Electric fetal monitoring...and how to master the art

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Anyone have advice/techniques:typing to find and KEEP a HR on EFM? Sometimes I will find baby and take a step away and the HR will be lost! I have tried a washcloth to hold a HR, but that's the only trick I know!

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Specializes in NA, Stepdown, L&D, Trauma ICU, ER.

if i'm having trouble, i'll get mom to roll onto her back, take both belts off, slide an extra one under mom and use lots of gel on the belly. i'll move the u/s around until i get the good strong sound, then strap on. i've been known to use washcloths, rolls of tape, sometimes even 2 extra belts on the u/s to hold it at the right angle on a fluffy mom with an early baby... it really does just take lots of practice. if i've been at it for a long time and had no luck, i'll ask someone else to try. every once in a while, it just takes a fresh pair of hands

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

There have been times I've just had to sit there for half an hour or so to run my NST holding the darn thing in place. That's far from ideal, though...and pretty much impossible if you're doing continuous EFM during labor.

I've done all the above too - extra belts, tape, etc. I don't like trying to get babies before about 30 weeks because they still have so much room to run away from me.

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If I am stuck in the room too long usually one of my co-workers is sweet enough to come find the baby for me. It's just a pain sometimes. How does the wash cloth trick work?

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RNBelle,

I place a washcloth over the u/s and then the belt over the washcloth.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.
if i'm having trouble, i'll get mom to roll onto her back, take both belts off, slide an extra one under mom and use lots of gel on the belly. i'll move the u/s around until i get the good strong sound, then strap on. i've been known to use washcloths, rolls of tape, sometimes even 2 extra belts on the u/s to hold it at the right angle on a fluffy mom with an early baby... it really does just take lots of practice. if i've been at it for a long time and had no luck, i'll ask someone else to try. every once in a while, it just takes a fresh pair of hands

What great advice! When you use multiple belts is it more to hold the US at the perfect angle?

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