Low Risk Maternal Care
This offering is for nurses new to obstetrics.  The program begins with a review of reproductive pathophysiology and proceeds to methods of inducing or augmenting labor, comfort measures for labor, the nurses role in Cesarean sections, VBAC’s, the use of IUPC’s and ends with discussion of legal issues, standards of care, and case studies.  (No Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Caring for the Antepartal Patient
Upon completion of this offering, participants will be able to define methods of antepartum testing, identify multidisciplinary components of the nursing care plan for the long-term antepartal patient, describe the physical and psychosocial effects of bed rest and list nursing interventions related to antepartum care.  Fetal Monitoring 1 or a basic knowledge of fetal monitoring is recommended.  Hi Risk Maternal Care serves as a companion module for this offering.  (8.4 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Care of the Breastfeeding Family:
Nursing Practice that Promotes and Protects Human Lactation
This offering includes information on the advantages of breastfeeding, the uniqueness of human milk, anatomy and physiology of the human breast and hormones involved in lactation.  Participants will also learn the barriers to breastfeeding, common myths and counseling techniques.  Latch-on and positioning is described and demonstrated and information about support during the early days is included.  Management of common breastfeeding difficulties and nursing beyond the first month is discussed.  (7.8 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Family Issues
This offering covers post partum Assessment of the mother for vaginal and C/S birth, priorities in post partum discharge teaching, assessment and intervention for maternal post partum mood disorders, assessment, education, and referral for domestic violence, and counseling and caring for families with a perinatal loss  (7.8 Contact Hours)  Calendar of Offerings

High Risk Maternal Care
This offering covers four frequently encountered complication of pregnancy: Diabetes, Preterm Labor, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension /HELLP/DIC, and Obstetric Hemorrhage. Content is based on review of the current literature and includes diagnoses, medical management, and nursing implications throughout the pregnancy continuum. (7.8 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Perioperative Nursing in OB
This offering is designed to familiarize novice nurses with Perioperative Guidelines as promulgated by AWHONN and to give direction in applying these guidelines in their own practice in order to provide “same standards of care” in the Perinatal Perioperative setting. The offering will familiarize nurses with the assessment, interventions and evaluations of the Perinatal Perioperative patient, the effects of anesthesia/analgesia on both the mom and the newborn, towards improving the quality of care to every obstetric patient. (6.6 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Newborn Adaptation
This offering examines the transition of newborns to extrauterine life. The participant will be able to identify assessments and interventions that support the newborn’s physical, neurosensory and emotional adjustment to the birth process and list ways to promote the health of newborns and their families. The special needs of the “near-term” infant are also presented. (7.4 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
NRP is the AAP/AHA program that provides evidence-based guidelines for the resuscitation of the neonate at deliver. The offering consists of a self-study manual that must be completed before class and a one-day class that includes didactic review, written tests and skills check-off. Successful offering completion provides a card that must be renewed every two years. (No Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

RNC Certification Review Offerings
These offerings are comprehensive reviews of obstetrical nursing from antepartum through delivery, postpartum and care of the newborn. The reviews can be used to prepare for the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification Exam and the Maternal Newborn Certification Exam offered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC) and as a professional development course to expand knowledge and skills regarding current obstetrical nursing practice. Independent study will be encouraged to optimize the lecture portion of the course. (No Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Suggested order and experience level for Fetal Monitoring Courses:
First:  FM 1 – for beginning nurses with minimal fetal monitoring experience
Second:  FM 2 – for nurses with more than 6 months of fetal monitoring experience.
Third:  AWHONN IFMC – for nurses with close to one year of clinical nursing experience using fetal heart monitoring technology in an intrapartum setting.  Nurses with other clinical experiences such as antepartum, postpartum, nursery or with limited intrapartum care may need additional didactic and/or clinical experience before class to gain the required knowledge base.  Nurses are expected to assess their own eligibility to participate.  No screening is required.  A nurse who is uncertain should discuss their concerns with the course administrator.
Fourth:  AWHONN AFMC – for nurses with more than one year fetal monitoring experience.
Fifth:  AWHONN Instructor Courses (AWHONN IC & AIC) – nurses who wish to become an instructor for either the IFMC or the AFMC should have at least 2 years fetal monitoring experience, must be AWHONN members and have passed the IFMC.

Fetal Monitoring 1 (FM 1)
Fetal Monitoring 1 is a basic fetal monitoring class designed for the nurse who is new to obstetrics. This offering uses case studies and strip review to cover the basic concepts of Fetal Monitoring to include different methods of monitoring, FHR baseline, variability, physiology of FHR patterns and associated interventions. ( 6.5 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

Fetal Monitoring 2 (FM 2)
This offering is an extension of FM 1 and includes acid-base balance, fetal dysrthymias, legal implications, and concludes with case examples and discussion. It is a natural progression from FM 1 and is best suited to audiences whose clinical nursing experience exceeds 6 months with least 6 months experience using the electronic fetal monitor. (8.7 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

AWHONN Intermediate Fetal Monitoring Course – 2 Day Workshop (AWHONN IFMC)
This two-day workshop is offered in a standardized format that can be used as a competency assessment to validate the knowledge and skills of experienced nurses. Participants analyze case scenarios using key physiologic principles covered in the course manual which must be read before class. The sessions offer demonstration, practice, and testing of the following skills: auscultation, Leopold’s Maneuvers, placement of an intrauterine pressure catheter and spiral electrode, tracing interpretation, identification of indicated nursing interventions and communication and documentation. (18.3 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

AWHONN Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring - Instructor Course (AWHONN IC)
Successful participants of the IFMC or FHMPP workshop before 2007 who are AWHONN members should consider attending the Instructor Enhancement Course (IEC) which trains qualified nurses to teach the IFMC. The IEC is a one-day offering that focuses on the principles of adult learning and the application of these principles to the IFMC. (8.7 Contact Hours) Calendar of Offerings

AWHONN’s new Advanced Fetal Monitoring Course (AWHONN AFMC)
This 1 day course is designed for the very experienced clinician and focuses on the application of advanced concepts and knowledge of fetal monitoring as they apply to complex maternal-fetal case scenarios. The course uses lecture, analysis of case studies, and discussion to analyze fetal heart monitoring (FHM) patterns, characteristics, and related information that requires synthesis of key principles pertinent to the physiologic basis of FHM technology, tracing interpretation, intervention, and verbal/written communication skills. Content includes fetal heart rate (FHR) assessment as a component of individualized, comprehensive care and focuses on antepartum and intrapartum FHM. While the course builds on knowledge gained from the IFMC, prior completion of that course is not a requirement for AFMC attendance. However, AWHONN strongly recommends completion of a basic fetal monitoring course prior to attendance. They also recommend a review of the Fetal Heart Monitoring Principles and Practices Manual and the AFMC study guide before attending this course. (11.9 contact hours) Calendar of Offerings

AWHONN’s new Advanced Fetal Monitoring Instructor Course (AWHONN AFMC-IC)
This 1 day course is planned for summer 2008. Course description not available at this time. Calendar of Offerings