| CODE | MID3118 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Spirituality in Midwifery | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| EQF/MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Midwifery | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is targeted to third year midwifery students. The study-unit introduces midwifery students to the spiritual dimension of care within the childbearing continuum. It examines definitions of spirituality and religion, explores diverse cultural and faith traditions, and develops students’ awareness of their own spirituality as part of professional identity and compassionate practice. Students learn to assess and respond to women’s spiritual needs during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, including during loss, grief and difficult news. Using the EPICC competencies as a framework, the unit prepares students to provide respectful, holistic and culturally sensitive spiritual care at the point of registration. Study-unit Aims: The aim of this study-unit is to develop midwifery students’ competence at point of registration, in recognising, assessing, and responding to the spiritual needs of women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Students will explore their own spirituality, enhance their emotional and professional resilience, and cultivate compassionate, culturally sensitive care that supports the holistic wellbeing of mothers and families. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Define spirituality and religion, differentiating between the two, and describe their relevance to midwifery within holistic care models; 2. Explain theoretical perspectives on spirituality, including the EPICC (2019) definition and competency framework; 3. Describe the spiritual needs of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, including meaning-making, hope, connection, dignity, forgiveness, and coping; 4. Discuss how spirituality influences health, wellbeing, coping, and decision-making during the childbearing continuum, supported by current research evidence; 5. Demonstrate knowledge of major faith traditions (e.g. Christianity, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hinduism), including beliefs and practices related to:     • pregnancy and childbirth     • dietary practices and fasting     • pain management     • blood transfusion     • birth rituals     • reproductive technologies     • death, dying, loss and grief 6. Recognise the impact of personal biases, prejudices, or assumptions on the provision of spiritual care; 7. Identify barriers to spiritual care in healthcare settings (time, training, institutional culture, fear of overstepping boundaries); 8. Understand the midwife’s role in breaking bad news, supporting women during loss and grief, and responding sensitively to emotional and spiritual distress; 9. Explain the importance of compassion, dignity, advocacy, and respect as foundations for spiritual care and midwifery practice. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Assessment & Communication Skills 1. Conduct a spiritual history or assessment using validated or informal tools (e.g., FICA, HOPE, EPICC-aligned approaches). 2. Recognise verbal and non-verbal expressions of spiritual need, distress, or coping. 3. Communicate sensitively during emotionally challenging encounters, including:     • loss and grief     • unexpected diagnoses     • end-of-life or neonatal palliative situations     • breaking bad news Intervention Skills 4. Provide appropriate spiritual support within professional boundaries, including:     • active listening     • presence     • compassion     • respecting rituals, traditions and belief systems 5. Facilitate access to needed spiritual resources, including chaplaincy or faith leaders, community supports, or culturally-appropriate care. Professional Skills 6. Demonstrate non-judgemental empathy, cultural humility, and respect for diverse beliefs and practices. 7. Reflect on and articulate one’s own spirituality, values, biases and sources of strength, and integrate self-awareness into professional practice. 8. Apply elements of the EPICC four core competencies:     • Intrapersonal spirituality     • Interpersonal spirituality     • Spiritual assessment & planning     • Spiritual intervention & evaluation 9. Document spiritual assessments and interactions accurately, safely, and respectfully. 10. Advocate for women’s spiritual, cultural, and emotional needs within the multidisciplinary team. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study and Group Learning | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Josephine Attard (Co-ord.) Dione Mifsud |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2026/7. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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