Virtual Midwifery Practices ©
big sister is one of the very first people to hold her little sister
The Virtual Midwifery Practices © is an innovative way of using technology and
direct faculty-student exchange to enhance classroom learning. The Virtual Midwifery Practices © (VMP) is made up of linked web pages and videos
and it is utilized as a semester long in-class project replacing much of the traditional lecture format.
While using this program, students can practice decision making skills they have learned in
class by providing virtual prenatal and well woman midwifery care. This program provides students the opportunity to collaborate in
small groups, utilize self-discovery, critically think, make professional case and practice management decisions and develop
professional communications skills. Since the clients are virtual, students are allowed to make mistakes and learn from them
without harming anyone. Because of the repeated exposure to the virtual clients through many prenatal or well women visits the
students state that they have to remind themselves that the clients are virtual and not real. If harm occurs to the client or
the infant as a result of the student’s mismanagement the experience has a lasting impact.
Students also manage on call time and office coverage just as they will do after graduation.
Students create and maintain client records, provide teaching and are expected to make referrals to various community and professional resources. A complete online version is available for distant education programs.
This program has been presented at the National League for Innovation in the Community College Conference and at the American College of Nurse Midwives in New Orleans in May of 2004.
The Virtual Midwifery Practices © Program was developed at Miami Dade College, Miami Dade, Florida to teach antepartal and well woman/GYN care in the midwifery program.
Miami Dade College is making this program available to other midwifery education programs through Diann S. Gregory, the program developer.
The first step in using this program is to have at least one faculty member certified in VMP management. Faculty training can be brought to your college in the form of a 2 day workshop.
NEW Project: Gregory Consulting, llc has been commissioned to develop a special on line virtual practice program for the The Multi-jurisictional Midwifery Bridging Project (MMBP) of Canada. This will be a totally new program from the ground up and will be completely online based on the Canadian Midwifery Model of Practice. The program was first piloted in 2009. Work continues on the project in 2010.
For information on using The MDC Virtual Midwifery Practices © contact:
Diann S. Gregory at gregory@gregoryconsulting.net
Web page updated January 8, 2010
Virtual Midwifery Practices © MDC 2004