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Obstetric Nursing - RN

Certificate of Accomplishment | OBD1

Program Overview

This certificate is designed for RNs employed in and/or seeking to advance their practice in obstetric nursing following a holistic, comprehensive model of care. Content spans pregnancy through postpartum and newborn. It includes understanding historical perspectives and current themes, relevant assessments, evidence-informed nursing interventions, and development of collaborative partnerships with obstetrical clients, families, support persons, and other interprofessional team members.

There are opportunities for developing high level critical thinking, care planning, leadership and professional practice skills while exploring personal reflection and ethics. Special attention is paid to current trends in maternity care in diverse hospital and community settings in Canada. This certificate is based on the Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN) Perinatal nursing standards in Canada and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) competencies for perinatal nurses. Completion of the certificate academically prepares the learner for the Perinatal Nursing Certification Exam.

Please note that the courses in this certificate need to be taken in a specific order.  Check that you have obtained the necessary pre-requisite prior to registering for a course.  Learners without the necessary pre-requisites will be removed from courses and charged the administrative fee. 

For nurses enrolled in legacy or previous versions of the certificate/theory courses, the final date to submit a PLAR application for the clinical course (CORN 504, NEPH 505, 506, OBST 510) will be March 15, 2022. Please contact the program advisor to ensure eligibility prior to this date. After March 15, 2022, certificates for legacy programs will no longer be granted. The program advisor can provide information on how to upgrade your certificate to the latest curriculum.

Admission Requirements

  • Registered Nurse (RN) 

If you started the Obstetric Nursing Certificate in Summer 2019 or earlier, please visit Obstetric Nursing Certificate – RN  73811 to view courses and important information about changes to the program.

Humber also offers Obstetrics Nursing – RPN Certificate.

NEW! 15 hour courses to advance your knowledge and skills Lactation Support Certificate

 

Academic Partnership with Canadian Nurses Association

Canadian Nurses Association

If you wish to be enrolled in the Obstetric Nursing - RN certificate please select Next Steps below

Next Steps

Certificate Pathway

 

*OBST 608 may be taken in any order before OBST 530.

Please note that OBST 608 is equivalent to OBST 508.

 

Curriculum

Quick-Look Availability Scheduler

Use the Quick-Look Availability Scheduler to see available courses in a calendar view and plan towards achieving your certificate.

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Course Name 2023/2024 Academic Year 2024/2025 Academic Year
Compulsory May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
OBST 520: Essentials of Pre-Pregnancy and Prenatal Care
OBST 522: Supportive Care in Labour and Birth
OBST 523: Fetal Health Surveillance
OBST 524: Postpartum and newborn: Assessment and initial management
OBST 525: RN - Care of Women and Newborns at Risk
OBST 530: Obstetric Nursing - Clinical Practicum for the RN
OBST 608: Human Milk Feeding Basics

Compulsory Courses

OBST 520 Essentials of Pre-Pregnancy and Prenatal Care
  Start Date: September 2023  
Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), the course guides the student to investigate the health and nursing care of individuals and their families during preconception and antenatal periods. A review of anatomy and physiology will be included. Both strengths and challenges will be considered for the childbearing family across diverse settings. Students will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring common physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations in low risk pregnancies

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OBST 522 Supportive Care in Labour and Birth
  Start Date: September 2023  
Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), this course prepares the RN to think critically about the experience of labour and birth. This will advance the ability to support the child-bearing individual and newborn at low risk, and the family, through the labour and birth experience. There is a focus on the stages of labour, supportive care, complications and interventions associated with labour and birth including grief and loss, and the immediate recovery period. Students will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations in low risk labour and birth including common challenges in childbirth.

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OBST 523 Fetal Health Surveillance
  Start Date: September 2023  
Registered Nurses (RNs) examine the fundamental concepts of fetal health surveillance appropriate to the antepartum and intrapartum periods. RNs utilize Clinical Practice Guidelines developed by the Fetal Health Surveillance working group and approved by the Board of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN). RNs explore relevant fetal and maternal anatomy and physiology, criteria for methods of fetal health surveillance, and related equipment. RNs discuss terminology related to classification, practise interpretation of data, and outline appropriate responses. With emphasis on communication with the interprofessional team RNs develop skills to advocate for a safe, family-centred pregnancy and labour and birth experience.

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OBST 524 Postpartum and newborn: Assessment and initial management
 
Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), this course prepares the RN and RPN to think critically about the nurse’s role in the postpartum period including care of the childbearing person, newborn, and family following birth. There is a focus on physiological and psychosocial assessment and interpretation of data, supportive care, interventions, and health teaching associated with the postpartum period. Nurses will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations following birth for the childbearing person, newborn, and family.

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OBST 525 RN - Care of Women and Newborns at Risk
  Start Date: September 2023  

Based upon the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018), the course guides the student to investigate the health and nursing care of individuals and their families from pregnancy through the postpartum period. Both strengths and challenges will be considered for the childbearing family across diverse settings. Students will be encouraged to critically examine their own beliefs about topics in this course while exploring common physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial adaptations in high-risk pregnancies. 

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OBST 530 Obstetric Nursing - Clinical Practicum for the RN
  Start Date: May 2023  

The registered nurse participates in this clinical course and applies theoretical principles and knowledge within the acute perinatal clinical setting. The registered nurse demonstrate safe and professional practice at the novice level in both the labour and birth unit and in the postpartum unit. The registered nurse follows the Perinatal Nursing Standards in Canada (Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses, [CAPWHN] 2018) and central concepts that underpin perinatal nursing of the Canadian Nurses’ Association. By establishing relationships with the pregnant person and neonate at low risk and the family, the registered nurse will facilitate communication, assessment, and education skills with families from diverse backgrounds in varied hospital settings. The registered nurse collaborates effectively with Humber College faculty and members of the health care facility in this preceptored, clinical course and reflects daily upon learning opportunities.

The Obstetric Nursing-RN clinical is 150 hours (half in Labour and Birth and half in Postpartum) and must be completed within a 3-month term. Nurses are required to do two shifts weekly following their preceptor’s schedule.  

Start your clinical placement application process by completing this Clinical Placement Request Form. You will also need to upload a complete HSPnet consent form found here: Form

Here is the link for Health Clearance requirements Health Clearance which may take three months for you to complete. Once your Health Clearance is completed you may register for the clinical course.

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OBST 608 Human Milk Feeding Basics
  Start Date: September 2023  

Learners critically examine their knowledge base, attitudes, and biases regarding infant feeding and learn about the significance of the WHO Code & Baby Friendly Initiative. Students also learn how to assess and manage common concerns with human milk feeding in the initial postpartum period. Emphasis will be placed on effective communication skills and the impact of social support for the infant and family, and on promoting self-efficacy in infant feeding. This course is based upon the Canadian Nurses’ Association competencies, the Canadian Association of Perinatal and Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN), Public Health Agency of Canada, and the clinical competencies of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.

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Contact Us

Humber Continuous Professional Learning Health Sciences & Wellness
416.675.6622 ext. 4554
cplhealthsciences@humber.ca


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