Surveillance methodTick the risk factors on the left
The chain you are actually monitoring. Fetal oxygenation depends on maternal blood oxygen, maternal cardiac output, uterine artery flow, the intervillous space, the placenta itself, the umbilical cord and the fetal circulation. Every intrapartum intervention you will ever make targets one of those links — which is why repositioning, stopping the oxytocin and giving fluid are the first three moves, and why oxygen by mask is not.
The line between reporting and interpreting. “Report to me any deceleration alarm immediately” is a legitimate instruction to assistive personnel — it asks for an observation to be passed on. “Watch the strip for me” is not — it asks for a judgement to be made. Assessment, teaching, evaluation and the unstable patient stay with the registered nurse.