Objective Recognized variability in fetal heart rate interpretation led the Perinatal Quality Foundation (PQF) to develop a credentialing exam. We report an evaluation of the 1st 4000 plus PQF Fetal Monitoring Credentialing (FMC) exams. Study Design The PQF FMC exam is an online assessment for obstetric providers and nurses. The exam contains two question types: traditional multiple-choice evaluating knowledge and Script Concordance Theory (SCT) evaluating judgment. Reliability was measured through McDonald's Total Omega and Cronbach's Alpha. Pearson's correlations between knowledge and judgment were measured. Results From February 2014 through September 2018, 4,330 different individuals took the exam. A total of 4,057 records were suitable for reliability analysis: 2,105 (52%) physicians, 1,756 (43%) nurses, and 196 (5%) certified nurse midwives (CNMs). As a measure of test reliability, total Omega was 0.80 for obstetric providers and 0.77 for nurses. There was only moderate correlation between the knowledge scores and judgment scores for obstetric providers (0.38) and for nurses (0.43). Conclusion The PQF FMC exam is a reliable, valid assessment of both Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM) knowledge and judgment. It evaluates essential EFM skills for the establishment of practical credentialing. It also reports modest correlation between knowledge and judgment scores, suggesting that knowledge alone does not assure clinical competency.
Keywords: Fetal Monitoring Credentialing; electronic fetal monitoring; interpretation of fetal monitoring.