Labor and delivery nurses have the role of bringing children into the world each and every day. They care for women as they labor and also at childbirth. They have the role of monitoring the mother and the baby and coaching the new mothers. They also serve as the doctor’s assistants. When one becomes a labor and delivery nurse, the role is to prepare the women and the families for all the stages that are involved in childbirth and to help patients on how to breastfeed once the baby has been born.

Contents:

• Things that a Labor Nurse Does
• Getting Started
• Qualities of Good Labor and Delivery Nurse
• Job Outlook and Potential Salary
• The Work Environment for the Labor and Delivery Nurses
• Is This Career Suitable for You?
• The Career Requirements
• Resume Objectives
• Thank You Presents for Labor and Delivery Nurses

Things that a Labor Nurse Does

So if you are wondering, what does a labor delivery nurse do? Wonder no more.  They have many responsibilities and they include:

• Prepare the mothers before pregnancy, during the pregnancy and after the pregnancy
• Aid when new mothers are in labor
• Induce labor
• Administer epidurals and medications
• Identify different complications and assist in dealing with them
• Time the contractions during labor
• Monitor the heart rate of the baby and the blood pressure of the mother.
• Monitor the newborn after birth

The job characteristics are patient facing, structured, multifaceted and fast paced.

Getting Started

This is how to become a labor delivery nurse. It all starts with your grades in high school. These are very important as it serves as the foundation for your entire career. You need to have a high school diploma of a general equivalency diploma. When in high school, consider taking the following classes as they are the prerequisites for getting into nursing college:

• English for 4 years
• Math for 3 to 4 years and this includes geometry and algebra
• Science for 2-4 years. This needs to include physics, chemistry, and biology and computer science.
• Social studies for 3 to 4 years
• Foreign languages are highly recommended and an added advantage but it isn’t a requirement.

These are some of the labor and delivery nurse education requirements:

• You now have to choose a nursing school and make an application.  When you get to college, you need to get an associate of science degree in nursing. This is what most people call ASN or ADN. This will take 2 to 3 years and you then take the NCLEX-RN exam.
• You can also get a bachelor of science nursing which will take some four years. This also gets you prepared for leadership and bedside roles. You now qualify for the NCLEX-RN.
• To become a labor and delivery nurse, you can also get a master of science in nursing. It will take you two years after you get the BSN. This allows you to be an educator or manager of nurses. It also gives you the chance to pursue a PhD.
• You can start at a hospital where you will take some three years if the hospital is participating.
• You can also go through the military where you train for about 2 to 4 years in the nursing program.
• You can also choose to start out as a licensed practical nurse or a licensed vocational nurse and follow all steps to rise in nursing.

Qualities of Good Labor and Delivery Nurse

There are some things that tell you if you can be a good labor and delivery nurse. So as to ensure healthy and safe delivery, the nurse should be of a good judgment and they need to be able to pay attention to even the smallest details. They should possess an ability to act quickly and make quick decisions and work with others.

Good communication skills are very important and it is part of the responsibilities that they have. This is because they have the role to actually give the new parents the important education that they need.

Job Outlook and Potential Salary

Labor and delivery nurses have a salary that can be compared to other kinds of nursing specialties.  Labor and delivery nurse salary is at an average of $65,470. The salaries also range to a low of around 45,000 dollars and up to over 94,000 dollars per year. The salaries actually vary according to the role of the nurse, the employer, work experience and location.

Employment of the registered nurses is projected to really grow by 19% by 2022. This is a much higher average when compared to other kinds of occupations. This growth may be influenced by the population that is aging as well as the rising demand for different health care services.

Salary potential and the job opportunities really vary according to the education, experience and geographical location as well as other factors. The students are encouraged to do their own research so as to determine the employment potential and the actual earning that they might get in their own location.

The Work Environment for the Labor and Delivery Nurses

Labor and delivery nurses are usually employed by different hospitals, physicians in private office as well as clinic. They can also get jobs at birthing centers and maternities. The environment that they face is multifaceted and fast paced. The duties and conditions can change very quickly, even within a single shift. Sometimes a labor and delivery nurse will need to work during holidays, weekends, nights and work rotating shifts.

Is This Career Suitable for You?

If you want to enter labor and deliver nursing, there is a need to first make a determination of whether the career is for you. You need to know that there isn’t a thing as a typical day for a nurse and every shift comes with its own challenges and they can all be rewarding and very exciting. If you have the drive to assist people and have the interest of advancing the nursing career that you have, you should consider getting the experience and the education that is needed to reach that very goal.

A labor and delivery nurse is actually a registered nurse who concentrates on care for the newborns and the mothers during the different stages of childbirth and pregnancy. They have to work closely with families, patients and other healthcare professionals. They spend long hours standing and at times, they may be required to move or lift patients.

The Career Requirements

At the degree level, you need a nursing diploma or an associate’s degree. A bachelor’s degree also qualifies you.  Certification has to be there and one must pass the NCLEX. There are also some voluntary certifications which are very specific to the delivery and labor specialties which you can opt to take.

So as to be a certified labor and deliver nurse, you need to get some experience within the labor and deliver department.

You need these skills:

• Using different kinds of medical equipment
• Measuring the vital signs
• Accounting and software skills
• Microsoft excel
• Medical software
• Patience
• Critical thinking
• Compassion
• Detail oriented
• Emotional stability
• Great communication skills

Most hospitals necessitate labor delivery nurses to have certification in various areas such as cardiac life supports, neonatal resuscitation and basic life support. It is important for everyone in the field to note that they will need to take education courses continually so as to be up to date with the changes within the medical field. The field is very dynamic and new procedures come up from time to time.

Resume Objectives

Obstetricians and even hospitals heavily rely on labor and delivery nurse to assist women during the entire process of birth. When you decide to work as a labor and delivery nurse, expect it to be rewarding as it is challenging. The job requires the provision of superior patient care and to aid during the whole delivery process. In most cases, you need to make very important decisions and administer medicine. You need a resume that will highlight all the reasons as to why you are the best candidate for the job at and.

A good resume should have objectives that are very specific and straightforward. Be clear with the details given and the experience that you have so far. Your background and training also needs to be clear. You should highlight all the personality traits that actually help you to give the very best patient care and then perform very effectively on the job.

Labor and delivery nurse resume has to be very precise. You need to include the company that you want employment from and include it within. This is something that lets them see just how genuine the interest that you have in the job really is. Some objectives can include:

1. Smart and compassionate nursing graduate is seeking employment in AAA hospital as a labor and delivery nurse so as to assist the patients and contribute to betterment of the entire hospital.
2. Looking for a full-time labor and delivery nursing career with AAA company so as to use the experience of three years and nursing degree and to use the loving personality.

Thank You Presents for Labor and Delivery Nurses

In all areas of life, a little appreciation goes a long way. Nursing is a very demanding career and not one day is similar to the other. Labor nurses have to deal with difficult patients every single day and it is all in a day’s job. Sometimes they may feel drained and winded and they may just need something to boost them again and motivate them to try even harder the next time round.

When a labor and delivery nurse receives a thank you present, it is an amazing feeling. It is not how expensive it is or how fancy it looks, simplicity also works. You can use simple and gentle words to show your gratitude. Cash is not necessary nor are expensive gifts. Things that can be shared like great coffee beans, fruits, and even candy are a brilliant idea. Thank you notes and cards or even flowers can go a long way. When a shot of the baby with the parents and nurse is included, it is a very thoughtful thing to do.

Labor and delivery nurses are very important in our world, especially with the many things that are coming up in the medical field. Labor and delivery nurse schooling is very important as it prepares the nurse for the challenges and situations that they may face once they start practicing. Labor and delivery nurse jobs are very promising and in the future, there is a chance of even better pay in this field.