Do I still need the AWHONN course if I already have my C-EFM?

[perfexion, ASN, RN]

I've been doing high risk antepartum for 4 years so I'm familiar with fetal heart monitoring. I just started L&D about 8 months ago. My nurse manager said that after 6 months I need to demonstrate some sort of competency in FHM so she suggested I register for the AWHONN Intermediate FHM course. When I went to register for the course, the woman said that the course prepares you for the NCC exam. I felt that I didn't need to pay $300 for a course to prepare for the exam, so I just went and registered for the C-EFM and I passed! One of my coworkers just told me that they are different and I need both. Doesn't the C-EFM trump the AWHONN course? Do I really need both?

[nocturnalnurse]

C-EFM should prove suficient competency in fetal monitoring. Congrats on passing, by the way! I would think the course, therefore, would be irrelevant. My institution requires the certification and doesn't really care if you take any prep courses or not as long as you pass the C-EFM. The ultimate answer depends on if your employer has a specific policy stating the exact requirement or did the manager just say you had to somehow provide "proof".

[Two4theroad]

I agree, the individual hospital probably sets their policy and some just want the AWHONN class. You don't have to take the certification for some systems, just have either Intermediate or Advanced AWHONN.

I found out that to work in most Antepartum units in Arizona, you need Advanced. I'll probably do the certification eventually, but currently the only requirements I've been given in varying locations ( I'm a travel nurse) is AWHONN. I think it's just the standard.