Are you considering becoming an L&D Nurse but unsure exactly what it entails? Let’s dive in to figure out if Labor and Delivery Nursing is right for you!
What is L&D Nursing?
L&D stands for Labor and Delivery Nursing. These nurses work on the floor in a hospital that cares for mothers who are laboring and delivering their babies, hence the name ‘labor and delivery’. Labor and delivery nurses oversee care from when the mother first comes into the hospital feeling contractions and the onset of labor, and end their care once the baby is born. In some cases, Labor and Delivery nurses also act as Operating Room nurses when cesarian births, aka C-sections are needed. From there, depending on how healthy mom and baby are, L&D nurses typically pass their care off to another nurse on a different unit, such as a Post-Partum Nurse. The baby will either go with mom if they are healthy enough, or go to the NICU until they are ready to be reunited with their family.
Patient Load
As a L&D nurse, you will be taking on less patients than other units since when your patient starts pushing, you’ll need to be there. In California, a L&D Nurse can take up to 2 patients at once. A nurse patient ratio of 1 to 2. Most patients who are getting ready to deliver are relatively healthy. They are likely going to be alert, oriented, and ambulatory (meaning they can walk) prior to their admission.
L&D Nurse Job Description
For each of your patients, you are going to be responsible for performing a focused assessment on mom and the unborn baby. You will be monitoring both the mother and the baby’s vital signs through an electronic fetal monitoring device. Labor and delivery nurses are there to support the mother, listen to her birthing plan, and follow along to the best of their ability. L&D nurses have both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical devices to use during the process of labor.
Labor and Delivery Nurse Skills
L&D nurses are skilled at inserting IV’s and Foleys as most of their patients are going to need both. They need to be able to assess their patients’ cervix and appropriately determine how dilated they are and what that means. Labor and delivery nurses must know how to set up and interpret the electronic fetal monitoring device to monitor how the baby is doing before, during, and after mom’s contractions. L&D nurses know the process of labor and delivery and are able to determine the right time to call the doctor.
L&D Nurse Salary
Labor and Delivery Nurses pay varies by state, location, and hospital. According to ZipRecruiter, L&D Nurses in Los Angeles California on average make about $51.96 per hour, equating to $108,077 per year. Nationally, Labor and Delivery Nurses make about $118,814 per year.
So, What Makes a Good Labor and Delivery Nurse?
A good L&D Nurse is someone who enjoys spending more time with each of their patients and building rapport as this is one of the more private times in a woman’s life. They are great at listening to their mothers about their birth plan and implementing it in the safest way. L&D nurses are able to predict patient outcomes and implement a plan of action for any possible complications. Labor and Delivery Nurses like to work as part of a team as they will often be working with other nurses and doctors. L&D nurses respect and appreciate the female body and the creation of new life. A Labor and Delivery Nurse is someone who can remain calm in stressful situations while being sensitive to patient needs.
Want to Know More…?
Are you interested in learning more about School Nursing? Head on over to the Specialty Nurse Interview Series to Meet Amber Leigh, a Maternity Service Nurse! and Meet Theresa, a Maternal Child Nurse!
Do you want to be a Labor and Delivery Nurse? Comment below!
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Looking into other nursing specialties? Follow along with the Specialty Nursing Series and the Specialty Nurse Interview Series!
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