Master of Advanced Studies in Midwifery Skills plus

Background: The demands on the skills and knowledge of midwives in a practical environment become greater as they become more complex. Moreover the Swiss healthcare system is undergoing major changes and the areas of work of midwives are changing too. Midwives must possess advanced professional and academic skills. Clinics require midwives who can apply advanced knowledge and are able to implement it in everyday practice as well as guide, accompany and advise colleagues. Self-employed midwives need evidence-based knowledge to provide expert care to women and their families. Midwives with advanced skills contribute significantly to securing and improving the quality of care for women and their families, and also take on new roles in an inter-professional context. Aim: To develop a continuing education programme for midwives at the University of Applied Sciences which concludes with a MAS. The focus is on specialised knowledge which is scientifically based and directly related to the practical activity of a midwife. Structure: The MAS in Midwifery Skills plus consists of 9 modules and a master thesis. The modular design of the MAS allows individual planning of this part-time continuing education programme. The contents can be chosen according to personal and professional interests. Content: The contents focus on the various areas of activity of midwives while going into more detail on understanding pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in relation to independent midwifery care. Job perspectives: Midwives with a MAS take on new areas or the functional management of one or more areas. In this position they advise professional and interprofessional teams in expert decision making and support quality development in midwifery