title: Limited obstetric ultrasound examinations: competency and cost.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine both the actual dollar cost and the amount of time required per nurse to establish competency in limited obstetric ultrasonography (LOBU).
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary care setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Registered nurses who were taught in LOBU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and School of Nursing, Philadelphia 19104-6096, USA. stringer@nursing.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stringer
authors.forename: Susan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Miesnik
authors.forename: Linda P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menei
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Macones
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000191:economics* / Q000451:nursing*; D014481:United States