from a
variety of health and social sciences including, but not limited to:
2 A. Communication, counseling and teaching skills.
VII. Professional, Legal and Other Aspects
The entry-level midwife assumes responsibility for practicing in accord with the
principles outlined in this document. The midwife uses a foundation of knowledge and/or
skill which includes the following:
7 F. A basic understanding of maternal/child health care delivery systems in her local
jurisdiction.
7 G. Awareness of the need for midwives to share their knowledge and experience.
Learning Activities:
A. Student reads appropriate sections from the Learning Materials/Resources.
B. Student answers the questions listed in the Learning Objectives by researching
the Learning Materials/Resources for the course and correctly cites the sources
and page numbers for each of their answers.
C. Student presents answers the questions listed in the Learning Objectives for
review by preceptor.
D. Student participates in preceptor elaboration/discussion of Learning Objectives.
E. In the case that the required texts are more than 5 years old, the student must
research, prepare & present a summary of current best midwifery care/practices
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
07/2012
appropriate to a topic covered in this course from a current journal article/study,
less than 5 years old.
Learning Materials / Resources:
Please use textbooks less than 5 years old or most recent edition.
rd
1. Terk, Natasha. Professional writing skills: A write it well guide. 3 edition. Write it
well publishers. 2010
2. Click here to access: Kaiser Permanente SBAR guidelines and worksheet
documents.
3. MEAC Abbreviated NARM Skills Form.
4. MANA Core Competencies for Midwives
5. Midwives Model of Care®.
6. Students must find 1 article/study less than 5 years old. Recommended internet
links as needed for latest developments in midwifery care:
The Cochrane Collaboration
EBSCO
National Library of Medicine
PubMed
Medline
SCIRUS
Medscape
World Health Organization
Evaluation Tools / Methods:
Minimum passing grade for each course is a cumulative 80% / B-. Students and
preceptors are encouraged to work together until the student masters the information.
Final grade for the course is based on preceptor evaluation of the following:
A. Learning Objectives count for 100% of the final grade.
The preceptor evaluates each answer based on three elements:
1. Answers should reflect a thorough review of current literature regarding
best current practices in midwifery care.
2. Each answer should be formed in the student’s own words or
paraphrased from the text. The answer should be minimal, not a rewrite of the entire text, but enough to show appropriate comprehension
of the learning objective.
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
07/2012
3. Student identification of sources and page numbers for each of the
Learning Objectives. (Preceptor should do a random check to
determine that sources cited are correctly identified.)
B. Summary of current journal article / study counts for 10% of the final grade in the
case that other scholarly resources used are more than five years old.
Course credit:
One Academic credit equals approximately 15 hours of formal time plus 30 hours of
additional study or homework. Formal time is defined as the amount of time taken to
answer the Learning Objectives to the level of 80% and to complete any learning
activities to the preceptor's satisfaction, including any time spent face to face with the
preceptor. Informal time includes any time spent actively reading relevant sources and
textbook/s, researching Learning Objectives, and studying for examinations.
Learning Objectives:
A. The student must research, prepare & present a summary of an aspect of current
best midwifery care/practices appropriate a topic from this course from a current journal
article/study.
B. Student answers the questions below and cites the sources and page numbers.
Overview
1. What is the purpose of business writing?
2. For questions 2-4 complete the exercise on page 7 of your book.
3. See page 7
4. See page 7
5. Summarize the criteria for effective business writing.
Lesson 1: Develop a writing plan in six steps
6. Discuss the amount of time that should be taken in planning a writing document.
7. Discuss the amount of time to write a document compared with the amount of
time to plan it.
8. Complete the exercise on page 13.
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
07/2012
9. Discuss the value of thinking about what you are going to write from the reader’s
point of view.
10. Review the activity on page 16-17.
11. Discuss writing a letter to inform rather than influence a person.
12. Perform the exercise on page 22.
13. Perform the exercise on page 24.
14. Discuss the importance of a key sentence.
15. Perform the exercise on page 27.
16. Perform the exercise on page 30 for questions 16-17.
17. See page 30.
18. Perform the exercise on page 37.
19. Discuss the purpose of grouping related topics together.
20. Perform the practice exercise on page 40.
21. Discuss the purpose of a summary sentence.
22. Perform the six steps of the exercise on pages 47-50 for questions 22-27.
23. See page 47
24. See page 47.
25. See page 47.
26. See page 48.
27. See page 48-49
28. For questions 28-35 do the review section on pages 56-7.
29. See page 56.
30. See page 56.
31. See page 56.
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32. See page 56.
33. See page 56.
34. See page 56.
35. See page 56.
Lesson 2: Write the first draft
36. What purpose does the writing plan serve in assembling first draft?
37. Revise opening 1 on page 64.
38. Revise opening 2 on page 64.
39. Briefly discuss the purpose of a summary.
40. What is the purpose of a transition in a piece of writing?
41. Underline the transition in the practice section on page 69.
42. Discuss when it is useful to use lists in business writing.
43. Perform the re-write exercise on page 79.
44. Briefly discuss the purpose of using headings in business writing.
45. Write a closing for the sample on page 87.
46. Perform the Review on page 89 for questions 46-9.
47. See page 89.
48. See page 89.
49. See page 89.
50. Perform the writing worksheet on pages 91-3 for questions 50-55.
51. See page 91.
52. See page 91.
53. See page 92.
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
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54. See page 93.
55. See page 93.
Lesson 3: Use concise language
56. Briefly discuss the importance of using concise language in business writing.
57. Perform the practice section on page 103 for questions 57-62.
58. See page 103.
59. See page 103.
60. See page 103.
61. See page 103.
62. See page 103.
63. Perform the practice section on page 106 for questions 63-65.
64. See page 106.
65. See page 106.
66. Perform the practice section on page 109 for questions 66-69.
67. See page 109.
68. See page 109.
69. See page 109.
70. Perform the Review section on page 113 for questions 70-73.
71. See page 113.
72. See page 113.
73. See page 113.
Lesson 4: Use clear language
74. Briefly discus the ways the writer can use clear language.
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75. Discuss the problems with using “passive” language or voice in business writing.
76. Perform the Practice section on pages 118-9 for questions 76-80.
77. See page 119.
78. See page 119.
79. See page 119.
80. See page 119.
81. Perform the Practice section on pages 123 for questions 81-83.
82. See page 123.
83. See page 123.
84. Perform the Practice section on page 127 for questions 84-90.
85. See page 127.
86. See page 127.
87. See page 127.
88. See page 127.
89. See page 127.
90. See page 127.
91. Perform the Practice section on page 134.
92. Perform the Review section on page 136 for questions 92-95.
93. See page 136.
94. See page 136.
95. See page 136.
Lesson 5: Use correct grammar
96. Briefly discuss the importance of using correct grammar in business writing.
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
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97. Define parallel writing structure.
98. Perform the Practice section on page 140 for questions 98-100.
99. See page 140.
100.
See page 140.
101.
Perform the pronoun practice section on page 146 for questions 101-2.
102.
See page 146.
103.
Perform the Practice section on page 153 for questions 103-107.
104.
See page 153.
105.
See page 153.
106.
See page 153.
107.
See page 153.
108.
Discuss when the use of passive language or voice is appropriate in
business writing.
Lesson 7: Write effective email.
109.
Discuss the circumstances when e-mail is an appropriate way to
communicate a message.
110.
Discuss the circumstances when e-mail is an inappropriate way to
communicate a message.
111.
What are some of the possible consequences of choosing e-mail over
another more appropriate communication mode?
112.
Perform the assignments on pages 231-233 for questions 111-117.
113.
See page 231.
114.
See page 231.
115.
See page 232.
116.
See page 232.
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
117.
See page 232.
118.
See page 233.
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For the following question use the attached documents regarding the SBAR technique
of communication:
119.
What does SBAR stand for?
120.
Describe a situation in which the SBAR technique might improve
communication between a midwife and back-up doctor.
121.
Discuss the steps that are usually performed by the midwife before calling
a physician or hospital back-up.
122.
Discuss the items a midwife should have on hand when using the SBAR
technique during a transport situation.
123.
Give an example of a how to describe a Situation.
124.
Briefly discuss the components of Background that might be included.
125.
Give an example of how to describe an Assessment.
126.
Give an example of a Recommendation that could be made.
127.
What actions might follow-up an SBAR communication between a
physician and a midwife?
128.
Practice using SBAR to report an emergency situation during an out-ofhospital birth using the worksheet provided above. Discuss a scenario first and
then try to work through the sheet quickly and efficiently before showing it to your
preceptor for evaluation.
Answer the following questions in order to develop the outline for a business start-up
plan. Once all the questions have been completed assemble the business plan into a
brief proposal format.
About the Business
129.
What is the name of your business?
130.
Where is it located?
131.
What product or service does your business provide?
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
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132.
What is the form of the business? Sole Proprietor Partnership
Corporation LLC Non-Profit? Briefly explain the business type you
choose.
133.
Who are your customers?
134.
Who are your competitors?
Running the Business
135.
What experience do you have in this type of business?
136.
Who will manage the daily operations of the business? What is their
experience?
137.
Who will be in charge of bookkeeping? What system will they use?
138.
Who will ensure that bills are paid on time? Who will ensure taxes are
paid and reports are submitted on schedule?
Marketing the Business
139.
What is different or unique about your business’ product or service?
140.
Do you have a plan to promote your business? If so, what is your
strategy?
141.
How will new customers hear about you?
142.
Do you know how many paying customers your business needs to be
successful?
143.
Is repeat business important? If so, how will you get first-time customers
to come back?
144.
Do you think you need to advertise? If so, what is your plan?
145.
Is there anything special about your business that could be used for
promotion?
146.
Is there any business management area in which you need advice or
training?
Design and produce a pamphlet describing a midwifery service that includes:
147.
What the service provides
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
148.
The type of providers and definition of their profession
149.
Legal status
150.
History of the business
151.
Fees
152.
Office hours
153.
Location
154.
Availability
155.
Names of providers
156.
What sets your service apart
157.
How to get in touch
158.
Logo, photo or artwork
07/2012
159.
Write a presentation outlining how midwifery practice is going to contribute
to the reduction of maternal and infant risk in your community. Produce a format
that effectively communicates your ideas to your audience. Make this
presentation to your instructor. Include:
a. What is currently the maternal mortality rate in your state?
b. What is the infant mortality rate in your state?
c. What is the C-Section rate in your state?
d. What is the low birth weight rate?
e. What is the mean income in your state?
f. How many children live below the poverty line in your state?
g. What resources are available to reduce maternal and infant risk in your
state?
h. How effective are they in reducing risk?
i. What are the barriers to maternal-infant risk reduction in your state?
j. What are the choices available to pregnant women in your state?
k. What are the barriers to choice in your state?
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Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
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l. What choices are available for preparation for childbirth?
m. Any additional information you feel is relevant to your area?
n. Propose a plan to positively impact these issues.
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