Have you ever wondered what being a Maternity Service Nurse means? What skills you would need? Or what a typical day in the life would look like? Make sure you’re all caught up with Specialty Nursing: What Makes a Good Labor and Delivery Nurse? And now let’s dive in to an interview with Amber Leigh, a real life L&D nurse!
Name and Education
Hi! My name is Amber Leigh and I am a bachelor prepared nurse. I graduated from California Baptist University with my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).
Where Do You Work?
I am a Maternity Services Nurse, which includes Labor & Delivery, Antepartum, and Postpartum.
How Long Have You Worked This Position?
A little over 3 years.
What Made You Want to be a Maternity Service Nurse?
I have always been fascinated by all things pregnancy, and my OB (obstetrics) class in nursing school solidified it for me. OB is its own world and I immediately fell in love with all of it. Everything just sort of clicked. My first delivery I was able to be a part in clinical of was a c-section for twins, and I got to be the “nurse” for one of the babies. When I swaddled her and walked her over to meet her mom, I was brought to tears and filled with joy and excitement at the new life that was just brought into the world! Nothing shows me more of who God is than seeing a baby be born.
What are the Most Common Skills Needed to be a Maternity Service Nurse?
Nursing skills would include IV placement, lab draws, foleys, and medication calculation and administration for high risk meds like Pitocin, magnesium, or insulin drips. Specialized assessments would include cervical exams, assessing and interpreting fetal heart tracings, and triaging patients according to MFTI (Maternal Fetal Triage Index) standards. Assessment skills need to be excellent. I would also say having an understanding of physiologic birth and female anatomy makes you a better nurse as you are able to understand what is going on in your patient’s body and encourage labor along.
What Personal Qualities does a Maternity Service Nurse Need to Have?
A L&D nurse needs to have a strong work ethic, a sense of urgency, critical thinking skills, and solid communication with other team members, including nurses, physicians, and the NICU team.
What Does a Typical Day as a Maternity Service Nurse Look Like?
Honestly, every day is different. You could admit a new patient for an induction, someone could walk in actively laboring and delivery quickly, or take a patient back for a c-section. You could be assigned to triage and have a constant turnover of patients, or have patients on Antepartum. The variety is fun!
What is Your Most Favorite Part About Being a Maternity Service Nurse?
Being a small part of such an intimate and special time with your patients is so meaningful. Deliveries are always so magical and amazing! Ultimately though, being able to empower women in both their weakest and strongest moments is what brings me the most pride in my job.
What Should Students Looking to go into Maternity Service Nursing Know about the Field?
Although L&D is generally a happy place, when it is not good it is bad. Patients have severe complications or lose their babies and it is really hard on them and on you as the nurse. You have to be able to support your patients through high highs and low lows.
Anything Else You Wish to Share?
L&D is truly a bit of everything. It’s not just labor; there are aspects of Med Surg, ICU, circulating in the OR and recovering in PACU, and ED in triage. No day is ever the same and it is so fun.
Thank you Amber Leigh for your loving service to new moms!
Be sure to check out the entire Specialty Nursing Series, and follow along with this new Specialty Nurse Interview Series!
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- Meet Jimmy, an ED Nurse!
- Meet Hannah, a PICU/Peds Nurse!
- Meet Briana, a Med Surg Nurse!
- Meet Nicole, an ICU Nurse!
- Meet Theresa, a Maternal Child Nurse!
- Meet Nicole, a Peds Nurse!
- Meet Jordan, an ED Nurse!
- From Nursing School Straight to the ICU: Meet Rylee, a New Grad Nurse!
- From Nursing School Straight to the PICU: Meet Nahla, a New Grad Nurse!
- Meet Allison, an Oncology Nurse!
- Meet Sara, a Mental Health Nurse!