EFM certification?

[Selke]

I'm trying to figure out if I should get EFM certification and would like to hear feedback from those of you who either have this or are familiar with it. This is the perinatal subspecialty EFM certification that I think AWHONN or ANCC has to demonstrate competency in EFM interpretation, and it's relatively new -- I just heard of it, and some hospitals now require it. Are any of you EFM certified? What advantage, if any, do you think it gives you? Do you feel you understand more about EFM than before? Which organizations offer it? Which one do you recommend? How did you study for it -- was there a workshop? Book? Thanks.

[babyktchr, BSN, RN]

I have been EFM certified for years now, and yes, I think that I have benefitted from it...only because of the continuinng education that comes with it. The key to anything monitoring wise is education and lots of it. You have to stay on top at all times and going to conferences and classes will help you gain knowledge/understanding and the critical thinking skills needed. To be certified looks great for competency purposes....and doesn't hurt you in any way.

Professional Education Center has a certification course (although Michelle Murray is not teaching it). NCC has an exam for EFM that is gets you a certificate of added qualification. My plan is to take this one sometime this spring (I hear it is a killer) AWHONN has its Fetal Heart Monitoring Principals and Practices course, but that isn't a certification course. Personally I don't know if there are any others out there or not....only what is above.

Good luck to you