Mayes' Midwifery

Gail Johnson began her career in nursing and has been a midwife for more than 30 years. In her midwifery practice Gail worked largely in the community with a focus on normality before moving into midwifery education. Gail's current role is as a professional advisor in education at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). She is responsible for the delivery of continuing professional development (CPD) activities for midwives across the UK and overseas. As part of this role Gail has designed and delivered a number of successful large conferences for midwives, including the RCM Legal birth conference and the Bereavement conference. The model for these events has been rolled out across the UK. Gail is also the professional lead on the RCM e-learning initiative, i-learn. The success of the online learning has seen the content increase with over 80 courses available with new content online throughout the year. In addition Gail has worked with the RCM's Chief Executive Professor Cathy Warwick in advising the NHS Leadership Academy on leadership challenges for midwives and nurses, attending a number of development meetings. Her leadership work has enabled her to work closely with midwives at all levels and recently worked with colleagues to design and deliver multidisciplinary workshops for labour ward leaders, addressing the challenges and cultures of maternity service. She also provides advice and consultancy to a number of external agencies both at national and international level on issues which impact on wider health or public health issues. For examples she is the designated lead on stillbirth and bereavement care and works with the Department of Health (England) and Sands (UK) on the role of maternity services in reducing stillbirth and improving bereavement care. In supporting midwives and representing the midwifery profession Gail is frequently asked to speak to the press and media on midwifery, maternity and women's health issues.

Part 1: The midwife in context

1. The place of the midwife in the global context: The global midwife

2. A history of the midwifery profession in the United Kingdom

3. Regulation of midwives

4. Clinical governance and the midwife

5. The midwife as a lifelong learner

6. Evidence-based practice and research for practice

7. Leadership and management in midwifery

8. An introduction to ethics and midwifery practice

9. The law and the midwife

10. Pharmacology and the midwife

Part 2: Childbirth in context

11. Sociocultural and spiritual context of childbearing

12. Psychological context of childbirth

13. Sexuality

14. National Health Service policy and midwifery

15. Legal frameworks for the care of the child

Part 3: Public health, health promotion in the context of childbirth

16. Epidemiology

17. Nutrition

18. Complementary therapies and natural remedies in pregnancy and birth: responsibilities of midwives

19. Health promotion and education

20. Preconception care

21. Education for parenthood

22. Physical preparation for childbirth and beyond, and the role of physiotherapy

23. Vulnerable women

Part 4: The anatomy and physiology of fertility, embryology and fetal development

24. Anatomy of male and female reproduction

25. Female reproductive physiology: Timed interactions between hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and ovaries

26. Genetics

27. Fertility and its control

28. Infertility and assisted conception

29. Fertilization, embryo formation and feto-placental development

30. The fetal skull

Part 5: Pregnancy

31. Maternal neurohormonal and systemic adaptations to feto-placental development

32. Confirming pregnancy and care of the pregnant woman

33. Antenatal investigations

34. Choice, childbearing and maternity care - the choice agenda and place of birth

Part 6: Labour and birth

35. Physiological changes from late pregnancy until the onset of lactation: from nesting to suckling-lactation and parental-infant attachment

36. Care in the first stage of labour

37. Care in the second stage of labour

38. Supporting choices in reducing pain and fear during labour

39. Care in the third stage of labour

40. The pelvic floor

Part 7: Postnatal care and the care of the newborn baby

41. Content and organization of postnatal care

42. Physiology, assessment and care of the newborn baby

43. Thermoregulation

44. Infant feeding and relationship building

Part 8: Women and babies with complex needs

45. The preterm baby and the small baby

46. Respiratory and cardiac disorders

47. Neonatal jaundice

48. Infection in the neonate

49. Congenital anomalies, neonatal surgery and pain management

50. Metabolic and endocrine disorders

51. Stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome

52. Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy

53. Bleeding in pregnancy

54. Hypertensive and medical disorders in pregnancy

55. Sexually transmitted infections

56. Abnormalities of the genital tract

57. Multiple pregnancy

58. Preterm labour

59. Obstetric interventions

60. Induction of labour and prolonged pregnancy

61. Rhythmic variations of labour

62. Malpositions and malpresentations

63. Obstructed labour and uterine rupture

64. Shoulder dystocia

65. Presentation and prolapse of the umbilical cord

66. Maternal morbidity following childbirth

67. Complications related to the third stage of labour

68. Pregnancy loss and the death of a baby: grief and bereavement care

69. Maternal mental health and psychological issues

70. Midwifery for the future .where next?