Essentials of Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring

Rachel Nye, MS, BSN, RNC-OB, CNE, EFM-C, is a tenured associate professor of nursing at Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette, MI. She received her BSN at Northern Michigan University and her Master of Science Degree in Nursing Education from the University of Wyoming. She has 17 years of inpatient obstetric experience and 11 years of experience as faculty in obstetric and maternal/fetal nursing. She resides in Marquette MI and is currently pursuing her DNP at Northern Michigan University. She maintains a national certification in Inpatient Obstetrics and as a Certified Nurse Educator as well as a Certified Fetal Heart Monitoring Instructor.

PART I: The Essential Fetal Heart Monitoring Concepts



Introduction to Fetal Monitoring Concepts
External vs. Internal Monitor: Reasons for using one or the other and feasibility
Uterine Activity Monitoring (4 strip examples)
Alterations in fetal heart rate findings (7 strip examples)
Implications for Antenatal Testing (2 strip examples)
Introduction to NICHD Categories
Intrauterine Resuscitation Techniques (1 strip example)

PART II: Application-Based Case Studies in Fetal Heart Monitoring



Patient Case Example #1
Patient Case Example #2, Patient Case Example #3
Patient #3: An unfolding case study will allow the student to identify variouscharacteristics of the EFM strip and which nursing interventions would be appropriate.
Patient #4: A patient arrives to the L & D unit with decreased fetal movement after a motor vehicle accident.
Patient #5: A patient who is postdates arrives for a NST.
Patient #6: A patient reports to the L & D unit reports not feeling well.
Patient #7: Patient arrives with cramping, abdominal pain and nausea.
Patient #8: Patient arrives to L & D.
Patient #9: Patient with history of poly substance abuse and diagnosed placenta previa is brought to the unit by her friends

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