Labor and Delivery Nurse

Duties and Responsibilities: Each labor and delivery nursing position is a bit different, and each birth is unique. Daily duties include monitoring patients with high-tech diagnostic equipment, entering patient data into computers and also spending one-on-one personal time with birthing women. Nursing care through the journey of childbirth involves working holistically with families, providing a warm point of contact for them within the health care system.Unlike many general staff RN jobs, where the kind of patient care you administer runs the gamut, labor and delivery nurses have a very specific function – to work with women who are about to give birth. L&D nurses work with just a few patients per day, monitoring their progress, and handling whatever new development comes there way. After birth, they continue to care for the mothers until they are released from the hospital. This care is more complex for mothers who give birth via C-section, or who have some other medical complication.The labor and delivery nurse works in a clinic, hospital or birth center setting, assisting the physician or midwife with all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Nursing duties during the birth itself include monitoring fetal heartbeat and the length and strength of contractions, as well as administering medication, coaching the woman and assisting with any complications that arise. Following the birth, they perform tests on the newborn and provides guidance to the mother on all aspects of recovery and infant care. The duties of an L&D nurse may include seeing expectant mothers in their prenatal visits, providing family support and teaching childbirth preparation classes.

What Is Labor and Delivery Nursing?

A labor and delivery nurse has the important role of assisting families throughout the birth process, working on a team with physicians, midwives and other professionals. They care for women during both normal and problematic pregnancies, providing information, guidance and hands-on clinical care. They are also important participants in the birth process itself and are key sources of information and support for the whole family during the period following birth.

What Is the Job Description of a Labor and Delivery Nurse?

The labor and delivery nurse works in a clinic, hospital or birth center setting, assisting the physician or midwife with all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Nursing duties during the birth itself include monitoring fetal heartbeat and the length and strength of contractions, as well as administering medication, coaching the woman and assisting with any complications that arise. Following the birth, they perform tests on the newborn and provides guidance to the mother on all aspects of recovery and infant care. The duties of an L&D nurse may include seeing expectant mothers in their prenatal visits, providing family support and teaching childbirth preparation classes.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Labor & Delivery Travel Nurse?

Many hospitals specify that their nurses must have a bachelor’s degrees in nursing, which typically requires four years of study. Additionally, every RN must pass the NCLEX exam , administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The registered nurse can also choose to attend graduate school for one or two years to receive advanced certification in a specific field, becoming an Advanced Practice Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or Nurse Practitioner. These advanced certifications also require specific hours of clinical experience as well as graduate training. Most travel positions require some additional certifications as well, including Fetal Monitoring (FMC) certification, Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification from the American Heart Association (AHA). Most hospitals also prefer them to be certified inNeonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) by AHA and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In addition, many L&D nursing jobs require at least two years of relevant hospital-based experience.

What Does a Labor and Delivery Nurse Do Every Day?

Each labor and delivery nursing position is a bit different, and each birth is unique. Daily duties include monitoring patients with high-tech diagnostic equipment, entering patient data into computers and also spending one-on-one personal time with birthing women. Nursing care through the journey of childbirth involves working holistically with families, providing a warm point of contact for them within the health care system.

Salary: earn $70,000* per year on average. Annual pay varies by region, facility, and experience level

Education: Many hospitals specify that their nurses must have a bachelor’s degrees in nursing, which typically requires four years of study. Additionally, every RN must pass the NCLEX exam , administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The registered nurse can also choose to attend graduate school for one or two years to receive advanced certification in a specific field, becoming an Advanced Practice Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or Nurse Practitioner. These advanced certifications also require specific hours of clinical experience as well as graduate training. Most travel positions require some additional certifications as well, including Fetal Monitoring (FMC) certification, Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification from the American Heart Association (AHA). Most hospitals also prefer them to be certified inNeonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) by AHA and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In addition, many L&D nursing jobs require at least two years of relevant hospital-based experience.

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