Labor and Delivery Nurse: Salary and Job Outlook

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2023 Web Blog Article for Maryville University

Online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Nursing (RN to BSN) Degree
https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/rn-to-bsn/

Article and Meta Title
Labor and Delivery Nurse: Salary and Job Outlook

Meta Description:
Explore the challenges and rewards of being a labor and delivery nurse. Discover the labor and delivery nurse salary, job outlook, and responsibilities.

Target Location
https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/rn-to-bsn/careers/labor-and-delivery-nurse

Keyword(s) (highlighted in copy)

Primary KW: labor and delivery nurse (14k)

Secondary KW: labor and delivery nurse salary (3.7k)

Target Audience
Prospective students interested in learning more about labor and delivery nursing careers.

Goal
To drive traffic and visibility to the featured program website, ultimately converting leads to new students.

Labor and Delivery Nurse: Salary and Job Outlook

What could be more satisfying than helping mothers deliver their babies safely into the world? Labor and delivery (L&D) nurses are medical professionals who have a life-changing impact on countless families. They are a reassuring source of information and personal support throughout the labor and delivery process, from the pre-labor to the postpartum stage.

Nurses interested in this specialty should learn more about L&D nurses’ duties, required skills, and salary, as well as how to qualify for this rewarding nursing position. Enrolling in an online RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program can be an excellent way for currently working registered nurses to launch a successful career in this growing field.

What Do Labor and Delivery Nurses Do?

L&D nurses are an integral part of professional medical teams that can include obstetricians, gynecologists, midwives, and pediatric nurse practitioners. They assist in both vaginal births and cesarean sections (C-sections) and are experts on pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, and newborn care. In fact, their responsibilities can start long before the baby is due. Labor and delivery nurses:

Take part in pregnancy wellness checkups
Offer childbirth education and parenting classes
Monitor vital signs and time contractions
Measure cervical dilation
Place catheters and IV lines
Prepare tools for the physician/midwife
Administer medications
Help identify potential complications and take preventive steps
Perform tests on newborns
Monitor and assist with postpartum patient recovery, which can last up to six weeks after birth
Share newborn care techniques with parents

Through it all, L&D nurses provide hands-on support, serving as coaches, cheerleaders, and advisors. It’s a job that offers variety, responsibility, challenge, and tremendous personal fulfillment.

Common Work Environments for Labor and Delivery Nurses

Labor and delivery nurses tend to be employed by hospitals and birthing centers that provide 24-hour care — requiring them to often work night, weekend, holiday, and on-call shifts. Twelve-hour shifts are common. Some L&D nurses work in private obstetrics practices.

Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary and Job Growth

The median annual salary for L&D nurses was approximately $71,000 as of June 2023, according to Payscale. Labor and delivery nurses’ salaries can vary widely based on the nurses’ geographical location, the type of facility they work for, and their experience level. The role of registered nurse is projected to grow 6% between 2021 and 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with about 203,000 job openings expected each year due to growth and retirements in the healthcare industry.

Steps to Becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse

Labor and delivery nurses need to be registered nurses with either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Employers often prefer that aspiring L&D nurses hold BSN degrees, as they signify an advanced level of nursing expertise. Many L&D nurses come from a medical-surgical background, where they are accustomed to fast-paced environments.

ADN nurses who are already RNs but are interested in gaining the benefits of a bachelor’s degree can enroll in Maryville University’s online RN to BSN program to pursue their educational goals. Doing so can help open a wide range of nursing jobs in management and leadership, and the higher salaries these roles command.

After earning a nursing degree, labor and delivery nurses need to:

Pass the NCLEX-RN exam
Apply for licensure as a registered nurse in the state where they intend to work
Obtain clinical labor and delivery work experience

Labor and delivery nurses also are often required to hold basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certifications. In addition, L&D nurses should stay at the forefront of their field throughout their careers via continuing education. Through the National Certification Corporation (NCC), they can complete courses and gain certification in a number of areas related to childbirth, such as fetal monitoring, breastfeeding support, neonatal resuscitation, anesthetics, or pharmacology. L&D nurses with 2,000 hours of professional experience can take an exam to earn their RNC-OB certification.

Depending on where they work, some labor and delivery nurses choose to specialize in high-risk groups, such as older mothers or those with high-risk pregnancies. Some labor and delivery nurses choose to earn an advanced degree in the field and become certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, or nurse anesthetists.

Fundamental Skills for Labor and Delivery Nurses

Successful L&D nurses exhibit mastery of the following:

Medical expertise: L&D nurses use their training to locate the baby’s progress through the birth canal, administer pain medication, and much more.
Communication: L&D nurses should be able to adjust their communication to suit a variety of audiences, sometimes under emotional or tense circumstances. They need to ask intuitive questions, listen carefully, thoroughly explain to their patients what they can expect, and share information with their fellow medical professionals.
Problem-solving: Childbirth can be unpredictable. Effective L&D nurses quickly recognize potentially threatening symptoms and respond with appropriate treatments — especially in cases of early labor, placenta abruption, or preeclampsia.
Empathy: Typically, labor and delivery nurses spend more time with laboring mothers than doctors or midwives do, and they become very familiar with patients throughout the birthing process. This helps build strong patient trust, cooperation, and satisfaction.
Attention to detail and organization: L&D nurses often care for several laboring patients at a time, which requires them to have strong organizational and multitasking capabilities.
Technical skills: L&D nurses need to be able to effectively use medical equipment and technology throughout the birthing process, and handle any problems that arise.

Learn How an RN to BSN Degree Can Help You Become a Labor and Delivery Nurse

In today’s job market, employers are increasingly drawn to nursing candidates with BSN degrees. Earning your RN to BSN degree can open up a wide range of nursing jobs that can lead to higher salaries and increased leadership responsibilities.

Maryville University’s 100% online RN to BSN degree program is ideal for professionals ready to advance their careers. It offers flexible schedules and easy eligible credit transfers to put you on track to earn your online degree sooner. Find out how Maryville can help you take the next brave step in your nursing career.

Sources
Betterteam, Nurse Job Description
Incredible Health, “Pursuing a Career as a Labor and Delivery Nurse”
Indeed, Common Questions About a Labor and Delivery Nurse
Indeed, “6 Labor and Delivery Nurse Skills: Definition and Examples”
Payscale, Average Labor and Delivery Nurse Hourly Pay
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses
WebMD, “What to Know About Labor and Delivery Nurses”

Alt text: A labor and delivery nurse treats a mother and child in a hospital bed.

Backup Image:
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/new-born-baby-with-his-mother-at-hospital-gm1398823484-452853066