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Discussion

NST for RNs only?

I am a tech on a postpartum floor. We usually have a few antepartum patients that need NST's q shift. Majority of our nurses are not certified to do this so we end up calling an L&D nurse to do it.

Are RN's the only people (besides the obvious MD's) allowed to be certified to do NSTs? Or can I attend classes to be certified to do this? That way if I am working and they need someone to do it, I'm already there. I'm truly unsure about this so it might be a stupid, obvious question. Thanks to anyone who can help! I would just like to be able to help out a bit more. :)

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We don't have PP techs where I work. We have CNA's. So i'm unsure of the difference in a tech and cna however, I would think that only RN's would be able to perform an NST. This is an initial assessment and only RN's are qualified to perform initial assessments. I'm sure it would be helpful if you took a fetal monitor class to be familiar with strips. There is alot of pathophysiology involved in strip interpretation. I do know that to be EFM certified you have to be an RN and meet the same quailifications to take the inpatient OB certification. Maybe someone else can give you better information regarding this.

  • Author
We don't have PP techs where I work. We have CNA's. So i'm unsure of the difference in a tech and cna however, I would think that only RN's would be able to perform an NST. This is an initial assessment and only RN's are qualified to perform initial assessments. I'm sure it would be helpful if you took a fetal monitor class to be familiar with strips. There is alot of pathophysiology involved in strip interpretation. I do know that to be EFM certified you have to be an RN and meet the same quailifications to take the inpatient OB certification. Maybe someone else can give you better information regarding this.

I am a CNA but instead of being called that, we are called techs. I kind of thought the same thing about the nurse only doing it but just wanted to check. Thanks so much :)

You would need to know nurse practice acts/scope of practice in your state. Some units have LPNs but in none I worked were they allowed to interpret FHM strips or be sole care providers of labor patients, without RN oversight. NO where I know of will allow a tech to even place a patient on a monitor, let alone interpret strips.

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It is the same way where I am. Our techs are not allowed to mess w/ NST monitors or document or anything. The one LPN we have is allowed to run NSTs but an RN has to sign off on her assessment. She has been at the hospital longer than I have been alive, but that's the Nurse Practice Act in our state.

  • Author

Ok thanks :)

FYI:

The AWHONN statement says that their position is that only RN's, APRN's, and physicians perform electronic fetal monitoring.

So as a PCT you would not be allowed to take the AWHONN class for basic EFM

Seems like it would be easier if your boss had a few nurses from post partum take the AWHONN Basic EFM course.

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