Labor and delivery nurses get to work with families during some of the most memorable and exciting times in their lives. Below, we'll explain the steps you can take to make this career yours.
What Does a Labor and Delivery Nurse Do?
Labor and delivery nurses are nurses who assist patients who are in labor or are giving birth.
They can have a variety of duties depending on how far their patients are in labor.
Some of their responsibilities include:
- advocating for patients
- assisting with the administration of medications and epidurals
- comforting and coaching new mothers through the labor and delivery process
- helping with labor inductions
- making patients more comfortable through labor
- managing complications
- monitoring mother and baby's vitals during labor
- timing contractions
Overall, the job of a labor and delivery nurse involves advocating and caring for patients as they go through labor and delivery.
When you become a labor and delivery nurse, you'll start on a path just like other types of nurses. After you earn your license, you'll begin to work more specifically toward a career in labor and delivery.
Steps to Becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse
Below, we'll break down each step to becoming a labor and delivery nurse.
Step 1: Earn a Degree
The first step to becoming a nurse of any kind is to earn an undergraduate nursing degree. These degrees are available as both associate and bachelor's degrees.
Associate degrees are typically around 60 credits and take about two years, while bachelor's degrees are about 120 credits and take around four years.
An associate degree is the minimum you need to qualify for the registered nursing (RN) exam. However, many employers prefer labor and delivery nurses to have a bachelor's degree.
Additionally, a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) will allow you to take on leadership roles within your chosen nursing field.
Many schools offer RN to BSN programs for students who have already completed a nursing program and earned their RN license.
These programs allow you to finish out your bachelor's degree quickly, sometimes within a year.
While in your nursing program, you can use your elective options to focus on labor and delivery courses.
Step 2: Become a Licensed RN
After your education, you'll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Every state requires nurses to pass this exam before they can be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state, so check your state's Nursing Regulatory Body (NRB).
To take the NCLEX-RN, you'll need to apply through your state's NRB and meet their eligibility requirements. Once they grant you eligibility, you can schedule your exam.
The NCLEX-RN is primarily made of multiple-choice questions, though you may have other question types like fill-in-the-blanks or drag-and-drop questions.
You'll take your test at a testing site via a computer. There's a minimum of 75 questions and a maximum of 140.
The test adapts to how well you're doing. The more questions you answer correctly, the more questions you'll have on your exam. You have a maximum of six hours to take the exam.
If you don't pass, you'll receive an evaluation that tells you what areas of the test you did well on and where you struggled. You can use this to study and retake the test after 45 days.
Step 3: Gain Experience
Once you've become licensed, you can start to look for jobs in the labor and delivery field.
Some employers may require you to have experience as a licensed nurse before you work in the labor and delivery unit.
Examples of good departments to get experience in include:
- neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse
- obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) nurse
- pediatric nursing
- postpartum nurse
Once you've gained sufficient experience as a registered nurse, you may be able to move over to labor and delivery.
Step 4: Pursue Additional Credentials
While additional certification isn't generally required, it can help you get hired and show that you have the credentials to work as a labor and delivery nurse.
The National Certification Corporation (NCC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides credentialing for healthcare providers. They're the primary body for labor and delivery nurse certification.
The NCC offers many certifications that are beneficial for labor and delivery nurses.
These include:
- Electronic Fetal Monitoring
- Inpatient Antepartum Nursing
- Inpatient Obstetric Nursing
- Low Risk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing
- Maternal Newborn Nursing
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing
- Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety
These certifications require passing a test and periodic renewal.
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary and Job Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) doesn't have information on labor and delivery nurses specifically but does have information on registered nurses in general.
As of May 2021, the average salary for a registered nurse was $77,600. However, it's important to remember that salary will vary based on experience and location.
The bottom 10% of nurses earned $59,450 in 2021, while the top 10% earned $120,250.
The BLS projects that nursing positions will increase by 6% by 2031, which is about average for all occupations.
Become a Labor and Delivery Nurse Today
Becoming a labor and delivery nurse can be a rewarding and exciting career path. Contact Best Accredited Colleges today and let us help you start your new career.
