Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
Course Title: Communication & Counseling
Credits: 1.0
Course Description: This course provides an exploration of the impact that language
and attitude can have on the new parents' abilities to integrate information and make
decisions and the midwife's responsibility to communicate in a manner that encourages
understanding and growth. It includes an overview of therapeutic modalities, the role of
cultural background in communication, and the importance of the midwife's
communication style and emotional support in order for the to absorb new information
and take on the role of parenthood.
NARM Skills
I. Midwifery Counseling, Education and Communication
(1)-I A. Provides interactive support and counseling and/or referral services to the
mother regarding her relationships with her significant others and other healthcare
providers
(2)-I B. Provides education, support, counseling and/or referral for the possibility of lessthan-optimal pregnancy outcomes
(8)-I H. Provides individualized care
(9)-I I. Advocates for the mother during pregnancy, birth and postpartum
I J. Provides education, counseling and/or referral, where appropriate for:
(11)-I J 2. Abuse issues: emotional, physical and sexual
VI. Well-Women Care
(146)-VI G. Provides opportunity for client to discuss problems or concerns
MANA Core Competencies:
I. Guiding Principles of Practice.
The midwife provides care according to the following principles:
1 D. Midwives understand that physical, emotional, psychosocial and spiritual factors
synergistically comprise the health of individuals and affect the childbearing process.
1 J. Midwives synthesize clinical observations, theoretical knowledge, intuitive
assessment and spiritual awareness as components of a competent decision making
process.
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.
2 H. Human sexuality, including indication of common problems and indications for
counseling.
2 I. Ethical considerations relevant to reproductive health.
2 J. The grieving process.
III. Care During Pregnancy
The midwife provides health care, support, and information to women throughout
pregnancy. She determines the need for consultation or referral as appropriate. The
midwife uses a foundation of knowledge and/or skill which includes the following:
3 B. Education and counseling for the childbearing cycle
Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
IV. Care During Labor, Birth and Immediately Thereafter
The midwife provides health care, support, and information to women throughout labor,
birth and the hours immediately thereafter. She determines the need for consultation or
referral as appropriate. The midwife uses a foundation of knowledge and/or skill which
includes the following:
4 D. Emotional responses and their impact during labor, birth and immediately
thereafter.
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
appropriate to a topic covered in this course from a current journal article/study,
less than 5 years old.
F. Recommended Role-playing and/or Clinical Interactions
Note: The clinical requirement of NARM /Clinical Skills is completed at any time
throughout the ASM apprenticeship during actual clinical practice and is NOT a
requirement to complete this academic course.
Activities specific to NARM skills learned in this section:
1. Practice interviewing a friend or family member and identify your
natural helping style.
2. Generate a feedback form for your friend or family member to rate
the qualities of your interviewing technique.
3. Perform the activities at the end of each chapter in Intentional
Interviewing and Counseling.
4. Practice the steps of a well-formed interview.
Learning Materials / Resources:
Please use textbooks less than 5 years old or most recent edition.
Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
1. Ivey, Allen, et al. Intentional interviewing and counseling: facilitating client
development in a multicultural society. 7th edition. Brooks Cole. 2009
2. MEAC Abbreviated NARM Skills Form.
3. MANA Core Competencies for Midwives
4. Midwives Model of Care®.
5. 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 80-90% 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.
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.
C. Exam counts for 10% of the final grade.
Course credit:
Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
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.
Chapter 1: Toward intentional interviewing and counseling
1. Define interviewing and give an example of how this is done by midwives.
2. Briefly describe the similarities and differences between counseling and
interviewing.
3. Describe how psychotherapy is different from both interviewing and counseling.
4. Briefly define the microskills hierarchy.
5. List the levels of the microskills hierarchy.
6. Briefly describe how mastering the microskills pyramid is related to developing
your own personal counseling style.
7. Briefly describe the five steps of drawing out a client’s story.
8. Summarize a definition of intentional interviewing.
9. Briefly describe cultural intentionality in interviewing.
10. Perform Competency practice exercise 1: your natural helping style
11. Perform exercise 2: diversity, multiculturalism, and you—culture counts!
Chapter 2: Ethics, Multicultural Competence, and Wellness
12. Briefly describe how ethics relates to counseling.
13. Discuss the implications of power differentials in a counseling relationship.
Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
14. Discuss how counseling and social justice issues overlap.
15. Define multicultural competence.
16. What are the results that can be predicted when employing an understanding of
multicultural competence?
17. How does an awareness of yourself as a cultural being help you relate to
others?
18. Briefly give an example of privilege.
19. Briefly describe some of the skills that contribute to effective multicultural
practice.
20. Define worldview.
21. Briefly describe the RESPECTFUL model.
22. Discuss wellness psychology.
23. Describe a strengths based approach.
24. Describe the concept of the “indivisible self”.
25. Perform individual practice Exercise 3: Personal wellness assessment.
Chapter 3: Attending behavior: Basic to communication.
26. Define attending.
27. What are some of the predicted results of good attending?
28. List a few of the dimensions that make up good attending.
29. Explain how attending behaviors might be modified when counseling someone
who is hearing impaired.
30. Describe some of the variations in vocal quality that might be needed in attending
depending on who your client may be.
31. Discuss the importance of verbal tracking.
32. Discuss when non-attention is necessary.
Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
33. Describe the use of silence for the interviewer.
34. Perform exercise 1: Generating alternative attending behavior.
Chapter 4 Questions: opening communication
35. Describe the difference between open and closed questions.
36. What types of answers are expected from open questions?
37. What types of answers are expected from closed questions?
38. Give an example of a question that brings a concrete aspect of a client’s
experience.
39. Discuss how the first word of a question can influence how a client might answer
it.
40. Give an example of some of the ways that questions can cause problems in an
interview.
41. Discuss an issue of cultural competence that may arise from questions asking
style.
42. Perform Exercise 1: writing closed and open questions.
Chapter 5: Observation skills
43. Describe some of the behaviors that should be observed during an interview.
44. What types of nonverbal behavior is helpful to observe during an interview?
45. What types of verbal behavior should be observed during an interview?
46. Discuss what types of conflicts or discrepancies should be identified if they occur
in an interview.
Chapter 6: Encouraging, paraphrasing and summarizing
47. What are three attributes of active listening?
48. Describe three behaviors that are encouraging during an interview.
49. Briefly describe how to effectively paraphrase as a part of active listening.
50. Briefly describe how to summarize during an interview.
Course Syllabus ©National College of Midwifery 2012
01/2012
Chapter 7: Observing and reflecting feelings: A foundation of client experience
51. Define reflection of feelings.
52. What is the purpose of reflecting feelings during an interview?
53. Discuss the identification of emotions in an interview. What aspects of expression
should be observed?
54. Briefly describe how to appropriately reflect feelings in an interview.
Chapter 8: Integrating listening skills: how to conduct a well-formed interview.
55. Describe the Basic Listening Sequence.
56. Discuss the importance of empathy in listening.
57. Give the three types of empathetic understanding.
58. Define positive regard toward a client.
59. Discuss behaviors that reflect respect and warmth toward a client.
60. Perform exercise 1: illustrating how the basic listening sequence functions in
different settings.