Fetal monitoring competencies

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Specializes in L&D,- Mother/Baby.

Does your unit require you to take the AWHONN Intermediate Fetal Monitoring course every 2 years in order to be deemed 'competent' in fetal monitoring? If you have taken the Intermediate course in the past 2 years, are you able to take the online competency assessment test offered on the AWHONN site in place of the Intermediate course? What other competencies are you required to validate, how often (every 1 or 2 years) and how do you do it?

Sherry

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Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.

I require the intermediate course initially and then I had everyone do the AWHONN advanced course for 2 years straight (it is a tough course, lots of information). Starting this year I am having them do the the online competency. I also created a NICHD competency and I do quarterly strip reviews. I think after this year I will do a yearly SLP and focus on specific issues in EFM. Don't know yet. Hope this helps.

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Specializes in L&D,- Mother/Baby.

Thanks, it does help. What city/ state are you in? And what is SLP?

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Specializes in OB.

My facility requires NCC EFM certification for all RNs, CNMs, and physicians as of 12/31/11.

All new RNs will have one year to pass the NCC exam.

After the NCC certification, they will be required to maintain competency with NCC requirements of 15 contact hours per 3 year period.

Annual EFM competency will be assessed by chart audits - 3 charts per year per nurse.

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

AWHONN Basic for new hires without Labor exp. within orientation period (90 day).

AWHONN Intermediate during 1st year.

AWHONN Advanced thereafter, biannually.

NRP, biannually.

STABLE.

PALS for charge RNs (We are Women & Children's)

ACLS, all biannually.

Lactation CEUs, Trauma CEUs, annually...may take in house or pearls review/web based.

We also do strip of the quarter, OB Emergent drills (shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, abruption, precip delivery...etc).

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Our facility is requiring NCC EFM certification as of 12/31/10. All new nurses have 1 year to pass. All providers and nurses needed to get certified. I'm not a new nurse so I just went and took the test and passed...some people took review classes and studied the bood dilligently, but most passed with no problem. Unless you are a really new nurse you probably already know the material and shouldn't have much trouble passing the exam. :)

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