(EON) Guideline for mentors supporting Pre-registration midwifery students undertaking the Neonatal and Infant Physical Examination (NIPE)/ ...

Guideline for mentors supporting
Pre-registration midwifery students
undertaking the Neonatal and Infant
   Physical Examination (NIPE)/
Examination of the Newborn Module
               (EON)

Dear Mentor,

Thank you for supporting students to acquire the essential midwifery skills of
examining the newborn. This year, students have the opportunity of completing
an optional module, which will enable them to undertake the detailed examination
of the newborn in line with Public Health England’s (PHE), NIPE screening
programme.

Currently, all pre-registration midwifery students as part of the BSc (Hons)
Midwifery Degree course, undertake 100 postnatal examinations of the newborn.
Students who choose to take the optional module will be expected to show
evidence of completing an additional 40 detailed NIPE examinations of the
newborn which includes the examination of the eyes, the heart, the hips and
the testes in line with our current module we already provide for post-registered
midwives. They also need to complete UWL online Units, the RCM/Skills for
Health online Modules. Along with writing a reflective essay, completing a
logbook and 3 observed summative assessments where the student will
undertake the full examination. Although this is an optional module, the
theoretical units will be delivered to all students in the classroom.

Our post-registration midwives currently undertake:

      10 full detailed examinations supervised by a Senior Pediatrician or a
      delegated experienced NIPE/EON trained midwife

      27 unsupervised examinations (for their development and reflection on
      practice)

      3 examinations that is assessed by a Senior Pediatrician or a delegated
      experience NIPE/EON trained midwife

By undertaking the required 100 normal midwifery postnatal examinations of the
newborn, the pre-registered midwifery students will now complete and log:

      3 observed full detailed examination of the newborn by a NIPE trained
      midwife or Paediatrician

       30 Examinations of the Eyes to include ascertaining the presence of the
          red-reflex

       30 Auscultations of the Heart

       30 Palpations of brachial and femoral pulses

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30 Palpations of the hips to perform the Ortalani and Barlow (under direct
       supervision)

       30 Palpations for descended testes

       30 Palpation of the abdomen and kidneys

       10 Full examinations, supervised by a Senior Pediatrician or a delegated
       experience NIPE/EON trained midwife

       3 Examinations that is assessed by a Senior Pediatrician or a delegated
       experience NIPE/EON trained midwife

The examinations are broken down to ensure that students can log and learn
from their experience of doing individual aspects of the neonatal examination.
However, we expect students will do a number of these together as part of a
detailed examination (Please see the Logbook for clarification).This should
enable students to complete the less invasive examinations with a mentor who
may not have been NIPE trained e.g. palpation of the pulses during a normal
midwifery postnatal visits in the community.

Part 1 Sept 2017- August 2018:

For Part 1, the students will be focusing on firmly developing the midwifery skills
of observation in line with the NMC competencies. They will also be expected to
begin to develop the skill of auscultation and some aspects of palpation.

Firstly, the student should also be given the opportunity to observe a trained
practitioner undertaking the NIPE screen.

After having observed and coached through 3 whole NIPE examinations, where
possible the students should have the opportunity to undertake under supervision
the less invasive procedures of:

      auscultation of the heart,
      palpation of the brachial and femoral pulses
      palpation for presence of descended testes.

Students are expected to do a minimal number thirty (30) of each of these
individual observations under supervision during the next 12 months in
preparation for Part 2.

The student is not expected to undertake the palpation of the hips, abdomen or
kidneys until Part 2. However, if the opportunity arises and you feel that the

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student is competent in handling the newborn and able to move on to developing
this particular skill, please use it with the consent of the parents for the student to
begin to engage in and develop the skill.

The manner in which you approach the more invasive skills could be viewed in
very much the same manner you will facilitate the student development in key
midwifery skills such as vaginal examinations, venepuncture, and blood spot
screening.

It will mean that students should be supported to understand the Trust policy on
documenting the detailed newborn examination and reporting findings e.g
SMART. As such, the student should be coached to recognize abnormality, be
introduced to making appropriate referrals in line with the Trust polices and PHE
pathway.

In Part 2: Sept 2018 - June 2019

In Part 2 with more experience of handling the newborn, the student will now
complete 30 palpations of the hips to perform the Ortalani and Barlow, 30
palpation of the abdomen and kidneys (always under direct supervision of a
NIPE trained practitioner).

The student will also be expected to conduct a minimal of 10 full NIPE screening
examinations. This will be logged in their NIPE/EON logbook

The student will be assessed on their competency of doing the full detailed
examination with 3 babies, in the final part of Part 2. The assessor can be a
Senior Pediatrician or Trust delegated Senior Midwife who is well experienced in
doing NIPE/EON screening.

Completion of the module

This is not currently a pre-requisite for the completion of the BSc (Hons)
Midwifery programme. It is an additional module. Students will still be able to
register as a midwife with the NMC if they do not complete course. It is hoped
that all students take the option and be supported in practice to complete the
module. We aim to work with you and your Trust to ensure that the student is
competent to practice upon completion. The students who do not the finish
module by the end of the 92 week programme will be given the opportunity to do
so within a determined time frame after qualification.

In addition please ensure requirements for students of meeting EC requirements
and NIPE requirements are recorded onto progression sheets.

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Support in practice:

   We have identified a link lecturer in each practice area to work with the Clinical
   Placement Facilitator and Practice Development Team in supporting the students
   to gain experience doing the EON/NIPE.

Unit                             Link lecturer                      NIPE Lead Midwife
RBH                              Cathy Rowan                        Hazel Inkster
WPH                              Clare Gordon                       Gillian Allen
NWP                              Sheena Simpson                     tbc
WMUH                             Marcia Bartholomew                 Angela Salsbury
Chelsea                          Christine Grabowska                Elizabeth Stuart
THH                              Adelaide Adeboffour                Stella Manion

   Contact details:

   If you have any further queries please contact:

   Lead Midwife in Education:
   Jancis Shepherd
   Email: jancis.shepherd@uwl.ac.uk

   Module Leaders

   Marcia Bartholomew
   Email: Marcia.bartholomew@uwl.ac.uk

   Cathy Rowan
   Email: Cathy.Rowan@uwl.ac.uk

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