Midwifery AUTUMN

Exchange courses in Midwifery

A programme for international exchange students who have obtained at least 120 ECTS in Midwifery, on bachelor level. The language of communication is English.

Before arrival students of the department PXL-Healthcare have to submit

• a report in English of their blood sample results stating that the student is immune to Hepatitis A and B
• a recent negative result for the intradermal Tuberculosis control. If necessary, a TB-control will be done in Hasselt upon arrival.

All healthcare students will have a general health check before starting the placement.

AUTUMN 2024

*This course is obligatory for all students (autumn).

** Organised from 2/9/2024 until 6/9/2024 + evening seminars throughout the 1st semester

Language courses 

Course content 

For official course catalogue information check the course catalogue: Course Catalogue 2024-2025 (available from june 2024).

Below you can find a description of the course contents.

The Internationalist

This course welcomes incoming students as well as students preparing for their workplacement or study abroad. Over a period of 7 weeks we meet once a week in order to enhance our intercultural awareness, our intercultural skills and our general critical thinking. Different methods are used to create a strong learning environment. Transfer of knowledge is but one of the many aims we try to achieve. Using a variety of different interactive teaching styles we take advantage of all the (intercultural) competences students already have and build upon that. This course is primarily based on the theoretical concepts and methods developed by Edward T. Hall, Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner, Geert Hofstede, Milton and Jane Bennet, Greenwald and Banji, …

Students will be encouraged to

• be aware of the different levels and aspects of diversity at their workplace at home as well as abroad
• be aware of their personal behavior and the workings of implicit bias
• question their own valuesystems
• develop and apply skills to communicate with people of a different background
• initiate a life-long learning/critical thinking process

Students will work on several individual and/or group assignments. They will

• write a paper
• create a filmlet
• keep a diary
• give a final presentation

Professional Midwifery Practice for International students, part 1  

Within this module the student becomes familiar with the midwifery care in Belgium.

In this workplacement the student trains obstetrical skills on the different work areas of the midwife. The accent lays on professional attitudes, knowledge and building up experience in obstetrical skills, coaching parents and become a part of the team. The student has to become more and more independent, trains in decisionmaking, risk selection and coaching.

During the clinical processes the student is accompanied by a different midwife-mentor during the

apprenticeship and by a practical training supervisor from university-college.

Attention is paid to integration of the theory into practice. This happens by means of the systematic

draw up of training reports.

The module is ten weeks in length:

• One week (30 hours) of introduction and preparation. This includes an introduction at de University-college, information about the internship, preparation for the internship (for example and medical check-up) and practical training in the class-room (for example Simmom training together with the regular students).
• At least three weeks (90 hours) internship at a labour ward and delivery room. Where the student can have the opportunity to assist with a delivery.
• Six weeks (180 hours) of internship at other wards or midwifery settings. This can be a variety of work areas, for example: maternity ward, gynaecology ward, prenatal consultations, postnatal consultations with an independent midwife, fertility clinic, neonatal ward, maternal intensive care unit, labour ward and delivery room.
• During this ten weeks the student has to make two training reports. Within this report the student illustrates a specific situation, integrates the theory in this specific situation and makes a critical reflection about the midwifery practice in Belgium and the midwifery practice in the home country.

Professional Midwifery Practice for International students, part 2

Within this module the student becomes familiar with the midwifery care in Belgium.

In this workplacement the student trains obstetrical skills on the different work areas of the midwife. The accent lays on professional attitudes, knowledge and building up experience in obstetrical skills, coaching parents and become a part of the team. The student has to become more and more independent, trains in decisionmaking, risk selection and coaching.

During the clinical processes the student is accompanied by a different midwife-mentor during the

apprenticeship and by a practical training supervisor from university-college.

Attention is paid to integration of the theory into practice. This happens by means of the systematic

draw up of training reports.

The module is four weeks in length:

• Four weeks (120 hours) of internship at other wards or midwifery settings. This can be a variety of work areas, for example: maternity ward, gynaecology ward, prenatal consultations, postnatal consultations with an independent midwife, fertility clinic, neonatal ward, maternal intensive care unit, labour ward and delivery room.
• During this four weeks the student has to make one training report. Within this report the student illustrates a specific situation, integrates the theory in this specific situation and makes a critical reflection about the midwifery practice in Belgium and the midwifery practice in the home country.

Sexual Health 

This course adresses the broad concept of sexual health and the impact on health in general. Beside of the general concept, there will be special focus on sexual problems connected to: Physical and mental disability, Physical / Chronic / psychiatric illness and Big Life Events (pregnancy and postpartum, divorce, loss of partner, etc).
The lessons are a combination of theoretical lectures and practice (clinical reasoning and communication). The lessons are organized as an intensive program of 1 week in september (Summer school) + evening seminars throughout the 1st semester regarding the broad concept of sexual health and the impact on health in general.

Summer School English

An intensive English language course (held before the start of the other courses) for incoming and outgoing PXL students (45 hours divided over 7 days, not on Saturday and Sunday).

In order to determine your level you'll have to complete a written intake and an oral intake interview before the start of the Summer School on 4/9 on campus in Hasselt. The written intake can also be done online in advance.

Using authentic material, this course gives you the best possible chance of making the most of your educational opportunities and it provides help in developing essential skills for your career. You'll also make a field trip to get to know Hasselt and your fellow students.
With the focus on general English you will be given the opportunity to practice on:

• Writing reports, essays …
• Giving presentations, seminar discussions …
• Taking notes on the main points of a lectures …
• Understanding main ideas in paragraphs and longer texts …
• Brief recapitulation of the main grammar items…

Survival Dutch

You will learn the basics of the Dutch language so you will be able to take the bus/train, find your way in Hasselt or order a pint in a pub.There is a strong focus on communication, listening to conversations by native speakers and understanding the (basic) contents. 

Subjects:

• Meeting and greeting, on the road
• In town: shopping - eating – drinking – washing clothes
• The alphabet, pronunciation
• Numbers, time, dates
• Going out, making an appointment
• Health, going to the doctor and pharmacy.

The lectures will take place during 9 weeks (sept-dec), this with a frequency of 3 hours (evening) a week. 

English for eXchange

In this course, students learn how to communicate in an international (professional) context. Students work on their general language skills as well as improve their language competences so that they can function in an international working environment.

This course is designed to practice the four communicative skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking by e.g.:

• reading newspaper articles and short stories and understanding the (basic) contents;
• deriving the meaning of selected vocabulary items from a text;
• writing formal/neutral (professional) and informal emails or letters;
• listening to conversations by native speakers and understanding the (basic) contents;
• watching short movie fragments and understanding the (basic) contents;
• expressing one's opinion about topics of general or professional interest;
• having everyday (professional) conversations/performing role plays.

The exact contents of the course is subject to change and is open to suggestions by students. Students extend their vocabulary by reading real life texts, listening to conversations by native speakers and by having conversations and playing role plays.

They study grammar items by doing exercises and will have to put these grammatical items into practice in conversations and in writing.

The lectures will take place during 9 weeks (sept-dec), this with a frequency of 3 hours (evening) a week.