Dr Sarah Norris

Dr Sarah Norris
Head of Midwifery Education and Lead Midwife for Education
Interprofessional Studies
Telephone: (01792) 205678 ext 8563
Room: Office - 123
First Floor
Vivian Building
Singleton Campus

Sarah Norris is Head of Midwifery Education and LME at Swansea University, and Associate Professor. She trained as a nurse at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and worked in the Operating Theatres before becoming a Midwife. Since then, her career has spanned over 20 years experience in the midwifery profession since completing a Diploma to become a Registered Midwife in 1995. A BSc (Hons) in Midwifery followed in 1997 and later an MA in Ethics in Healthcare. Her career started as a practicing midwife at Swansea NHS Trust (now ABMU Health Board) in both hospital and community settings. After completing the Supervisor of Midwives programme in 2002, Sarah went on to supervise midwives until 2014, totalling 12 years in Supervision. Sarah was Practice Development Midwife for 2 years in the run up to joining us at the College in 2003. Her first role was as a Midwifery tutor, which then progressed to becoming Senior Lecturer and Admissions Tutor. Sarah has been the Lead for The All Wales Preparation of Supervisor of Midwives Programme and is also the Programme Director for the MSc Enhanced Professional Midwifery Practice course.

Sarah's day-to-day mainly revolves around her overall responsibility for the quality of the midwifery programmes and supporting the Midwifery team in their development of innovative and exciting teaching approaches thus enhancing the student experience. Sarah believes that the talent and dedication of the excellent Midwifery lecturing team at the College has made this achievement possible. She personally teaches on the pre-registration programme and the Masters level work based learning programme (MSc Enhanced Professional Midwifery Practice).

Sarah completed her PhD in 2015, an Ethnographic Study which explored the teaching and learning of midwifery mentors and student midwives in a midwifery led setting, and has presented papers from her research at international conferences in the UK and Australia.

Sarah is interested in all areas of midwifery education particularly enhancing normal birth, teaching and learning in practice and mentorship. Her teaching has progressed to work not only in the UK but also in developing countries around the world.

Teaching

  • SHG3099 Professional Practice in Sexual and Reproductive Health

    This module is designed to enable health care practitioners to gain the knowledge and skills required to be able to practise in a contraception and sexual health capacity appropriate to their role. There will be some taught components but the module will be primarily work based learning.

  • SHGM16 Professional Practice in Sexual and Reproductive Health

    This module is designed to enable health care practitioners to gain the knowledge and skills required to be able to practise in a contraception and sexual health capacity appropriate to their role. There will be some taught components but the module will be primarily work based learning.

  • SHGM90M Starting Your Professional Development

    The aim of this module is to equip students with the necessary skills for work based learning, including self assessment, construction of a learning contract and compilation of a portfolio of evidence. This is the first module for students wishing to pursue the Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc Enhanced Professional Midwifery Practice . It will introduce students to the principles of work-based learning and the skills required to facilitate personal and professional development for themselves and for their colleagues.

  • SHGM91M Professional Midwifery Practice Portfolio

    The aim of this module is for the student to demonstrate the personal and professional development that has occurred for them since commencing the programme. This is the equivalent of the dissertation module, requiring submission of a portfolio dissertation demonstrating personal and professional learning and development that has occurred since commencing the programme. The portfolio dissertation will amalgamate and consolidate all previous modules to demonstrate how learning from those modules has influenced practice and facilitated personal and professional development.

  • SHGM92M Policy Influences on Your Practice

    The aim of this module is to enable students to critically evaluate their practice in relation to current policy drivers at global, national and local levels.

  • SHGM93M Assessing Your Current Practice

    The aim of this module is to enable the student to assess and evaluate a chosen area of their practice. Students will gain skills in evidence based practice and service evaluation.

  • SHGM94M How the Evidence Base Can Help You Change Your Practice

    The aim of this module is to enable students to review the evidence base for their practice and to examine the applicability of the evidence. There is an emphasis on the importance of understanding research for developing practice.

  • SHGM95M How Can I Make a Change in Practice?

    The aim of this module is to enable students to review the approaches to management and leadership in order to consider how they could utilise different approaches to make changes in practice.

  • SHGM96M Advancing Your Own Practice

    The aim of this module is to encourage students to think about extending the scope of their own practice. It would be most suitable for those working as specialist or advanced practitioners in their field, or those wishing to move into such a role.

  • SHGM97M Teaching and Learning in Practice

    The aim of this module is to enable practitioners to develop their teaching and facilitation skills in practice using a work based approach to learning.

  • SHM121 Introduction to the Profession of Midwifery

    This module will introduce the student to the role of the midwife and the maternity services, and will give an introductory overview of childbirth and midwifery skills in preparation for practice.

  • SHM123 Midwifery and Public Health

    This module will introduce the student to the role of the midwife in health promotion and antenatal education. The skill of critiquing research papers will also be introduced as well as the consideration of ethical issues in relation to public health.

  • SHM124 Study Skills for Midwifery

    This module will introduce the student to the skills of reflection and the conventions of essay writing at undergraduate level.

  • SHM124W Sgiliau Astudio ar Gyfer Bydwreigiaeth

    Bydd y modiwl hwn yn cyflwyno¿r fyfyrwraig/myfyr¿r i sgiliau adlewyrchu a chonfensiynau o ysgrifennu traethodau ar lefel israddedig.

  • SHM242 Psychosocial and Cultural Context of Childbearing

    This module introduces the student to key sociological and psychological concepts and theories, allowing them to understand the context of midwifery care and the dimensions of the social world locally, nationally and globally, enabling them to adapt to the changing dynamics and demands of responsive reproductive health care. Students will address issues which challenge women within the social context, and will develop the knowledge and skills required to promote a holistic approach to individualized care within the maternity setting.

  • SHM244 Complex and Urgent Maternity Care

    This will enable students to develop their competence in dealing with complex and emergency situations in maternity care. Student midwives are supported to build on the knowledge gained in their training to date, in order to develop their clinical and theoretical knowledge and skills further. Understanding risk and focusing on holistic practice will further enhance their decision making and assessment skills.

  • SHM246 Introduction to the Profession of Midwifery

    This module will introduce the student to the role of the midwife and the maternity services, and will give an introductory overview of childbirth and midwifery skills in preparation for practice.

  • SHM326 Using research to inform my practice

    This module supports student midwives to build on the knowledge gained in their education to date, and explore research knowledge to develop skills in critical appraisal and be able to determine good quality evidence on which to base their practice. In order to provide the broad knowledge base required for practice this module also includes further bioscience and psycho social knowledge.

  • SHM327 Preparing for Professional Practice

    This module will enable the student to explore and analyse healthcare policy making, how policy is implemented in practice and how the implementation may be managed in the clinical setting. The student will also consider essential aspects of management such as leadership, motivation and the management of change. The student will become familiar with the legal and ethical aspects of midwifery practice, reviewing Montgomery and applying legal and ethical principles to current practice issues.

  • SHM328 Becoming a Midwife - the Final Push

    The module aims to enhance and build on the student¿s ability to critically evaluate their personal development in order to prepare them for practice as qualified midwives.

  • SHM329 Consolidating My Midwifery Practice

    This module will continue to develop the student¿s practical skills in midwifery and will take place on placement with mentors in midwifery and other health care settings.

  • SHM335 Using Research to Inform my Practice

    This module supports student midwives to build on the knowledge gained in their education to date, and explore research knowledge to develop skills in critical appraisal and be able to determine good quality evidence on which to base their practice. In order to provide the broad knowledge base required for practice this module also includes further bioscience and psycho social knowledge.

  • SHMM00 Developing Expertise in the Supervision of Midwives

    The aim of the module is to develop the expertise of the student to be able to meet the required standard of competence and knowledge to practice effectively as a Supervisor of midwives.

  • SHMM01 Leadership and Professional Studies in Midwifery

    This module will develop knowledge and skills in leadership for midwifery, and to explore the professional issues inherent in contemporary midwifery practice, which influence the individual midwife and impact on the provision of maternity care in today¿s NHS.

  • SHMM02 Developing Expertise in the Supervision of Midwives (CPD)

    The aim of the module is to develop the expertise of the supervisors of midwives to be able to meet the required standard of competence and knowledge to practise effectively in their role.

Supervision

  • Influencing the Future: How effective is co-production as a consultation methodology in engaging NHS stakeholders in its transforming clinical services strategy«br /» «br /» (current)

    Student name:
    PhD
    Other supervisor: Prof John Gammon

  • The Experience, Outcomes and Impact of Hypnobirthing. A Mixed Methods Study in South Wales. (current)

    Student name:
    PhD
    Other supervisor: Dr Alyson Einion

Calling from outside the UK?

+44 1792 205678 ext 8563

Midwives @ Ethiopia

Sarah is an on-going trustee of Midwives @ Ethiopia, which is a charity working in partnership with Midwifery education and Midwifery Services in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region of Ethiopia. It delivers bi-annually educational programmes to Midwifery teachers in the region and surrounding areas. 

Follow the link to find out more; http://www.midwives-ethiopia.org.uk/