One of the medical personnel a person who wants to undergo a medical procedure relies on is a nurse. For a delivery and labor nurse this is mostly true because if the job is performed with utmost compassion and care, the memory will linger forever in the patients' hearts. 

We shouldn’t confuse a neonatal nurse with a delivery or labor nurse because neonatal nurses are often referred to as baby nurses. They care for the babies while they are in nursery or they perform duty as a mother-baby in some hospitals. 

What are the duties of a delivery and labor nurse?

 A delivery and labor nurse must provide care for mothers from the beginning of time to the time they give birth. The nurse will also be present during delivery by assisting and providing support to both the patient, the doctor, and any other medical personnel needed during the time of delivery. After the patient has birthed, a delivery and labor nurse also has the role to administer care for the baby and the mother. 

Besides all these, a delivery and labor nurse also plays an important role that impacts how well the child and the mother survive after childbirth. The role has weighty responsibilities and is very much rewarding. 

Giving support to women throughout childbirth

The primary role of a delivery and labor nurse is to stay with the expectant mother and also to ensure that the expectant mother is prepared fully to pass through the stage of labor. This kind of nurse monitors the vitals of the expectant mother, coaches the mother throughout her contractions, and also monitors the baby's heart rate. Furthermore, the delivery and labor nurse also informs the expectant mother when it’s time for her to push actively. 

Also, this kind of nurse administers medications that the mother might need during childbirth. If the doctor on the ground decides it's a C-section delivery, the delivery and labor nurse will assist the mother to prepare. 

Delivery and labor nurses act also as scrub nurses during operations by either providing a calm presence to ease the mother's fears or standing by for the doctor's orders. 

After the delivery, the delivery and labor nurse also provide support and care. At this stage, the nurse is expected to help the new mother care for the infants. She teaches and helps the mother in bathing the child and coaches her on breastfeeding. 

How to become a delivery and labor nurse

If you are wondering how you can become a delivery and labor nurse, then this is for you. Delivery and labor nurse begins first as a Registered Nurse. After you have become a Registered Nurse, you begin to get your feet in the doorways. 

The traditional path is to work for a couple of years in med-surge but maternity units do accept new grads. 

For the next level, you should think about becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse or nurse-midwife specifically. From this point, you should obtain special training to gain better skills in assisting women to deliver their babies. 

Certifications and Training

There are several resuscitation training certifications and programs needed if you want to work in this unit. Listed are some required Certifications:

• BASIC LIFE SUPPORT (BLS) CERTIFICATION
• ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT (ACLS) CERTIFICATION
• ELECTRONIC FETAL MONITORING (C-EFM)
• NEONATAL RESUSCITATION PROGRAM (NRP) CERTIFICATION

Recommended Certifications

• INPATIENT OBSTETRIC NURSING (RNC-OB) CERTIFICATION

What’s the average salary of Delivery and Labor Nurses?

As of June 2019, the delivery and labor nurse salary is between the ranges of $43,000 to $88,000. The median salary is about $61,333. The salary range is because of several factors such as kind of institution, location, and level of experience.