Labor and delivery nurses take care of expectant mothers who are in labor, or who are having complications during pregnancy and need to be hospitalized. Their duties consist of monitoring the mother and baby to make sure that they both remain stable. Labor and delivery nurses assist mothers during the pushing phase of labor, and when the time comes, they call a physician into the room to deliver the baby. You can choose to become a nurse by attending classes online, at community colleges or health sciences colleges.
Here’s how to become a labor and delivery nurse.
- Earn your degree in nursing. Becoming a registered nurse (RN) is important if you want to become an L&D nurse. While you are trained in LPN school about becoming an OB/L&D nurse, almost all hospitals prefer to hire RNs for this job. You can earn your nursing degree by choosing an accredited nursing school either online, or attending one in person.
- Take and pass the NCLEX-RN. After graduation, you will be assigned a date to take the NCLEX-RN and this date could be as little as one-two weeks after graduation. Make sure to review your old tests and nursing notes as a study guide. Once you pass this test you will be licensed to practice as an RN in your state. If you move to another state you must contact the nursing board in that state, and go through the appropriate steps to obtain licensure to practice in that state. Until then your license will not be valid to practice there.
- Get a nurse job. Getting a job as a nurse is easy—but finding the job you desire may be hard. L&D jobs are hard to find, and most hospitals want experience. The best way to get into L&D is to start working in a hospital on pediatrics, or med-surge. Inquire about openings once you are already hired and have experience as a nurse. Most L&D nurses get their start being transferred from another floor, rather than being hired and receiving training.
- Take continuing education units. Every year when it is time to renew your nursing license you will be required to have continuing education credits. Often your workplace will offer these through computerized testing and classes that you can take on your own time for free. You will be able to choose from several different subjects; if any are offered in the area of OB/GYN you should take these.
- Do L&D nurses handle postpartum care? Some hospitals have phased out postpartum floors, and now offer labor, delivery and postpartum rooms. This means that you are required to handle everything. Other hospitals will have floors for labor and delivery, and then postpartum patients. If you find it difficult to get hired as a labor and delivery nurse, you could try to get hired as a postpartum nurse and then apply for L&D jobs when they open since you will have experience with postpartum patients.
- How much does an L&D nurse make? Labor and delivery nurses make on average around $60,000 per year. Since graduate nurses are not often hired for this job, you will start out with an average salary.
While this job may seem easy and laid back, the nurse has to be very knowledgeable. Nurses will not often be hired right out of nursing school for this job because emergencies may need to be handled quickly and there may be a shortage of employed nurses. If you enjoy working with expectant parents and babies, then becoming a labor and delivery nurse is a career you should strongly consider.