Implementation of the Fetal Monitor Safety Nurse Role Lessons Learned

摘要

Background: The fetal monitor safety nurse role was created as a supplemental support for nurses assessing fetal heart rate tracings in response to an adverse event. An experienced labor and delivery nurse without a patient care assignment was designated to continuously assess all active fetal monitoring tracings, via an electronic display away from the main nurses' station, as an adjunct to the care and assessment of the nurse with primary responsibility for the patient. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the views of nurses who served as fetal monitor safety nurses about various aspects of the role. Methods: Nurses who served as fetal monitor safety nurses were invited to attend a small group session where they completed a survey about the role and then received information on the importance of fetal monitoring safety. Two weeks later, they were asked to take the survey again to evaluate potential changes in viewpoints. Results: Thirty nurses attended small group sessions and completed the survey. Of those, 22 nurses completed the post survey 2 weeks later. There was minimal change in nurses' views of the fetal monitor safety nurse role after attending the small group sessions. Nurses expressed comfort in notifying peers about concerns related to the fetal heart rate tracing and perceived overall safety benefits; however, they felt that safe staffing measures were not in place to support the role. Concerns were expressed about a nurse being in a nondirect patient care position during times of high census and acuity.