L&D skills checklist - what is 'phono'?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I'm filling out a skills checklist for a position I'm applying for. Under "external monitoring" it lists toco, ultrasound and phono. What is phono? Is that the same as a hand-held doppler?

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

never heard of it! Phono makes me think of Phonograph and that makes me think of a Pinnard, but I don't know of any hospital that still uses those...doppler? Why not just say it then? Curious what that Phono is.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Never heard that term in 13 years' L/D experience. When was the checklist written and by whom, I wonder?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Huh. I guess I'll leave that column blank!

They also asked about fetoscopes. Really?? I know we had one on our unit once upon a time, and we would play with it on each other when we were pregnant. But seriously, are you really expecting an L&D nurse, in 2010, to be highly skilled in the use of a fetoscope?

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Wonder if they are talking about auditory stimulation? Just a wild guess, as I have never heard that term either.

ETA - I looked it up and found it on checklists of several facilities that have posted their forms online. Most of them had it grouped in listed as 'phono/abdominal ECG transducer'.

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Specializes in L&D.

I'm not sure, but I seem to remember when fetal monitors were first being used that Phono picked up FHR by microphone rather than by ultra sound. I haven't seen it in 20 or 30 years at least.

As far as using a fetoscope--every unit should have one and every nurse should learn to use it. There are some fetal arrhythmias that can only be picked up by fetoscope. The U/S is confused by some of them and not only give you the wrong count (doubling or halving the rate) but may even give the wrong audible rate. If you suspect an arrhythmia, you should listen with a fetoscope. This is covered in more detail in the AWHONN Intermediate Fetal Monitoring Class.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I've taken the advanced, and fetoscope was never mentioned. Wouldn't the use of a FSE be more reliable than a fetoscope?

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Specializes in L&D.

In the Intermediate class, auscultation methods are discussed and practiced. That is where you're most likely to hear about when a fetoscope is most useful.

A FSE is reliable, but is not always an option when a fetal arrhythmia is first discovered, investigated, and treated.

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