MPE Clinical Partners & Clinical Assessors

Clinical Partners & Clinical Assessors

Guide to supervising and assessing students.

This page supports Clinical Partners and Clinical Assessors who supervise and assess midwifery students during midwifery practice experience (MPE). It explains your role, how to provide effective supervision and feedback, how to use assessment tools such as AMSAT, and what to do if you have concerns about a student’s learning or safety.

Quick actions (start here)

Use this section at the beginning of each placement or shift to support your midwifery students to practice safely and effectively.

  • Check the student is wearing their JCU clinical identification badge.
  • Confirm their year level badge is visible, where required.
  • If unsure, ask the student to show official photo ID and introduce themselves as a JCU midwifery student.

Further information can be found in  Policies & Safety → Professional and legal requirements

Introduce the student to key aspects of the clinical environment, including:

  • Emergency procedures
  • Documentation systems
  • Workplace policies and procedures
  • Key staff and local supervision arrangements.
  • Confirm who will supervise the student on each shift (clinical partner and/or clinical assessor).
  • Clarify how and when feedback will be provided (e.g. at mid-shift and end-of-shift).
  • Ensure the student understands how to approach you with questions or concerns.

You will find further information regarding clinical assessor allocation for students using the ePAD in MyProgress → Allocating clinical assessor and recording feedback.

  • Check that you and the student share a clear understanding of what clinical activities are appropriate for their level.
  • Consider the student’s year level, demonstrated competence and local policies.

Further information can be found in  Courses & Requirements → Scope of practice by year and Policies & Safety → Scope and delegation.

  • Highlight appropriate learning experiences during the shift to support skill development (e.g. assessments, procedures, communication opportunities).
  • Match complexity to the student’s stage of learning.
  • Make sure the student knows how to raise concerns about clinical issues or learning needs.
  • Clarify who they should speak to in the first instance (e.g. you, nurse/midwife in charge, Clinical Assessor).
  • Explain how safety concerns are escalated within the facility and how to contact JCU if needed.

What is your role as a Supervisor?

At James Cook University, we use the terms Clinical Partner (CP) and/or Clinical Assessor (CA) to describe midwives* who work directly with students during MPE. In other settings these functions may be called mentor, preceptor or clinical supervisor.

Clinical Partners and Clinical Assessors:

  • work alongside students in clinical environments
  • support learning and professional development
  • provide feedback and evaluation
  • contribute to decisions about progression and support needs.

* in specific situations this role is a registered nurse (RN) or other suitably qualified health professional

Your responsibilities include:

  • Supporting learning – working closely with the student, providing clinical teaching, role modelling and opportunities for skill development.
  • Providing guidance and supervision – ensuring safe, appropriate participation in midwifery care.
  • Giving constructive feedback – helping the student understand what they are doing well and where further development is needed.
  • Contributing to assessment – observing performance, using tools such as AMSAT and MCAT, and documenting outcomes.
  • Modelling professional behaviour – demonstrating communication, teamwork and ethical practice consistent with safe midwifery care.

In fulfilling this role, you support students to achieve their learning outcomes and develop confidence and proficiency in practice.

Further guidance on supporting students can be found in the Student Progress

Clinical supervision

In line with the NMBA (2018) Midwife standards for practice (standards 3.4 and 6.4), all midwives have a professional responsibility to facilitate student learning.

Midwifery students must be supervised by:

  • a midwife, or
  • where appropriate, another registered health professional in line with local policy and the activity being undertaken.

Supervision must be appropriate to:

  • the clinical activity
  • the student’s level of experience and competence
  • the complexity and risk of the clinical situation.

Midwifery students must not practise independently under any circumstances. The delegating midwife remains accountable for clinical decisions, care provided and outcomes of care.

Your facility will have local and/or statewide supervisory courses, policies, procedures. It is recommended that you review these resources to support your ability to provide high-quality clinical supervision for your students.

  • Undergraduate midwifery students must be directly supervised for all components of MPE and continuity of care experiences.
  • Postgraduate midwifery students, while registered health practitioners, must undertake MPE and continuity of care experiences under the supervision of a registered midwife; the level of supervision is determined by the activity, student capability and clinical context.

See: Policies & Safety → Supervision and delegation.

Student scope of practice

Midwifery students practise within a supervised scope of practice determined by:

  • their stage of learning
  • demonstrated competence
  • the requirements of the NMBA-approved and ANMAC-accredited program of study
  • local health service policies and risk considerations

A student’s scope of practice may:

  • expand as they demonstrate competence and confidence
  • vary across different clinical settings
  • be restricted if there are concerns about safety or capability

If you are unsure about a student’s scope of practice:

  • discuss the situation with the student and senior midwifery staff
  • contact the Subject Coordinator via mpe@jcu.edu.au, if needed.

See also: Courses & Requirements → Scope of practice by year.

Student readiness and compliance

Before attending placement, students must:

  • complete required theoretical learning
  • attend at least 80% of clinical skills laboratories
  • be assessed as safe and competent in simulated environments
  • meet all pre-placement requirements (e.g. vaccinations, checks, mandatory training).

Mandatory notification of a student applies only when there is a reasonable belief that a student has an impairment that may place the public at substantial risk of harm. Impairment may include physical, mental health or substance-related conditions that significantly affect safe practice.

Poor performance, isolated mistakes or general misconduct do not in themselves constitute grounds for mandatory notification unless directly linked to impairment.

James Cook University is required to notify AHPRA where legal thresholds are met. Individuals making notifications in good faith are protected under law.

See: Policies & Safety → Mandatory notification of students (AHPRA).

Early recognition and management of learning needs are essential for student success and patient safety. Prompt intervention at the local level can prevent escalation and support positive outcomes. All actions must comply with local facility policies, particularly in cases involving safety or professional misconduct. Subject Coordinators must be informed of any concerns immediately. All midwifery subject coordinators can be contacted by email at  mpe@jcu.edu.au.

Identifying and responding to learning and safety concerns

Learning needs

If you identify learning needs during placement:

Please discuss your concerns with the student first.

  • follow local facility escalation procedures
  • prioritise patient safety
  • notify the Subject Coordinator promptly via mpe@jcu.edu.au.

If the concern relates primarily to performance or learning, manage it through supervision, feedback and assessment processes, including CLP and AMSAT.

You may review the Guide to Clinical Learning Plan (CLP)

For support please contact the Subject Coordinator via mpe@jcu.edu.au.

Please refer to the section on Student Progress → CLP

Safety or professional conduct concerns

If there is a safety or professional conduct concern:

  • follow local facility escalation procedures immediately
  • ensure women, babies, families and staff are safe
  • notify the Subject Coordinator without delay via mpe@jcu.edu.au.

If required:

  • complete an incident report according to local policy and/or JCU policy (Riskware)
  • consider whether the situation meets thresholds for mandatory notification.

Further resources can be found at Policies & Safety → Safety, conduct and reporting.

Using the AMSAT

The Australian midwifery standards assessment tool (AMSAT) evaluates midwifery practice against the expected standard for the student’s level of education.

  • First-year students are assessed against first-year expectations.
  • Fourth-year students are assessed against knowledge, skills and behaviours commensurate with fourth-year practice.

Assessment involves making a professional judgement about a student’s performance against:

  • established learning objectives, and
  • the NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018).

Assessment of student performance:

  • occurs during Midwifery Practice Experience (MPE),
  • involves collaboration between the student, the clinical assessor and the university.

Detailed information and resources can be found at Assessment & learning tools → AMSAT.

Who can complete AMSAT?

Further clarification on who is required to complete an AMSAT and other assessment requirements, is available under Assessment & learning tools → Who can assess what.

James Cook University is committed to supporting Clinical Partners and Clinical Assessors in their supervision and assessment roles.

If you require guidance or support:

  • contact the JCU Midwifery Academic team via mpe@jcu.edu.au or the online contact form.
  • for urgent clinical or safety concerns regarding a student, follow local organisational policies and escalation pathways first.

Where matters are confidential or sensitive, you may also contact:

  • Course Coordinator – details on Contact page
  • Deputy Course Coordinator & MPE Clinical Lead – details on Contact page.

James Cook University is committed to ensuring that all midwifery practice experience (MPE) is conducted in accordance with relevant professional, regulatory and organisational policies and procedures.

Students undertaking MPE, and the clinical partners and/or clinical assessors supporting them, are expected to practice and supervise within these frameworks to ensure safe, ethical and high-quality midwifery care, uphold public safety, and support effective practice-based learning within authentic clinical environments.

In the Policies & Safety section you will find links to the main sites utilised by JCU Midwifery Students.