Limited Obstetric Ultrasound Examinations: Competency and Cost

To determine both the actual dollar cost and the amount of time required per nurse to establish competency in limited obstetric ultrasonography (LOBU). Descriptive. A tertiary care setting. Registered nurses who were taught in LOBU. Nurses who attained competency in LOBU completed 12 hours of didactic education and a clinical practicum consisting of 6 to 9 hours and approximating 15 ultrasound scans. For five nurses to concurrently attain competency in LOBU, the cost per nurse was $1,037.55 (includes salaries and employee benefits). Registered nurses are able to acquire competency in LOBU at a reasonable cost, thus enhancing the ability of the professional nurse to deliver a fuller scope of services in an obstetric setting. For institutions that have limited access to individuals with this skill, nurses trained in LOBU may present a high‐quality, cost‐efficient solution to providing needed obstetric services.