Taping EFM strips together?????????

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We are 50/50 in our department with the "taping" of the EFM strips after you have torn them off in order to chart.

I hear that there are legal reasons to do it as well as the OCD nurses that just need them to be "complete".

Does anyone have any REAL documentation or articles regarding this topic??

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Specializes in Nurse Manager, Labor and Delivery.

We have the same battle. Here's the thing. If you have electronic archiving of your strips via a computerized system...THAT should be your legal record, not the paper. Why would you save a paper strip when you already have a complete record in the computer? Of course you would have to do enough QC to make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to, but saving sometimes weeks and weeks of strips for an antepartum patient is just kinda dumb.

Our CNS has asked us to "TAPE" strips because when she does chart review it is easier for her to follow. I was always taught to number my strips, no matter how many, so why wouldn't that suffice? I don't know that there is an easy answer.

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Specializes in OB.

Since each individual sheet of the EFM paper is consecutively numbered, ensuring easy recognition of any missing sections, taping or not taping should be merely a matter of preference or convenience.

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

we number them. But our offical record of the strip is in the computer.

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Specializes in labor & delivery.

We do not keep strips at all. Everything is saved on the computer.

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